Former OKC Thunder player No. 1) Nerlens Noel
After spending two seasons serving as Steven Adams’ backup with the OKC Thunder, the, then, 26-year-old big man hit the free-agency market last November to test the open waters.
Within days, Nerlens Noel chomped down on the line cast by the New York Knicks, and was inked to a one-year, $5 million contract to serve in a similar backup role, this time for third-year center, Mitchell Robinson.
Initially viewed by some as a questionable signing, for Noel’s playstyle does not complement Mitchell’s game in any capacity, since the 23-year-old went down with a fractured right hand, the seventh-year veteran has been a nice commodity for the Knickerbockers in their starting center role.
Since taking over the gig full-time back in February, Noel has been a consistent force for New York, specifically on the defensive end. In 28 minutes a night as a starter, the big man is posting per-game averages of 6.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks on 66 percent shooting from the floor.
Anchoring this team’s defense with his stupendous rim-protecting skills — something all OKC Thunder fans adored during his tenure with the franchise — while serving as a quality roll man in the team’s p&r heavy scheme, Noel has proven to be a great addition to this playoff-bound Knicks team and will most likely earn himself a nice contract somewhere this coming offseason as well.