Former Sixers Center Lands With Western Conference Contender

Ever since landing with the Philadelphia 76ers on draft night in 2013, Nerlens Noel has seen his fair share of changes around the NBA. When he started his career with the 76ers after getting selected sixth overall by the New Orleans Pelicans before getting moved to the Sixers, Noel was expected to be the face of the franchise for years to come.

These days, Noel’s been bouncing around a bit. Last season, the veteran big man started the year off with the Detroit Pistons. He appeared in 14 games, drawing three starts. After averaging just 11 minutes on the floor during that stint, he reached a contract buyout agreement with the Pistons.

Although several teams were linked to Noel after he was waived by Detroit, he found himself in a position taking on a ten-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets in early March. During the ten-day stretch, Noel appeared in three games, averaging 14 minutes on the floor. He produced one point and three rebounds per game while shooting 17 percent from the field.

The Nets didn’t bring Noel back ahead of their playoff run. For the remainder of the 2022-2023 NBA season, Noel stayed a free agent. This week, the veteran center found a new home. On Friday, the Sacramento Kings officially announced that they had signed Noel.

Last season, Sacramento emerged as one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Finishing the year with a 48-34 record, the Kings wrapped up the year as the third seed in the West. While they had the home-court advantage in the first round, the Kings fell short to the defending champions, the Golden State Warriors, in seven games.

Noel’s one-year deal with the Kings currently isn’t guaranteed. According to Anil Gogna, Noel could make up to $3.1 million if he’s still on the roster by January 10.

The 2023-2024 season will be important for Noel, who is looking to get back on track. Since his days as a prominent player on the rebuilding Sixers, Noel has seen his role shift. After recovering from a torn ACL following the 2013 NBA Draft, Noel started in 71 games for the Sixers, averaging 31 minutes on the court, which remains his career-high.

Since his days in Philadelphia, Noel has played for the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Pistons, and the Nets. Perhaps, an opportunity to come off the bench for the Kings will allow Noel to carve out a steady role for himself once again.