This is fine.
Nerlens Noel, who turned down a four-year, $70 million offer from the Dallas Mavericks in restricted free agency only to sign his one-year qualifying offer worth $4.2 million, will not get to spend his contract season as the starting center.
That job, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, belongs to Dirk Nowitzki.
From ESPN.com’s Tim MacMahon:
Coach Rick Carlisle informed Noel and agent Rich Paul over the weekend that he was leaning toward starting Dirk Nowitzki, the longtime face of the franchise entering his 20th season, at center and using Noel as a reserve.
“I basically said to them that I’m not sure that he’s going to start,” Carlisle said during the Mavs’ media day Monday. “At this point in time, Dirk at the 5 position is probably the best scenario for Dirk and for our team, and I just don’t think that Dirk is a guy that’s going to come off the bench as long as I’m here. So there’s a very good chance that Nerlens will come off the bench. Look, he said he’s good with it.”
Asked about the reserve role, Noel said: “I’m really locked into having a great year no matter what. Just keep it simple.”
Welp.
This isn’t ideal if you’re Noel. Bigs who don’t space the floor are a dying commodity, and your wallet is already much lighter than it should be. Coming off the bench inherently drives down your value around the rest of the league, unless they view you as a starting-caliber anchor.
Luckily for Noel, he’s viewed in that light, and the Mavericks were already willing to give him $70 million to play this role. If he performs up to snuff, some money should be there waiting for him next summer.
Plus, this doesn’t feel like an intentional slight or legacy reward for Dirk, just a genuine stylistic preference. Carlisle prefers to play Harrison Barnes at the 4, and he’s better suited to cover up for Nowitzki defensively than any other power forward the Mavericks would run out. So if you’re going to start him, you might as well start Nowitzki.
Bringing Noel off the bench also ensures you don’t ever have to play Nowitzki without one of Barnes or Noel on the floor. And that’s a big deal. The Mavericks defense held firm in the 178 minutes Dirk spent without the both of them last season, according to NBA.com, but that doesn’t feel too sustainable.
Maybe the Mavericks make a change midseason. They’re rebuilding. A trade could shake things up, particularly if it involves Barnes or Wesley Matthews. For now, at least in theory, guaranteeing you’ll have at least one of Barnes or Noel to cover for Nowitzki at all times is a justifiable play—even if it, unfortunately, ends up coming at the expense of Noel’s free-agent stock.
