Thunderous Intentions
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NBA Free Agency: Problem child Nerlens Noel offers assets OKC need

By Rylan Stiles

Nerlens Noel OKC Thunder Season Preview (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nerlens Noel OKC Thunder Season Preview (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MEMPHIS, TN – OCTOBER 26: Head Coach Rick Carlisle talks with Nerlens Noel #3 of the Dallas Mavericks during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum on October 26, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. . (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN – OCTOBER 26: Head Coach Rick Carlisle talks with Nerlens Noel #3 of the Dallas Mavericks during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum on October 26, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. . (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Hot dogs, and hot heads the strange case of Nerlens Noel. Does he fit with the OKC Thunder?

NBA Free Agency gets under way on July 1st, and there will be a ton of moving parts. While big names like LeBron James and DeMarcus Cousins grab the headlines, the case of Nerlens Noel should be on OKC Thunder fans minds.

Nerlens Noel was selected with the 6th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. His career started with an embarrassing voice crack from then NBA Commissioner David Stern. It never got better from there. Noel has bounced around the NBA, from the New Orleans Hornets (Pelicans), to the 76ers on draft night, and finally to the Dallas Mavericks. He never quite found his home, and has yet to reach his full potential.

In Hot (Dog) water

At his most recent stop, Noel was at the center of a controversy for eating a hot dog in the middle of a game. This story was soon joked about, and swept under the rug to the tune of a one game suspension imposed by Dallas.

However, the fact that during a game the 24 year old big man snuck off to the Media room to snag a hot dog under the nose of a top head coach in the NBA is a red flag.

The Specifics:

  • Height: 6’11
  • Position: Power Forward/Center
  • Age: 24
  • Years of experience: 5-years
  • Type of Free Agent: Unrestricted
  • Hometown: Massachusettes
  • Last years Salary: $4-million

Nerlens Noel has an interesting stat line the past two seasons, spitting time between the 76ers and Mavericks.

Per Game Table
Season Age Tm G GS MP FG% eFG% FT% TRB AST STL BLK PTS
2016-17 22 TOT 51 19 20.5 .595 .595 .694 5.8 1.0 1.3 1.0 8.7
2017-18 23 DAL 30 6 15.7 .524 .524 .750 5.6 0.7 1.0 0.7 4.4
Career 223 158 26.0 .512 .512 .624 7.2 1.4 1.6 1.4 9.3

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/26/2018.

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