Nerlens Noel bet high on himself this offseason and lost.
Nerlens Noel’s first full season in Dallas ended abruptly on Tuesday, as the NBA announced the Mavericks’ center and OKC Thunder forward Thabo Sefolosha have been suspended five-games for suspending the NBA drug policy.
Here’s the release per the NBA:
The NBA announced today that Nerlens Noel of the Dallas Mavericks and Thabo Sefolosha of the Utah Jazz have each been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.
Noel’s suspension will begin with tonight’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Portland Trail Blazers. Sefolosha’s suspension will begin with the next NBA regular season or playoff game for which he is eligible and physically able to play.
The 23-year-old Noel has experienced the season from hell. After rumoredly turning down a $70 million extension with the Mavs, the 6th overall pick in the 2013 draft has seen his playing time disappear as he’s logged just 15.7 minutes per game in 30 matches – while battling injuries, a common thing in his career.
With his pending free agency rapidly approaching, with his middling play and his now five-game suspension, Noel’s going to be lucky if he can hit 1/5 of the supposed extension offer. At this rate, he needs to stay off the weed, leave Dallas and establish his value on a one-year deal. Otherwise, he’s pissing his promising career way.
