The only season preview you need: the Dallas Mavericks vs. Kanye West

A new season is upon us, and what better to celebrate with than another trip through the catalogue of a noted musician and/or music genre versus the Mavericks roster.

For those of you new to this, we've been here before: with Taylor Swift and with '90s songs. Today, we tackle the enigmatic -- but admittedly gold standard -- rapper Kanye West.

Last year's Mavericks can really be described in one word: fun. Sure, they made the playoffs -- but if they hadn't, hey, there was a pretty intensely satisfying three team race there. For every tough loss there was a win that was just as improbable. For every mediocre Dirk game there was a surprisingly rejuvenated Monta Ellis to pick up the slack. For every frustration with the center rotation, there was mostly delightful point guard play.

But for any of those frustrations offset by joy, there was the promise of the playoffs -- and a team that could actually do something once it got there -- all. season. long. The Mavericks of recent seasons past didn't have that feel.

Let's just put it this way: the 2013-14 Mavericks REALLY got their swagger back. So without further adieu, the only 2014-15 season preview you will need.

(Probably.)

Chandler Parsons - "Gorgeous"

Ain't no question if I want it, I need it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down

To be honest, I never really considered a song OTHER than "Gorgeous" for the handsome Mr. Parsons, mostly because obviously. But also because once I double checked the words, it even seemed to fit the narrative perfectly: young up-and-coming player, wanting a bigger role, seemingly not going to get it in Houston.

"Why you playing? I'm saying..."

And now, by some twist of fate but also by the grace of Mark Cuban winning a devilish dance of contract structuring versus Daryl Morey, Parsons is a Dallas Maverick. After reportedly being told that Morey would do anything to keep him.

I know I'll be curious if Parsons is playing with a bit of a chip on his shoulder against his former team and division rival...if he'll let them live down the decision to let him go.

Tyson Chandler - "Homecoming"

I'm coming home again.
Do you think about me now and then?
Do you think about me now and then?
Cause I'm coming home again
I'm in home again.

But if you really care for her, then you would n-never hit the airport,
To follow your dream, sometimes I still talk to her, but when I talk to her
It always seems like she talking about me,
She said you left your kids and they just like you
They wanna rap and make show beats just like you,
But they just not you and I just got through
Talking bout what she can try to do just not new
Now everybody got the game figured out all wrong
I guess you never know what you got till its gone

Do you guys remember when I waxed poetic about Tyson Chandler in one of Taylor Swift's most heartbreaking songs about unrequited love, "Back to December," about a year and a half ago? You don't? Go ahead, I'll wait.

Maybe this is wishful thinking; probably mindless dreaming......OH SHIT HE'S COMING BACK??? CANCEL THE REST OF THE SAD TAYLOR SWIFT SONG.

"Do you think about me now and then / cause I'm coming home again" is so so so perfect. Yes, Tyson Chandler, we did think about you now and then. Especially every time Chris Kaman led a fast break, or Samuel Dalembert overslept, or Brendan Haywood was being horrifyingly average. We had the center game figured out all wrong. (I know that was true because the media was all WHY DID THE MAVS LET HIM GOOOOO SO WRONG.)

We never knew what we had in you til you were gone. Other centers weren't you and we just got through. (Barely.) But you're coming home again and that is so so nice.

Raymond Felton - "Lost in the World"

I'm lost in the world, I'm down on my mind
I'm new in the city, and I'm down for the night
Down for the night
Said she's down for the night

You're my devil, you're my angel
You're my heaven, you're my hell
You're my now, you're my forever
You're my freedom, you're my jail...

New in the city. Down on his mind (and reputation). After pleading guilty to gun charges stemming from an incident last season and getting hit with a four game suspension for the season yet to start, Felton is riding into Dallas in a little bit of a downward spiral.

Fortunately for him, after Monta Ellis' comeback last season, and Vince Carter's reinvention into perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate, the Mavs do have something little growing reputation for being a haven for those down on their luck.

Though certainly his personal and legal troubles have been something of a distraction this past season, we all love a comeback story. I'd like to hope that, while Felton certainly seems a little lost at the moment, a new city and fresh start mean he is free to re-claim his basketball career here in Dallas.

Monta Ellis - "Can't Tell Me Nothing"

Let the champagne splash, let that man get cash,
Let that man get past.
You don't need a stop to get gas,
If he can move through the rumors, he can drive off the fumes cause
How he move in a room full of no's?

...

I'm in between, but way more fresher.
With way less effort, 'cause when you try hard,
That's when you die hard.
Ya homies looking like "Why God?"
When they reminisce over you, my god.

Let that man get past. Let him move through the rumors. Monta Ellis certainly did have himself a revival in Dallas last season, didn't he? After a disappointing season with the Bucks and the whole "have it all" controversy, Ellis landed himself in Big D, which, as mentioned above, has become the sometime home of misfit reclamation projects.

But as we all know by now, Monta played sidekick -- and sometimes hero -- to Dirk Nowitzki's revival of his own last season. And for all the crying amongst Mavs fans of bearing the stigma of being the team that signed Ellis, he became a fan favorite by the end of the season. It has gotten to the point where personally, I cringed anytime he was mentioned in a trade scenario this offseason.

Nonetheless, it's hard to escape the feeling that this might just be a stop for him on the way to a different team. Dallas suits him - having teammates who can shoot to take the game-to-game burden off of him as a playmaker certainly helps a ton -- but what of the contract that could run out after this coming season? What of Dirk -- who makes him better -- being on his own last years of playing?

Is Monta in between stops with the Mavs? Or has he moved past the rumors and found a long-term home? Who knows in the day and age of players seemingly switching teams every season, but one thing is for certain: after last season, you CAN'T tell Monta nothing. He's earned the right to say whatever he wants, for now.

Brandan Wright - "Touch the Sky"

Now let's take 'em high-igh-igh-igh-igh-igh la la la la la la la
(Top of the world, baby. T-Top of the world)
Now let's take 'em high-igh-igh-igh-igh-igh la la la la la la la
(Top of the world, baby. T-Top of the world)

Just gonna let this speak for itself:

Annnnnnnd enough said.

Dirk Nowitzki - "Champion"

(Did you realize
That you were a champion?
In their eyes)

Yes I did, so I packed it up and brought it back to the crib
Just a little somethin' show you how we live
Everybody want it but it ain't that serious
That's that shit
So if you're gonna do it, do it just like this

(Did you realize
That you were a champion?
In their eyes)

You don't see just how wild the crowd is?
You don't see just how fly my style is?
I don't see why I need a stylist

Oh, Dirk. What can I say about you that hasn't already been said?

We all know that this Mavericks roster is build around Dirk. Around the idea of getting our champion one more ring, if they can. And loyalty is so rare in this day and age -- and he could have signed elsewhere, had offers even (lol), but he brought it back to Dallas (back to the crib!) without even a second thought, signing the three-year, deep discount of a deal that makes him a Maverick for life.

He's a champion. Our champion. The guy who the franchise has revolved around for years, and who will be dearly missed when he's not on the court anymore.

Also, he don't need a stylist, duh. (Please, please click through on that link.)

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Who and what songs did I miss? Holla atcha girl in the comments below.

[h/t to John Gennaro and Tim Cato for their invaluable suggestions in putting this together]