Nerlens Noel with his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers. (Wikipedia Commons. Author: Patriarca12)
On Monday, center Nerlens Noel signed a two-year minimum contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, a deal that includes a player option.
The 24-year-old was the No. 6 overall draft pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013. He was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers after missing his rookie season with an injury.
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Last season, Noel also battled a thumb injury that kept him sidelined for a stretch. In April, he was suspended five games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
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Noel will now play beside All-Stars like Paul George, who rejected the Los Angeles Lakers to stay in Oklahoma City after signing a four-year contract. The center’s former agent Happy Walters revealed Noel passed on a $70 million extension with the Dallas Mavericks last offseason. Instead, Noel signed the squad’s $4.1 million qualifying offer to enter free agency this year.
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The Thunder — which are reportedly focusing on improving their front-court — finished last season 48-34, fourth in the Western Conference. They lost to the Utah Jazz in six games in the first round of the playoffs.
In other free agency news, 27-year-old former Pelicans star DeMarcus Cousins signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors late Monday.
Stephen Curry congratulated Cousins for joining his squad in a tweet not long after the news surfaced:
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