OKC Thunder: 5 offseason roster moves they must make

3. Re-sign Nerlens Noel

In a league that values centers who can step out and shoot from beyond the 3-point line, Nerlens Noel is a very different player. He is an old fashioned defense-first center who protects the rim on defense and rolls to the hoop on offense.

Noel has almost exclusively played the backup role for the Thunder since he signed two years ago. He is happy to play behind starting pivot Steven Adams but is able to step in when the Thunder need him to start.

Noel averaged 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.0 steals and 0.9 assists in 18.5 minutes per game this past season. However, the numbers do not tell anywhere near the full story when it comes to Noel’s contribution to the Thunder.

When Noel came on to the court he changes the defensive end, meaning that the opposition have to adjust their offense. He finished the season 11th in blocks per game. A reserve center playing less than 20 minutes per game almost made the top-10 in the league.

Offensively, Noel does not take many shots. He took 4.4 shots per game, making 3.0 of them. This is good for an efficient 68.4 percent from the field. He has a tremendous connection with all the Thunder point guards and finishes well at the rim. He took 86.1 percent of his shots from 0-3 feet.