Nerlens Noel and Sixers haven’t talked about a contract extension

Bryan Colangelo said Tuesday that the Philadelphia 76ers and Nerlens Noel have not discussed a contract extension. The deadline to extend contracts for those playing in the final season of their rookie deal is Oct. 31.

“It’s not really something that we’ve discussed, given some of the concerns that I think Nerlens has had, right now,” said Colangelo, the team’s president of basketball operation. “There’s been very little if any discussion with his agents about any extension scenarios.

“But, I’ll just leave it at that.”

Noel said on Sept. 25 that it didn’t made sense for the Sixers to have three starting-caliber centers in Noel, Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor. At the time, Noel said that he wasn’t asking to be traded or demanding that the Sixers trade someone else. He just wants them to hurry up and do the inevitable.

A source said Noel’s representatives and the Sixers hadn’t had any serious conversations prior to his remarks.

The former University of Kentucky standout is heading into the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. The Sixers can still make him a qualifying offer after the season, assuming there’s no extension by the end of the month. He would become a restricted free agent in that scenario, enabling the Sixers to match any free agent offer he receives next summer. Noel would become an unrestricted free agent if the Sixers were not to offer a qualifier.

He is sidelined with a left groin strain. Noel isn’t expected to play in the Oct. 26 season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center.

Noel sat out what would have been his rookie season in 2013-14 to rehabilitate an anterior cruciate ligament team in his left knee.

The following season, he finished third in the rookie-of-the-year voting behind Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Andrew Wiggins and Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic.

Noel finished the season averaging of 9.9 points and 1.7 assists, leading all rookies in rebounding (8.1), steals (1.77), and blocks (1.89) in 75 games. This past season, he averaged 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks.

This story was originally published October 18, 2016 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Nerlens Noel and Sixers haven’t talked about a contract extension."