The Dallas Mavericks have been rolling with a center-by-committee situation this season. Salah Mejri and (until recently) Nerlens Noel have also spent time in the middle in place of Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwight Powell was the latest addition to the carousel during their big win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to the Dallas Morning News’ Eddie Sefko, Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle seems intent on rolling with this type of arrangement going forward.
Article Continues Below“The guys got to roll with it and understand the things they do may only fit in certain stretches. We don't have the luxury of a rotation right now in indelible ink so far. Which is OK. Sometimes that can keep a team on its toes. It keeps coaches on their toes, too.”
Carlisle doesn’t appear to be budging from his stance on Noel, who has played a total of just 16 minutes since earning a DNP-Coach’s Decision against the Cleveland Cavaliers back on November 11. He’s the only one on the roster with the talent to conceivably make the center position his own.
Unless Noel somehow convinces Carlisle to give him another chance, the Mavs will likely continue to mix and match their centers depending on the given matchup. It’s hardly an ideal situation, but it’s the reality the Mavs have to deal with for the foreseeable future.