Nerlens Noel (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to trade for Philadelphia 76ers Nerlens Noel, who has been reportedly moved on the trading block.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein and Chad Ford, the 76ers are open to the possibility of trading their young big men in Noel and Jahlil Okafor in the franchise's attempt to "speed up Philadelphia's return to playoff contention."
"Sources told ESPN that the Sixers are determined to gauge the trade market for both Okafor and Noel and are increasingly likely to move at least one of them in conjunction with the draft, in which Philadelphia holds the No. 1 overall selection for the first time since selecting Allen Iverson in 1996," the report disclosed.
Noel has been the latest to be thrown at the rumor mill, making him an interesting topic to many trade scenarios. Maxwell Ogden of Hoops Habit listed the best landing spots for Noel in case the shot-blocking big man gets traded, and the preferred destinations include the Celtics and Lakers, two of the teams looking to be title contenders once again.
The Celtics have been without a defensive big man ever since the departure of Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets, making Noel an ideal target for the Cs. Most likely, any deal for the 22-year-old big man would involve the team's No. 3 pick and one of the Celtics' tradable players.
Boston could use their top pick to draft Maccabi Tel Aviv's Dragan Bender, a 7-foot-1 center who has been compared to New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis because of his mobility and skills he possess at such size. Certainly there is potential in Bender to become the next Porzingis, or better yet a perennial All-Star in the league, but Noel offers a more ready-made service at the four and five spot, having played in the NBA for two seasons.
With Boston having plenty of trade assets, a projected max cap space of $53.3 million, and a plethora of draft picks in this year's draft, the Celtics have a legit chance to entice Philly of sending Noel to Beantown.
Meanwhile, the Lakers could also be an intriguing landing spot for Noel, who is also one of LA's most logical acquisition in the offseason, with the team in dire need of a defensive big man. The Lakers were dead-last in the league in defensive efficiency, allowing 1.079 points per 100 possesions, and second in points allowed in the paint with 47.7 points. Noel may not be able to immediately address the Lakers' defensive inefficiency, but could certainly be a key cog in the team's defense inside in the paint.
With Roy Hibbert set to explore free agency, the Lakers should closely monitor the 76ers' interest in trading Noel. However, according to Ogden, a deal for Noel would potentially include a sign-and-trade transaction centered on Jordan Clarkson, the team's most consistent scorer in the past two seasons.
Clarkson, who becomes a restricted free agent in July, has significantly improved his scoring during his second year in the league, averaging a career-best 15.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. However, his overall defense still needs improvement, making him a liability on that end.
The Lakers would probably re-sign Clarkson and match any offer given to the second-year combo guard. But if LA shows genuine interest in trading for Noel, Clarkson's contract could be part of a package deal heading to the 76ers.
