Nerlens Noel suing former agent Rich Paul over $58 million in lost wages

New York Knicks heart Nerlens Noel is suing former agent Wealthy Paul for breach of fiduciary obligation, breach of contract and negligence, claiming that Paul is answerable for $58 million in misplaced wages. Noel was initially represented by Joyful Walters however signed with Paul in 2017 after assembly him at Ben Simmons‘ party. At that time, Noel was a restricted free agent and alleges that his then-employer, the Dallas Mavericks, supplied him a four-year, $70 million contract (which Walters said publicly on the time was actual), however that Paul suggested him to reject the supply in favor of a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying supply that might have made him an unrestricted free agent the next offseason. At that time, Noel theoretically may have discovered a much bigger supply on the open market.

Issues did not go as deliberate from there, although, as Noel missed 42 video games within the following season after tearing a ligament in his thumb. He finally needed to play the following two seasons for the minimal wage earlier than getting a one-year, $5 million deal from the New York Knicks. He re-signed with the Knicks for a reported three-year, $32 million deal, however the last season comes with a crew choice.

Noel parted with Paul and Klutch Sports activities in 2020 and is claiming that Paul not solely suggested him in opposition to taking the $70 million supply however that his illustration didn’t make him a precedence throughout subsequent free agent intervals. He alleges that the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers tried to contact Paul throughout 2020 free company, however that he was not taking or returning these calls. 

“Noel’s frustrations with Paul got here to a tilt in December 2020 when he discovered that Paul had a historical past of mismanaging and ignoring different purchasers and costing them vital cash,” the lawsuit states. “The idea was that Paul and Klutch Sports activities have been solely targeted on serving their ‘marquee’ purchasers and didn’t have the capability to offer competent service to different purchasers corresponding to Noel, or gamers like Norris Cole or Shabazz Muhammad, as further examples.”

Paul represents a variety of the NBA‘s largest stars, together with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Ben Simmons and Trae Young. Noel is now represented by George Langberg. He determined to take authorized motion in opposition to Paul after Paul filed a grievance with the NBPA over $200,000 in unpaid commissions, in accordance with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.