Last season
Nerlens Noel got off to a good start with the Dallas Mavericks in 2017-18. He produced 16 points and 11 rebounds in his season debut on Oct. 18, but after that, his play was sporadic at best.
Noel averaged 4.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game through 30 appearances for the Mavericks last season. His season-opening double-double earned him a starting nod in the following game and four consecutive starts, but by late November he was buried on the bench.
Noel’s fit as an athletic big man didn’t work out in Dallas, but most of it was due to what they have at their core. There was rookie Dennis Smith Jr., then forward Harrison Barnes and then an aging Dirk Nowitzki for Noel to work around.
A change of scenery was best for him and the Mavericks did their best to save what Noel had left by benching him. The Mavericks went 24-58 and weren’t in the playoff picture at all last season. They’ll have another rookie in Luka Doncic to acclimate to the NBA, so it’s better for Noel to move to the Thunder.