Ex-NBA Player Still Getting Paid $300,000 By Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings are still paying Nerlens Noel.

Jan 11, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Nerlens Noel (9) looks on during a pause / Allison Farrand-USA TODAY Sports

Nerlens Noel most recently played in the NBA during the 2022-23 season when he was a member of the Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons.

The former Kentucky star appeared in 17 games (four starts) and averaged 1.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest while shooting 36.1% from the field.

Over the offseason, Noel signed a deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Sacramento Kings sign Nerlens Noel 👑

📝 https://t.co/VUyKkjlxGn pic.twitter.com/VyyAsy8dlG

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) July 21, 2023

However, he was waived before the season began.

Despite not playing in a game for the Kings, Noel is still being paid $300,000 by the team this season due to the partial guarantee he had in his contract (h/t Yossi Gozlan of capsheets.com and Sam Yip of HoopsHype). 

This seemed inevitable after the Sacramento Kings signed JaVale McGee to a guaranteed salary.

Nerlens Noel has a $300,000 partial guarantee. Neemias Queta is at $250,000.

They now have one roster spot open and could use a third point guard. Cameron Payne could make sense there. https://t.co/HWsp56eyLk

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) September 12, 2023

Noel was initially the sixth pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and has also spent time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

His career averages are 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per contest while shooting 54.6% from the field and 20.0% from the three-point range in 467 regular season games.

He has also appeared in 17 NBA playoff games (two starts) and is currently a free agent available to sign with any team in the league.

Jun 2, 2021; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Nerlens Noel (3) during game five in / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

As for the Kings, they are coming off a season where they made the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2006 (they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round).

Right now, they are the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 44-32 record in 76 games.

They have gone 6-4 over their last ten games.