May 25, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler (6) reacts after winning game five against the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Western Conference Finals of the 2011 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Mavs beat the Thunder 100-96. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

2011 NBA Champion details how he almost didn't get traded to Mavericks

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Tyson Chandler was an instrumental part to the Dallas Mavericks winning the 2011 NBA championship, anchording the defense on the interior. Dallas traded for him prior to that season, but if things had gone differently, he would've been with the OKC Thunder.

The New Orleans Hornets tried to trade him to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the trade deadline in February of 2009, but it was reversed due to a failed physical..

"They tried to trade me off [in] my third year, they went to Oklahoma City, and the doctor there flagged my physical and rescinded the trade,” Chandler said on the "To the Baha" podcast. “I had to go back to New Orleans to finish the year...

Tyson Chandler on his rescinded trade to OKC: "The doctor there flagged my physical... I honestly think we get 2-3 championships, 2 minimum... We would've been a problem."

(via @ToTheBaha) pic.twitter.com/hP6t2m1I1u
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) September 23, 2025

"If I got there on top of that, our styles match. Athletically, I can keep up with them. I'm actually going to push the pace for them. I honestly think we get two or three championships, two minimum. Even young Serge was there. You had Serge playing the power forward, I'm playing the five. Two athletically-[gifted] bigs. We would've been a problem."

Had Chandler gone to OKC, there's a good chance the Mavericks never win the championship in 2011. With Chandler anchoring the defense in the post, and having Jason Kidd, Deshawn Stevenson, and Shawn Marion patrolling the perimeter, that team was very difficult to score on. Without Chandler, things would've been vastly different.

Tyson Chandler's Path To and From the Mavericks

After that trade was rescinded, the Hornets kept him for the rest of the season before trading him to the Charlotte Bobcats straight up for Emeka Okafor in the 2009 offseason. After one season in Charlotte, the Mavericks swung a trade for him, sending out Matt Carroll, Erick Dampier, and Eduardo Najera.

Chandler was incredible for the Mavericks, but he was a free agent after the season. He wanted to come back to Dallas, but the Mavericks chased Dwight Howard. Howard ended up going to the Houston Rockets, Chandler ended up going to the New York Knicks, and the Mavericks ended up rolling with Brendan Haywood, Brandan Wright, and Ian Mahinmi at center in the championship defense.

After leaving the Mavericks, Chandler made an All-Star Game and won Defensive Player of the Year. He would come back to the Mavs for the 2014-15 season, but they could've used him in the seasons prior.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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