The Thunder has signed Nerlens Noel as a backup center, and there’s no reason for anyone to be excited about a backup center in the modern NBA. And the Thunder has not made a big commitment to Noel, who reportedly will receive $1.7 million this season and has a player option for 2019-20.
But Noel is a nice addition to the Thunder roster, for this reason. It’s risk free. The payroll cost is minimal. The depth chart is protected, since Jerami Grant was the defacto backup center a year ago and remains with the squad. And Noel’s upside is vast.