Jan 31, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (22) defended by New York Knicks' Nerlens Noel Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Kings Paid a Former Player $300,000 This Season

Originally posted on Sacramento Kings on SI | Last updated May 17, 2024 8:09 PM ET

The Sacramento Kings paid $300,000 to former NBA player Nerlens Noel this past season, despite Noel not playing a single minute in a Kings jersey.

After signing with Sacramento in late July last summer, the Kings cut Noel before the regular season tipped off. At the time, Noel was a 10-year veteran looking to extend his time in the league.

The Kings oddly paid Nerlens Noel $300,000 this season despite the veteran center not playing a single minute for Sacramento https://t.co/W1C84PcTQY
— Kings on NBCS (@NBCSKings) May 15, 2024

Due to Noel's veteran status, the Kings still owed some guaranteed money left on his deal when the team cut him. The former sixth overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft was able to earn over a quarter million dollars despite not playing in the league this past season.

In his career, Noel averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while notching an average of 22 minutes. With a 7-foot-4 wingspan, Noel was drafted to be a shot-blocker who could dominate the paint. After spending time with seven different organizations, Noel couldn't land himself a roster spot for the 2023-24 season.

There's still plenty of time for the 30-year-old to find a team before next season, especially with elite length that many teams could utilize. Sacramento could be looking for a backup big man if center Alex Len doesn't return to California's capital for the 2024-25 campaign.

This article first appeared on Sacramento Kings on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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