Nerlens Noel landing with the Dallas Mavericks was almost an afterthought at the NBA trade deadline, in large part because of the DeMarcus Cousins trade.
Don’t sleep on the move.
The Mavericks aren’t in contention by any means this year—rather, a significant rebuild. But the team has made a low-key great move with the addition of Noel, who they acquired for all of Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut, and a first-round pick with heavy protections.
Noel has made the Mavericks feel great about the move, to say the least. Take a look at a note by Bobby Karalla:
https://twitter.com/bobbykaralla/status/845306712848523264
It’s early, but keep in mind Noel is only 22 years old. Also keep in mind a smart, effective addition like this at a key spot could make Dallas quite a bit more attractive as a free-agent destination in the offseason. And fielding a competitive roster is something that could persuade Dirk Nowitzki to stick around for a year or two.
Rebuilding teams have to attack every possible avenue to field a solid roster these days. Lining up for the free-agency lottery and hoping a big name picks you doesn’t work. If the Mavericks build around Noel with solid draft choices and a free agent or two, it could accelerate the process in a hurry.
This is a small sample size, but so far, Noel has panned out for the Mavericks.
About Chris Roling
Chris is an Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism graduate and associate editor here at TSD. He also covers breaking news and the NFL at Bleacher Report and resides in Athens (OH) with his wife and two dogs.
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