Monta Ellis (Photo : Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers could send Nerlens Noel to the Indiana Pacers for shooting guard Monta Ellis in a deal that could workout for both teams.
It is no secret the 76ers have a glaring need to address their frontcourt logjam, and it could only be a matter of time before one of their big men gets dealt this offseason. Jahlil Okafor has been touted as the odd man out in Philly, but Nerlens Noel also appears as a likely trade piece for the 76ers.
The 76ers seem all geared up to give Ben Simmons the spotlight this season, but one has to think that for Philadelphia to fully-utilize the Aussie's talents, they would need a prolific scorer to pair with Simmons' playmaking abilities. While Gerald Henderson and Nik Stauskas should help the team on the offensive end, it is unlikely both players would consistently space the floor for the 76ers.
One possible option the 76ers may consider is trading for Indiana Pacers shooting guard Monta Ellis, whom the team attempted to shop in the past month. The 76ers could ship Noel and Carl Landry to the Pacers for Ellis, a deal approved by ESPN's trade machine.
With Jeff Teague's arrival in Indiana and Rodney Stuckey's increasing role, it is not surprising to see Ellis as the odd man out. He simply did not gel well with the Pacers' system, posting the lowest scoring average of his career since his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors.
Ellis only averaged 13.8 points and 4.7 assists a game for the Pacers, but his 42.7 percent shooting from the field would be a valuable addition to a 76ers team that evidently lacked outside shooting in the past season.
On the other hand, the Pacers are already loaded with big men after acquiring Al Jefferson and trading for Jeremy Evans and Thaddeus Young this summer. But adding Noel would provide depth to the team's frontcourt and could form an elite combination of interior defense if paired with Myles Turner. Bringing in Noel would also help Jefferson and Young focus on the offensive end.
The Pacers have already tested Ellis' trade value in the market, and were not successful finding any trade partners that would take the 30-year-old combo guard. But if the 76ers feels the need to immediately ship a pair of their big guys, Ellis should be a viable option for Philadelphia.
