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Center of the future? Why Nerlens Noel, Dwight Powell and Salah Mejri aren't long term solutions

It wasn’t exactly a Curt Schilling moment, considering his team had lost at home to New Orleans by 17 points, but Mavericks center Nerlens Noel sported a bloody left sock Sunday night.

Noel said the injury wasn’t serious. The blood came from a cut atop one of Noel’s toes, but the injury is only pertinent in that Noel, for a change, was on the court long enough to sustain it.

Noel’s 17:48 of playing time was his most since October, back before coach Rick Carlisle exiled Noel to the bench. Then in early December Noel elected to have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, causing him to miss 36 games.