On July 1, the official first day of the NBA's 2017-18 free-agency season, the Mavericks came to Nerlens Noel, a restricted free agent at the time, with a contract offer: a four-year deal worth around $70 million, according to one league source. Five months earlier, they had pried him away from the Sixers, just before the Feb. 23 trade deadline, with the hope that he would blossom into a foundational piece who could form part of their future post-Dirk Nowitzki core.
Noel, a 2013 lottery pick who was ranked as the top prep player in the country back in 2012, had flashed promise in Philadelphia, but injuries and a crowded depth chart prevented him from soaring. Dallas was betting that a new environment coupled with increased opportunities were all he needed to become the player so many once predicted.
Except Noel rejected the deal. Then in August, he fired his agent, Happy Walters, and replaced him with Rich Paul, whose playbook is to push for larger deals, and to hold off on signing long-term extensions until the player has the leverage, especially with guys as young as Noel (23).
There were reports at the time that Noel was pushing for a max deal. A league source adamantly told B/R recently, though, that those reports were incorrect and that there was actually no dialogue whatsoever with the Mavericks after the agency change.
Noel wound up signing a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer instead.
For Noel, the months since have only grown more turbulent. He's fallen into head coach Rick Carlisle's doghouse and been relegated to the bench. Earlier this month, he made news by paying a visit to the media dining room during halftime of a game against the Clippers so he could get a hot dog, seemingly his version of expressing discontent with his situation.