The OKC Thunder bring back Nerlens Noel
By Rylan Stiles
After Nerlens Noel declined his almost two million dollar player option earlier this week, he returns to the OKC Thunder on the first day of Free Agency.
The OKC Thunder do not have much money to spend this offseason and only a few ways to improve the roster via the trade. After quality back-up, big man Nerlens Noel opted out earlier this week it looked as if they would need to find a way to get another man in the middle.
Instead, Sam Presti reunited with Noel on the first day of free agency.
Nerlens Noel has agreed to a deal to return to the Thunder, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2019
With the 25-year-old big man returning, that creates needed flexibility for the Thunder.
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Rumors have swirled all offseason that OKC could part ways with fringe NBA All-Star Steven Adams, and bringing back Nerlens Noel could allow Sam Presti to make this move confidently.
A year ago for the OKC Thunder, Noel posted four points per game to go along with his four rebounds and one block per game.
He turned in an impressive per 36 minutes stat sheet featuring 12 points and 11 rebounds per game in that category. In the per 36, his blocks shoot up to three per game to add to his two steals per game.
With this move happening on the first day of NBA Free Agency, you have to wonder if maybeThunder GM Sam Presti has a trick up his sleeve? Is a Steven Adams trade and Presti wanted to lock down Nerlens Noel first?
Obviously, this move could also mean the Thunder and Sam Presti are just truly banking on running it back one more year and counting that your most valuable player candidate will not lose both his shoulder at the end of the year.
Next. OKC Thunder offseason primer. dark
Whatever this move means, and whatever domino effect(s) it has, TI has you covered all offseason long.