Nerlens Noel and Kenneth Faried (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers could send Nerlens Noel to the Denver Nuggets for Kenneth Faried and Will Barton in a scenario where both teams could address each of their respective needs.
The 76ers have a glaring need of addressing their crowded frontcourt, which became more crowded after the team signed Elton Brand to a one-year deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Wojnarowski claimed that the likely two candidates the 76ers could move are Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, who have both been consistently linked to trade rumors in the past few months.
"The Sixers have had periodic trade talks this summer involving Noel and Okafor and plan eventually to move one of them, league sources said," Wojnarowski wrote. "Philadelphia doesn't believe the two players' talents are complementary."
One of the possible options the 76ers could consider is trading Noel to the Denver Nuggets as explored by J.J. Vega of Sports Illustrated's Fansided. In Vega's trade scenario, which works on ESPN's trade machine, Philly would send Noel to Denver for Kenneth Faried and Will Barton.
The Nuggets are also looking to unload some of their players at the backcourt and frontcourt area, and it seems Faried and Barton could be the odd men out in Denver, with the team looking to develop their core of young talents.
Faried, who averaged 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds for the Nuggets last season, would give the 76ers another big man, but limited to playing the four spot. This would allow Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor to flourish at the center position, while Faried could get some minutes behind Ben Simmons and Dario Saric.
Barton, on the other hand, would probably be the more ideal acquisition for the 76ers, who desperately needs outside shooters to go along with their plethora of big men. Barton, who averaged a career-best 14.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season, would provide Philadelphia an outside threat off the bench and depth at the shooting guard position.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets adding Noel may still give them a loaded frontcourt, along with Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic, but slotting in Noel at the four spot would create a monster frontcourt for Denver. Noel's ability to defend the rim would be a boost to the Nuggets' frontcourt and would allow Jokic and Nurkic to operate well on the offensive end.
It remains to be seen whether the 76ers or Nuggets would consider such deal, but considering both teams' unbalanced Roster, it is a win-win trade worth exploring.
