Nerlens Noel (Photo : Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors could explore adding another big man before the February 2017 trade deadline. Among the potential targets the Dubs could consider is Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel, who has found himself out of the team's rotation moving forward.
Sixers coach Brett Brown has conceded that Noel will not be part of the team's frontcourt options moving forward, making the 22-year-old center a very likely trade candidate for the 76ers before the deadline. But according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, it could be difficult to move Noel, who is set to become a restricted free agent next summer.
"While there is some urgency to getting the public dispute resolved, there is not a sense that a trade is close," Kyler wrote.
"Noel is a pending free agent, so that complicates a deal value; then, factor in that opposing teams know that the 76ers need to make a deal and it's easy to see why the team may be having a hard time extracting real value when one team is a motivated seller."
However, a team like the Warriors should be among the teams that are willing to enter trade negotiations with the 76ers. The Warriors may need to add another defensive big man, despite the impressive displays of Javale McGee and Zaza Pachulia.
Adding Noel would shore up Golden State's interior defense and would suit well playing alongside the team's talented core. With Noel around, the Warriors won't be short of options to at the frontcourt whatever type of lineup Kerr deploys.
On the other hand, trading Noel would make sense for Philadelphia in addressing the teams' crowded frontcourt. Since recovering from a minor knee surgery, Noel has only played two games for the 76ers in limited playing time, averaging only nine minutes a game. Moving Noel would give Brown a steady rotation of Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid at the five spot.
While it would be intriguing to see the Warriors acquire Noel, the Dubs do not have much trade chips for any potential deal. But according to Rohan Nadkarni of Sports Illustrated, the Warriors could stand pat before the deadline and instead explore the buyout market for frontcourt help.
"Golden State doesn't really need anything, but one more big man could come in handy by the postseason just in case they need some steady minutes at center. I'd expect Golden State to be actively poking around the buyout market later this season," Nadkarni wrote.
There are no indications the 76ers are planning to waive Noel, but if it proves too difficult to for the Sixers front office to find the young center a new home, a buyout seems a viable option for both parties. If that happens, expect the Warriors to consider adding Noel in their fold.
Video courtesy: YouTube/DownToBuck
