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The Brooklyn Nets signed Nerlens Noel to a 10-day contract on March 4, which ended after the team’s disappointing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 14. Following the loss, the Nets faced a looming decision on Noel. They had to choose between signing him to a second 10-day contract or parting ways with the former sixth-overall pick. On March 16, the Nets announced they would not move forward with Noel, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“Nerlens Noel’s 10-day contract with Brooklyn expired today. The Nets will not be signing the veteran center to another, according to a source,” Lewis tweeted on March 16.
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Nets ‘Progressing’ Towards Deal With Moses Brown
With the Nets gearing up for a playoff run, they did not waste any time filling Noel’s roster spot. Per NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, Brooklyn is “progressing” on a deal to sign former Los Angeles Clippers big man Moses Brown to a 10-day contract.
“The Brooklyn Nets are progressing on a deal to sign center Moses Brown, sources tell [The Athletic and Stadium] Brown averaged over four points and four rebounds in just eight minutes per game for the Clippers this season,” Charania tweeted on March 16.
Brown is not a lottery pick like Noel. In fact, he did not get drafted at all out of UCLA. But standing at over seven feet tall, his size is something almost any NBA team could use off the bench. And as a result, he has made a career as an NBA journeyman playing on five teams (Clippers, Thunder, Mavericks, Clippers, Cavaliers) in the four seasons he has played.
His 4.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks per game this season are not stats that jump off the page at you but are not too shabby when you consider how thin the Nets are in the frontcourt. They are significantly better than the 2.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks Noel has averaged this season.
Jacque Vaughn Issues Strong Statement on Nerlens Noel
Noel seemed like a perfect second option off the bench to back up starting center Nic Claxton. He is a near-seven-footer with a lot of athleticism left in the tank. In three games, Noel averaged 14.3 minutes per contest, but his performance didn’t live up to the standard. He took just six shots and scored three points in his time with the Nets.
While it wasn’t good enough to earn a second contract, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn says Noel had “ample” playing time to prove himself.
“It’s interesting, as I was talking to one of the coaches, sometimes you get a 10-day [contract], and that guy doesn’t play,” Vaughn told reporters on March 14 via the New York Post.
“And [Noel] has had ample playing time… So [we’ve] had a chance to get a look at him. I think what he’s done is [taken] charges, blocks at the rim, the ability to have activity when using his speed and quickness. So those are the things we’ve seen from Nerlens.”
With Noel now out of the picture in Brooklyn, it will be interesting to see if Moses Brown can be more productive over the next ten days.
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