DALLAS (AP) Two people with knowledge of the agreement say Dallas Mavericks center Nerlens Noel has accepted a $4.1 million qualifying offer for one year, essentially betting on himself that he can get something closer to a max contract as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Noel’s decision as a restricted free agent means he can’t sign a long-term deal until after the upcoming season, one of the people told The Associated Press on Saturday. Both spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending NBA approval.
The Mavericks acquired the 23-year-old Noel at the trade deadline last season when they were out of contention and retooling their roster to get younger. He averaged 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 22 games with Dallas, which missed the playoffs for just the second time in 17 seasons.
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AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski contributed to this report.
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