Following a strong 2020-21 season with the Knicks, Noel signed a three-year, $32 million contract to remain in New York.
It is unclear if Noel’s suit against Paul, which was filed in Texas, will advance to trial.
Amid the pending litigation, it’s been business as usual for Klutch Sports and Paul.
Shortly after the suit was filed, Zach LaVine – one of the top free agents in the 2022 class – signed with Paul and Klutch Sports. Klutch Sports also negotiated an extension worth roughly $92 million over four years for Aaron Gordon, a player who averaged 12.4 points per game last season.
In addition to the details above, there are several other issues alleged in Noel’s complaint:
The complaint claims that the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers had interest in signing Noel as a free agent in recent offseasons. But Noel, allegedly, was unaware of the interest because Paul didn’t return calls from those teams.
The suit alleges that former Sixers coach Brett Brown informed Noel of Philadelphia’s interest.
If Brown agrees to provide his version of events on the record, it could have a significant impact on the case.
The suit also alleges Paul "played virtually no role" in Noel signing with the Knicks in the 2020 offseason. The complaint alleges that Knicks team president Leon Rose reached out to Noel’s friend and advisor, Steven Dorn, on the second night of free agency in 2020 to find out which agent was representing Noel.
The anecdote is included to support the claim that Paul played "virtually no role" in Noel’s contract with the Knicks, which was for $5 million over one season.
If the case goes to trial, this issue could be something explored by the court; Rose and the Knicks may be asked to provide their version of events.
A judge hearing the case may also wonder why Noel waited until 2021 to file suit against Paul if the most significant alleged salary mismanagement occurred in 2017. Noel stayed with Klutch for his next three contracts.
In the complaint, Noel alleges that Paul and Klutch advised him on several occasions that teams were interested in signing him as a free agent. Noel alleges that in early 2020, he was told that the Oklahoma City Thunder planned on offering him a three-year deal worth between $7 million and $10 million per year. “Based on this representation, Noel did not terminate his relationship with Paul,” the suit says.
The veracity of this offer couldn’t be independently confirmed. But it’s worth noting that the Thunder seemed averse to spending any long-term money once they traded Chris Paul in the 2020 offseason. Leading up to the trade, it seemed as if the Thunder were committed to a long-term rebuild.