Nerlens Noel, Oklahoma City Thunder
For a while there, Nerlens Noel looked like the real deal. In fact, his rookie season was historically good.
He’s still the only rookie to ever average more than 1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals per game, and he led a league-worst Sixers team to an almost-respectable defensive year. They ranked 20th for opposition points per game, a fair effort in the context of their 18-64 record.
The following season Noel improved his shooting and maintained solid defensive numbers, but the cracks started to appear with the team. They drafted Jahlil Okafor, a bad fit next to Noel, and finished the season an abysmal 10-72.
The debut of Joel Embiid in the 2016-17 season proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. His play early in the season saw Noel start in just seven games, and he was shipped to Dallas at the trade deadline.
From there, it had been a steady decline for the former All-Rookie selection. The Mavericks offered him a four-year, $70 million contract extension, which he promptly declined. He then went on to post career-low numbers across the board last season, with a drug-related suspension thrown in to boot.
Dallas, unsurprisingly, let him walk this offseason, and he was left scraping the bottom of the free-agency barrel. He did manage to find a new home, though, and it could be the perfect place to rebuild his reputation.
https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1015427289159331840?lang=en
Playing with Russell Westbrook can’t be easy, but it could work nicely for Noel in Oklahoma. He’s never been adept at creating his own offense, and he won’t have to on a team whose offense comes almost entirely from one player.
On that end of the floor, he’ll only have to be ready to catch lobs and dump passes at the rim and run hard on fast breaks, which are two things he’s proven to be capable of.
Defensively, he could still be the ideal center for today’s NBA. At his best, he was able to switch onto almost any player and move his feet on the perimeter, while also protecting the rim.
There’s no chance of him starting for the Oklahoma City Thunder with Steven Adams in place, but there is a gap in the rotation backing him up. Noel is a logical fit in that spot, and the Thunder are desperate for cheap contributors as they struggle to improve their roster around Westbrook and Paul George.
The biggest concern will be Noel’s personal issues. His drug suspension, while not a dealbreaker, is somewhat concerning. He’s struggled with conditioning in recent years, and his motivation and desire have been questioned.
If anyone can keep him in line, though, it’s Westbrook. Say what you will about him as a player, but it’s hard to imagine him putting up with any nonsense from his teammates.
If he continues to slide on and off the court, Noel will be found out very quickly. If he can get back to his best, though, he could be a real contributor for a playoff team.