GM Nelson views Noel as key element on defense
Former 76ers center draws comparisons to Chandler during 2011.
When talking about his latest acquisition, fourth-year center Nerlens Noel, Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson repeatedly made one comparison: Tyson Chandler.
Yup, the same man whose defense played as vital a role in Dallas’ 2011 NBA Finals run as Dirk Nowitzki’s offense. Nelson sees Noel, acquired in a trade with Philadelphia on Thursday, as playing that role for the Mavericks.
“He gives us an element we haven’t had here since Tyson Chandler,” Nelson told reporters a day after the NBA trade deadline. “Shot-blocking, rebounding, energy — big steals guy as well. He’s able to get out in the court and guard the pick and roll, which is a big asset these days, to be able to keep the smaller guy in front of you. So it gives us a dimension that we haven’t had here in a long time, so we’re really more than ecstatic and excited about him.”
Nelson hopes Noel fits next to Nowitzki and small forward Harrison Barnes the same way Chandler did, offsetting Nowitzki’s limitations with a combination of athleticism and defensive skills. Nelson admitted that was one of the reasons Andrew Bogut did not fit in Dallas before being shipped to the Sixers as part of Thursday’s trade.
“Andrew wasn’t the perfect fit there. Everyone tried; everyone did the best that they possibly could from Rick (Carlisle) to Andrew was a complete professional. It was just hard for us,” Nelson said. “But in the spirit of the success we had with Tyson in the past, Nerlens is really a Tyson starter kit. So I think it’s going to work very well.”
Nelson was happy about the opportunity presented to the Mavericks’ by Philadelphia’s logjam at the center position. The presence of Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor meant that Noel had no place in Philadelphia, especially as he is about to enter restricted free agency after this season.
The trade gives the Mavericks the right to match any offer made to Noel this offseason, but Nelson thinks Noel will want to be in Dallas long term, given the resources the team will surround him.
“I think he’s going to be given every opportunity to succeed here. In my opinion, we’ve got one of the best in the business with Rick. Certainly part of Harrison Barnes’ success here hasn’t been unnoticed around the league,” Nelson said. “Nerlens will be utilized to the fullest extent and be given an opportunity to really spread his wings and fly.”
Nelson spoke about how the move gives the team a chance to compete for a playoff spot this season and give Nowitzki “the athleticism, the youth to transition into what I think will be a really cool 20th year next year.”
But he admitted that a big part of the trade was also an effort to help the Mavs make the transition to the post-Nowitzki era — whenever that day comes.
“Well, that’s clearly a part of it. We’d love for him to play five more years. That’s really his decision. It’s a year-by-year decision,” Nelson said. “I think this was an important step because, again, frontline players are just really difficult to find. He’s 22. This should be (Noel’s) draft year.”
If Noel comes with a red flag, it is his injury history. He has had three knee injuries, starting with a torn ACL at the end of his freshman year at Kentucky that cost him significant time on the court. Nelson thinks the Mavs’ medical staff will give him the best chance to reverse that trend.
“We really have, in my opinion, one of the top medical staffs from our trainer to our doctors,” Nelson said. “We feel that we can certainly manage the situation. We drafted Timmy Hardaway at Golden State, and some teams out there said he would never play more than three years. But medical science the way it is today and our medical staff and Rick, we feel confident that we can manage that situation.”