Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah is reportedly being eyed by the Dallas Mavericks even as he is not only relegated to the bench this season but has also become a "lost man" in the team's offense as he averages a horrible 2.5 points in 11 games so far this season.

Fansided reported that the Mavs "are interested in acquiring the 30-year-old big man" as Dallas still tries to move on from their botched DeAndre Jordan deal last summer.

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The Mavericks are off to a surprising 9-5 start to the season and they are currently at the third spot in the stacked Western Conference despite not having a legitimate center that could provide efficient rim protection and relentless hustle.

Team owner Mark Cuban is reportedly not content with the sweet-shooting Zaza Pachulia starting in the middle despite producing double-digit averages in scoring (10.7) and rebounding (10.0) in his first 14 games of the season because the team is second to the last when it comes to total blocked shots.

Noah, the 2014 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is by far a better shot blocker and overall defender than Pachulia, although the two-time All-Star's offense is less superior to that of the Georgian's.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times noted that Noah "remains lost in the Bulls' offense" even as he has made "no public criticism of the Fred Hoiberg offense" and "no complaints about coming off the bench all season long".

His current two-and-a-half points per game average in 20.5 mpg is the lowest in his career, even lower than his 6.6 ppg during his rookie year when he played 20.7 minutes a night.

The problem for the Bulls is not only Noah's inadequate contributions but that he is also slowly becoming an expensive bench player at $13.4 million per year.

If the trend continues and Noah becomes expendable in Hoiberg's system, then Chicago might be forced to a trade with Cuban for the more affordable European center ($5.2 million per year) and a point guard to boost the Bulls' backcourt at the same time.

An ESPN Trade Machine simulation approved of a trade sending Noah to the Mavericks in exchange for Pachulia and Devin Harris, although it seems highly unlikely that the Bulls will agree to such a deal.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, Chicago Bulls rumors, Dallas Mavericks rumors, Joakim Noah, Zaza Pachulia, Devin Harris