Rival team executives have noticed significant growth in Nerlens Noel during his consecutive seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Noel, the sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, seems to have found a home with the Thunder:
Thunder center Nerlens Noel entered the NBA with concerns about his work habits, maturity and professionalism, but rival team executives have noticed significant growth in him during his consecutive seasons with the Thunder. Noel joined OKC in 2018, understanding he needed to mature, and his play has improved. Noel is averaging 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals in 18.8 minutes per game.
Noel has appeared in 37 games for the Thunder this season. He's averaging 8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 67.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from beyond the arc and 80.8 percent from the free-throw line.
The Thunder are 22-15 with Noel in the lineup. Overall, OKC is 26-19 on the season, which is good for seventh place in the Western Conference standings.
Noel is making $2,028,594 this season. He becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020, when he could be in position to get a major pay raise.
The Thunder are one of the biggest surprises of the season. After trading stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George in the same offseason, most pundits thought OKC would struggle this season and enter a rebuild stage.
However, led by Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams and Noel, the Thunder are in the playoff picture out West, solidly in the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. They figure to be a team no one wants to play once the postseason starts since they have no expectations surrounding them and can play free.
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