New York Knicks center Nerlens Noel has filed a lawsuit against former agent Rich Paul and his company, Klutch Sports, alleging that he lost $ 58 million in potential salary while being represented by Paul from 2017 to 2020.
Noel took action after Klutch recently filed a grievance with the National Basketball Players Association, claiming Noel had not paid $ 200,000 in commission for his previous one-year contract with the Knicks, several ESPNs said. sources.
Noel claims breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and negligence. The lawsuit does not cite a specific amount of damages, but calls for actual and punitive reparation.
Paul declined to comment.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Dallas County, Texas, focuses on a decision made in July 2017 when Noel was a restricted free agent for the Dallas Mavericks. Noel averaged 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 22 games with the Mavericks after being traded there in the middle of the Philadelphia 76ers ’previous season.
At the start of the free agency in 2017, Noel was represented by Agent Happy Walters. Noel claims in the lawsuit that the Mavericks offered him a four-year, $ 70 million deal, a number that was reported by various media that summer. During the free agency process, Noel said he fired Walters and hired Paul after they met at Ben Simmons’ birthday party in Los Angeles.
Paul represents numerous NBA All-Stars, including Simmons and LeBron James.
In the lawsuit, Noel said Paul advised him to pass on the $ 70 million offer and accept a one-year deal to be able to be an unrestricted free agent the following year, when Paul said he could get it. to Noel a more lucrative contract. Noel eventually turned down the deal and signed his $ 4.1 million one-year qualifying offer.
The following season, Noel broke his thumb and lost 42 games as his numbers dropped. He did not sign again with Dallas and played the next two seasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder, reaching the league minimum, $ 3.7 million combined, as a backup. He then played last season with the Knicks, earning $ 5 million. Noel stayed with Paul during all four contracts.
Noel claims in the lawsuit that Klutch did not make it a priority when he was a free agent, did not respond to teams that wanted to sign him as a free agent, and was unable to execute a multi-year deal with the Thunder he was. he said it was under construction. Noel fired Paul last season after signing with the Knicks.
After starting 41 games with the Knicks and playing a strong defense, finishing third in the NBA with an average of 2.2 blocks per game, Noel signed a three-year contract with the Knicks this month that guarantees him 27.7 million of dollars with another 4.1 million dollars in possible incentives. The deal was negotiated by Agent George Langberg.