OKC Thunder: 5 things to like and dislike surrounding big man Nerlens Noel
One of the big OKC Thunder offseason signings was Nerlens Noel, but through the initial stages of the season, he’s not being utilized to full potential.
When Nerlens Noel signed this past off-season, the OKC Thunder finally acquired a big man to back up Steven Adams. Just 13 games into the 2018-19 season, Billy Donovan is barely playing the 24 year-old and it’s hurting the team’s championship aspirations.
After an impressive off-season, the OKC Thunder made a number of transactions to raise the teams ceiling. Reportedly turning down more lucrative deals, center Nerlens Noel signed a two-year deal in hopes of reviving his floundering career.
Noel is certainly holding up his end of the deal but the franchise is not.
Blessed with elite athleticism and shot blocking ability, Noel is averaging 5.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.4 blocks in 14.2 minutes while shooting 64.1 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from the line. Had it not been for Steven Adams resting in OKC’s 117-110 win over the Phoenix Suns, Noel’s average playing time drops to 12 minutes per game.
In the Thunder victory, Noel posted 20 points (9-14 from the field, 2-3 free throws), 15 rebounds, four steals, two assists and one block in 26 minutes of action. The 24 year-old finished efficiently around the rim, catching lobs, finishing dunks, converting floaters and completed an impressive drive to the cup for an and-1.
At the minute, Oklahoma City is doing a poor job putting him in a position to succeed. Let’s take a look at five things I do and don’t like with Noel’s season so far and what OKC needs to make better use of his skills.