Mavericks: Re-signing Noel isn’t a risk
Nerlens Noel may seem like a future risk if the Dallas Mavericks decide to re-sign him, but the decision may not be so painful after all.
The end of last season brought many questions about whether or not center Nerlens Noel would return to the Dallas Mavericks organization.
On July 1st, the day in which free agents could sign with any team, the Dallas Mavericks offered Noel a four year $70 million contract. The Mavericks center declined the offer and hoped for something bigger.
Love the Mavs? Join our team and start writing!
A month later Noel signed a one year, $4 million contract to return to Dallas.
With Nerlens Noel being a free agent again at the end of the season, the question still remains: Will the Dallas Mavericks bring him back?
From a money standpoint the answer is no brainier. I am sure every team in the league wishes they could pay their starting center just 4 million dollars.
It is rumored that at the end of the season Noel still has interests to go out and seek the long term deal he sough this past off-season.
The buyers guide teams are willingly to pay for Noel still remains uncertain, but with the way this season has turned out for him, he may not get the big bucks he is hoping for. Noel’s best bet this season is to go for the team that offers him the best deal.
Currently, the Mavericks center is averaging 4.2 points per game, along with 5 rebounds a game. His best season came back during the 2015-2016 season when he averaged 11.1 points per game to go with eight rebounds.
More from Dallas Mavericks
- Dallas Mavericks Free Agency: 3 Roster Burning Questions
- ‘Dirk Overrated?’ Where does the Mavericks star rank among big men?
- Dallas Mavericks: 1 Possible trade scenario to solve their issues
- 2023 NBA Mock Draft: Where will the Dominoes fall?
- Mavericks new draft odds crucial to team’s future outlook
The biggest concern Noel has had throughout his career is the amount of injuries he sustains. For three months this season the 6’11 center missed time due to a thumb injury he suffered back in December.
Injuries were not the main reason Noel has missed this season, either. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle benched the big man for a couple of games this year because of the antics we had done and the effort out forward.
While the Mavericks and Noel have had their share of run-ins with each other, it is in the best interest for Dallas to re-sign the big man.
The pool of big man this summer will all come at a high price with players such as Deandre Jordan, Brook Lopez and Enes Kanter all expected to hit the market.
With the price for centers being set high and the team possibly using the draft to fill other voids needed, signing Noel wouldn’t be a bad thing.
The expectations are that Noel may leave Dallas, but if you can bring the center back then why not take a risk?
Next: Is Wesley Matthews’ absence hurting the Mavericks?
Pairing Noel and guard Dennis Smith Jr could ensure amazing alley-oops for a long time.
If Dallas does bring Noel he does not have to even start for the team, using the center as back up role could even make him in contention for a sixth man of the year candidate.