Nerlens Noel time in Philadelphia was filled with injury, inconsistent minutes and plenty of losing. So, it should come as no surprise he doesn’t miss being a 76er.
TMZ caught up with the Dallas Mavericks’ restricted free agent outside an L.A. nightclub, where Noel was asked whether he missed playing for the 76ers? His answer? A firm “nah.”
Again, it shouldn’t be all that surprising Noel doesn’t see his time in Philly as a rosy, fun-filled time. While Noel was a perfectly fine center, he was battling hard for minutes with Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor in 2016-17 before getting dealt to Dallas. As the sixth overall pick in 2013, Noel was expected to a franchise player. But, Sam Hinkie kept adding players that prevented Noel from getting big minutes when he was ready for them – plus, Noel failed to stay healthy.
Despite not having a contract for the upcoming season, being a starter with the Mavericks is a great situation for Noel. It didn’t work out in Philly for a variety of reasons, but at the end of the day, both he and the 76ers should be happy with how things turned out – even if Noel doesn’t miss them.