Nerlens Noel has had quite the career journey in the NBA, as the former No. 6 overall pick of the Sixers in 2013 has played for six different NBA teams, struggling to stay on the floor but being a productive defender when he has been available.
That ability to be a rim deterrent has kept him in the league, peaking with his two years in Oklahoma City where he was able to stay healthy and be a very productive player for the Thunder, followed by a solid first year in New York. The last two years, though, he’s only been able to appear in 42 games with three different teams, spending the 2021-22 season with the Knicks before being traded to Detroit last offseason and then finishing the year in Brooklyn. However, this summer provided an opportunity for Noel to find another chance at a rotation spot in free agency, as his defensive abilities figured to be desirable in a very thin center market, and ultimately he found a new home in Sacramento on a 1-year deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent C Nerlens Noel has agreed on a one-year, $3.1M deal with the Sacramento Kings, his agent @georgelangberg of GSL Sports Group tells ESPN. Noel gives the Kings a defensive presence in the frontline rotation.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2023
After trading Richaun Holmes to clear space, the Kings needed to add a third center and Noel will bring them that behind Domantas Sabonis and Alex Len. It’s a flier from the Kings on a talented defender, something they very much need, at a position they already go two deep at and won’t be desperate for Noel to log big minutes.