Knicks Trade Rumors: Big Names Surfacing As Options

Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers

Position: Center
Age: 22 (4/10/1994)
2016-17 Slash Line: .545/.000/1.000
2016-17 Season Averages: 8.3 MPG, 4.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.3 ORPG

It’s far from surprising that Nerlens Noel is one of the players who has surfaced on the rumor mill. What is surprising, however, is that the Philadelphia 76ers have allowed this tumultuous situation to go as far as it has.

This isn’t NBA 2K17 and you can’t turn player morale off in the options menu; the 76ers’ roster structure was destined to create problems.

Philadelphia rationally views center Joel Embiid as the future of the organization, but it has three other young big men on the roster. Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Dario Saric were all lottery picks, and all are fighting with Embiid  for minutes at the same positions.

Even 76ers head coach Brett Brown realizes how unfortunate a situation this is for a player of Noel’s youth and caliber to be in. Per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer,

"“I personally have a soft spot for Nerlens Noel. We both have Boston connections and he’s been with me for a long time. Nerlens’ heart has been in the right place. He’s in a very unfortunate situation.”"

As for the rumors that Noel will be traded, they’ve consistently surfaced for the better part of a year.

Noel is an athletic big man who can defend power forwards and centers, and switch on the pick and roll. He can block shots, does an excellent job of forcing turnovers, and is a capable rebounder on both ends of the floor.

Noel’s ability to run the floor and operate via the pick and roll makes him an intriguing option for Jeff Hornacek’s offense, but the asking price will be far too high to make this move.

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Though none of these five players are imminent targets, all five could be intriguing additions to an already solid roster.