Nerlens Noel is suing agent Rich Paul and Paul’s Klutch Sports over what he says was poor representation from Paul that cost him money. Noel filed the lawsuit in Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday. Noel is seeking $58 million after claiming to have received poor advice from Paul.
According to Noel, Paul told the center he was a “100 million man” and that he could get him a max contract. As a result, Noel took Paul’s advice to stop negotiations on a 4-year, $70 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
Initially, Paul was represented by agent Happy Walters when he became a free agent after being traded by the 76ers to the Mavericks in February 2017. However, during the summer of 2017, Noel worked out with several NBA players, including 76ers’ Ben Simmons. Noel attended Simmons birthday party in Los Angeles and was seated by Paul, who was Simmons’s agent at the time.
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Paul and Noel formed a relationship. Believing Paul’s words and thinking that he would get him a “max deal” in the process, Noel signed a contract with Paul on Aug. 21, 2017, according to the lawsuit. Two days later, Paul advised Noel to “cease negotiations with Dallas” and proceed with signing a previous qualifying offer—a one-year contract to play for the Mavs in exchange for payment close to $4.1 million—that Dallas presented to Noel.
Noel suffered a thumb injury during the 2017-2018 season, forcing him to miss 42 games. He alleges that Paul began to lose interest in him as a client during that time.
After that injury, Noel’s claim Paul lost interest in him as a client. Noels also claims that Paul has a reputation of only helping out “marquee” clients on his roster.