Dallas Mavericks Bench Nerlens Noel after Early Season Struggles, Center Says He's Not Frustrated by the Move
When the Dallas Mavericks acquired Nerlens Noel in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, pundits were quick to note he could be as effective as former Mavs center Tyson Chandler in the lineup because of his length, size, and tenacity on defense.
Given his immense talent, many expected Noel to start at center this season, but Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle had other plans and he made the decision to bring him off the bench to start the season.
That was fine as long as Noel gets to play extended minutes, but now the situation has just turned from bad to worse because he has been benched in favor of Salah Mejri.
After Noel got a "did not play-coach's decision" (DNP-CD) last Saturday, Carlisle told reporters that Mejri has earned the playing time with his recent performance and Noel just has to work hard to earn his minutes.
"It's pretty simple: You compete, and if you earn minutes, you get minutes. And you've got to compete to keep them, because it's a competitive situation," Carlisle explained, via ESPN.
Noel also downplayed the benching and he said he was fine with it.
"I'm good, I'm good. I'm a very self-confident player. I know I can go in there and change games. When my number is called, I'll do just that and help some winning efforts. That's all my play style is about, is just winning. When I'm called on, I'll bring my winning effort," he stated.
Still, fans will have to remember that Noel already displayed signs of discontent less than a year into his tenure with the Mavericks.
The Mavs and their center were locked in a contract stalemate for most of the summer, and the two sides just couldn't agree on a long-term deal. At the end of the day, Noel chose to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason by signing a one-year, $4.1-million qualifying offer with the team.
Will Noel re-sign with the Mavericks next summer after struggling to get consistent playing time this season?
