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Good news: Nerlens Noel is officially coming back to the Dallas Mavericks.
Bad news: It might not be for beyond 2018.
The restricted free agent big man signed a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer to return to Dallas, as reported by ESPN on Saturday. Noel, who turned down a four-year deal worth $70 million from the Mavericks on July 1, is banking on himself for a big payday next summer.
It had been 56 days since the start of free agency, and the Twitterverse was quick to react to the end of this saga, for now.
Haven't seen anyone misjudge their worth/misplay their hand quite like Nerlens Noel did this past year. https://t.co/qK2f1Rn21g
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) August 26, 2017
Nerlens Noel will become an unrestricted free agent in 2018. Noel must consent to any trade this season or will lose bird rights.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 26, 2017
AND THERE IT IS. you god damn morons. https://t.co/xziyxaR918
— Josh Bowe (@Boweman55) August 26, 2017
"I am here for contract-year Nerlens Noel" are not words I wanted to tweet this summer, but alas, I am here for contract-year Nerlens Noel.
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) August 26, 2017
Interesting wrinkle for cap heads like me: Noel makes less this year than last year because he did not meet Starter Criteria, so lower QO.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) August 26, 2017
The Nerlens Noel situation is truly bizarre. No one wanted him for more than the Mavs' qualifying offer? Like, nobody??
— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) August 26, 2017
We've come full circle back to the Sixers media rhetoric that Nerlens doesn't seem to have a good grasp on market reality
— Falcor the Dread (@KirkSeriousFace) August 26, 2017
sometimes people ask me why I'm always crying https://t.co/GqMrCFwBsy
— Jake Kemp (@NotJackKemp) August 26, 2017
i think it'll be pretty obvious come january that nerlens is a $20+ mil player.
— Austin (@garooya) August 26, 2017
Nvm I'm back on team Nerlens. 4 & 70 was reasonable, but I get why he wouldn't take it on July 1. If offer was pulled, this is on the Mavs
— Bailey (@BaileyGrey789) August 26, 2017
I'm shocked. Good luck young man. May the Force be with you.
— Jeff Skin Wade (@SkinWade) August 26, 2017
This is a power play move by Noel, and we have to use all of this season hearing about it. This will not be fun. It will be agonizing.
I am here for contract-year Nerlens Noel, and the world may burn in the process. God help us all, and may the Force be with us.