The Dallas Mavericks used the NBA Trade Deadline to set a future path for the franchise. Now on Saturday, the Mavericks sill take a step toward their team of the future when Nerlens Noel makes his Dallas' debut. Noel, who the Mavericks acquired for two second-round picks and Justin Anderson, could be limited in his first game.
There is no questioning what within the next week, Noel should emerge as Dallas' starting center and receive a bulk of the minutes, but he is still new to this team and head coach Rick Carlisle's system.
It's a bit of a delay for fantasy owners who foamed at the mouth for Noel's extreme boost in fantasy stock, but it's the reasonable move by Dallas to bring him along slowly so he can learn the system. Noel averaged just 8.9 points, five rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game this season, but Philadelphia kept his average minutes per night under 20. The big jump in minutes should see him be a double-double player with at least a block per night.