NEW YORK: Centre Nerlens Noel, the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round draft pick, is expected to sit out the entire 2013-2014 season following knee surgery, coach Brett Brown said yesterday.
“I doubt, everybody doubts that he’s going to play this year,” Brown said, according to ESPN.com. “We don’t want to waste this year. I think from a skill perspective, it’s an opportunity for us to break down his shot, really work on his free throws and start a little bit from ground zero.”
Noel, the number seven overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, had surgery on his left knee last March to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The original timetable for his recovery was 6-8 months, which would have allowed him to return at midseason.
Philadelphia acquired Noel and a 2014 first-round draft pick in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday.
Meanwhile, Denver Nuggets guard Nate Robinson was fined $10,000 by the NBA for pushing Oklahoma City Thunder centre Steven Adams from behind and hitting him in the chest. AFP
