Nerlens Noel Is Suing His Former Agent Rich Paul For $58 Million

ByJoey Heldon August 27, 2021inArticles›Sports News

Rich Paul is one of the most popular agents in the NBA. He represents LeBron James , Trae Young , Draymond Green , Anthony Davis , Ben Simmons , John Wall , Lonzo Ball , and several other top players. He’s also pursued business ventures outside of being an agent and done quite well for himself.

But there’s one player that doesn’t appreciate what Paul has done for him — or more precisely, what he failed to do.

New York Knicks center Nerlens Noel filed a lawsuit against Paul , claiming the agent cost him $58 million in potential earnings. Here’s how their relationship went downhill.

Nerlens Noel Is Suing His Former Agent Rich Paul For $58 Million - 1

Elsa/Getty Images

Paul first met Noel in 2017 at a birthday party for Simmons. The agent insinuated he could get a better deal for Noel, who had been represented by Happy Walters since entering the league in 2013. Paul called Noel a “$100 million man” and convinced him to drop Walters and sign with Paul instead.

Noel did just that, ending negotiations on a four-year, $70 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Instead, he accepted a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer from Dallas — an opportunity to prove himself for a big deal next year.

But Noel suffered a torn ligament in his thumb, underwent surgery, and missed more than half the season. And that big deal never came.

The following year, Noel signed for the veteran’s minimum: a two-year, $3.75 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He left the Thunder to explore free agency and ended up with the Knicks on a one-year contract worth $5 million.

Along the way, Noel alleges Paul and Klutch Sports didn’t reach out to teams or return their calls — causing what could have been a lucrative free agent market to dry up. The center also learned his agent tended to ignore smaller players and only focus on big names.

Noel found a nice niche with the Knicks and just signed a three-year, $32 million contract to stay in New York. For that deal, he was represented by George Langberg — his new agent. Noel terminated his relationship with Paul and Klutch Sports in December 2020.

Noel may have decided to go ahead with the lawsuit after Paul filed a grievance, alleging Noel owed him $200,000 in commission from another deal he brokered. That move could have pushed Noel to fire back.

By the time this latest contract is up, Noel will only be 30 years old. He still could earn himself a big payday down the line. But it’s possible he’ll never get a contract as big as the one he was told to turn down. Though he may not recover it all, he’s trying to make something with this lawsuit.

  • Nerlens Noel Net Worth
  • Nerlens Noel Is Anything But A Model Tenant
  • These Are The Highest-Paid Players In The NBA
  • Anthony Davis Just Signed The Largest NBA Extension Ever, Next Season He’ll Make 70% Of Michael Jordan’s NBA Career Earnings
  • The 10 Worst Contracts In The NBA Right Now
  • Why DeAndre Jordan Isn’t Excited About Becoming A $20 Million Per Year Free Agent

Anthony Davis Just Signed The Largest NBA Extension Ever, Next Season He’ll Make 70% Of Michael Jordan’s NBA Career Earnings

ByJoey Heldon August 4, 2023inArticles›Sports News

  • Anthony Davis
  • LeBron James
  • Michael Jordan
  • Rich Paul
  • Taylor Swift

Anthony Davis joined the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season, the result of a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. That season was suspended for more than four months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. When play finally resumed, Davis, LeBron James , and the rest of the Lakers ultimately won the championship.

The Lakers haven’t been back to the NBA Finals since, but after a strong end to this past season, they’re feeling good about their chances. That means signing one of their stars to a massive contract extension.

Davis and the Lakers agreed to a three-year, $186 million deal to keep Davis in L.A. through the 2027-28 season. The team will now pay Davis $270 million over the next five years. Davis will average $62 million per season in the new deal, which is the largest annual contract extension the league has ever seen.

Nerlens Noel Is Suing His Former Agent Rich Paul For $58 Million - 2

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Davis became eligible to sign his extension on Friday and didn’t wait long to make it happen. He opted for financial security over the potential to make even more money by taking shorter deals — something his teammate has done with great success .

Despite the franchise’s championship in 2020, things weren’t nearly as rosy the next two years. The Lakers barely made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the 2020-21 season, losing in six games in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. The following year was even worse, as the Lakers missed the postseason entirely. Davis sat out more than half of his team’s games due to various injuries, appearing in just 76 of a possible 154 contests.

The deal is also big news for Rich Paul . He represents both Davis and James (who’s signed through next year and then has a player option in 2024-25) and has secured close to $370 million for the two L.A. stars. The NBA has a rule that caps agent fees at 4% for veteran players, so Paul will make about $14.8 million simply from these two contracts alone. His overall client roster is extensive — his players will earn a collective $500 million this upcoming season.

The Lakers are investing in Davis for the long term. Now, his goal is to help the franchise add another championship banner (or several) to its rafters.

  • Anthony Davis Net Worth
  • A Fan Placed A Huge Bet On The Lakers Just Before They Traded For Anthony Davis
  • Anthony Davis Can Make A Crazy Amount Of Money This Decade – Here’s How
  • One Day After LeBron Signed A New Deal, Anthony Davis Agrees To A Max Contract
  • Anthony Davis Waives His $4 Million Trade Kicker – What Does That Mean For The Lakers?
  • Anthony Davis Is Sitting Out The Rest Of The Season, And It’s Going To Cost Him $24 Million