Nerlens Noel suspended for remaining five games of season
Nerlens Noel probably can’t wait for this season to end but now it’s over, due to a suspension.
Nerlens Noel has received a five-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program. As it is the Dallas Mavericks only have five games left this season, so a dismal campaign for Nerlens Noel is over.
Noel played 18 of Dallas’ first 19 games this season, though his minutes virtually disappeared late in that stretch with an apparent move into Rick Carlisle’s dog house. Then a thumb injury and subsequent surgery sidelined him until late-February. Over 12 games off the bench (20.5 minutes per game) since returning, the former lottery pick was a productive rebounder (7.9 per game) and little else.
Noel was a restricted free agent last summer, and wound up settling for a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer from the Mavericks as early speculation he’d get multiple max offer sheets faded quickly. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, coming off averaging 4.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game over just 30 games this season.
Injuries are not a new issue for Noel, as he missed his rookie season withe Philadelphia 76ers with a torn ACL and averaged 18 missed games over the following three seasons. He’ll now miss 52 games this season when it’s all said and done, with a strike one in the NBA drug program to bring with him into free agency.
The NBA announces Nerlens Noel and Thabo Sefolosha have received five-game suspensions for violating the league's anti-drug policy. Those are marijuana violations.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 3, 2018
The 5 game suspension for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program will cost Nerlens Noel $144,400. Noel will sit out the remainder of the Mavericks 5 regular season games.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) April 3, 2018
But Noel will still turn just 24 on April 10, with size (6-foot-11) and any lingering idea of untapped potential to be seen in his career per-36 minute numbers (12.8 points,10.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 2.0 blocked shots and 2.0 assists).
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Noel will be a name without a resume on the free agent market this offseason. It won’t cost much to take a flier on him, surely less than the $4.1 million he made from the Mavericks this year, and a multi-year commitment should not be required.