With Nerlens Noel basically out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rotation, it’s only a matter of time before he gets shipped elsewhere.
At least we think it’s only a matter of time. You never really know with the Sixers. But Noel serves no purpose if they aren’t going to play him, and they need to move at least one of their bigs to help alleviate a massive frontcourt pileup.
If and when the Sixers do finally decide to move on from Noel, sources told Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler the Toronto Raptors may be involved:
There are a couple of teams to watch on the Noel front, the biggest being the Toronto Raptors. It is unlikely that the Raptors mess with their team chemistry in moving a core player, but if the 76ers want some of the Raptors’ young players or non-core parts, Toronto would have interest in Noel, according to sources close to the situation. It’s also believed the Portland Trail Blazers have eyes on Noel, but they may be unwilling to give up much in a deal.
Noel’s trade value has never been lower. He missed the team’s first 23 games after having knee surgery and hasn’t exactly maintained a sunny disposition since the Sixers made it clear they would push forward with three bigs. With his restricted free agency around the corner, it shouldn’t take much to get him out of Philly.
The Raptors, for their part, could use another rim protector and potential pick-and-roll diver after losing Bismack Biyombo to the Orlando Magic over the summer. But it’s unclear what they would offer the Sixers in exchange for Noel.
Terrence Ross and Norman Powell should be off-limits in a deal like this. Would they be willing to give up Patrick Patterson? Move a first-round pick? How will they make the salaries match? Will they target someone other than Noel from the Sixers, such as Hollis Thompson?
There are so many things to consider for this particular scenario. The Raptors, almost needless to say, are not a no-brainer suitor for Noel when you get down to the nitty gritty of their asset pool.
