Philadelphia 76ers’ center Nerlens Noel has yet to play a game this season after undergoing knee surgery in the offseason. He is part of a crowded Sixers frontcourt that also features fellow lottery picks Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor. The team has long been expected to trade either Okafor or Noel and with the recent assignment of the latter to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA D-League as part of his recovery, trade talks have again gained steam following reports that the Portland Trail Blazers have expressed interest in the athletic center.
According to Sam Amico of Amico Hoops, several teams have recently held discussions with the Philadelphia 76ers regarding a potential deal for Nerlens Noel. The list of teams that have expressed interest supposedly include the Portland Trail Blazers, who have so far been underperforming this season.
Nerlens Noel has made no secret of his desire to be traded before the February deadline. And as noted by Blazersedge.com, with the Portland Trail Blazers’ need for interior defense, coupled with the Philadelphia 76ers’ interest in shooter Allen Crabbe this past offseason, something could be in the works between the two teams.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Nerlens Noel with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. After missing his entire rookie season, he has since averaged 10.5 points and 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. His length and athleticism would surely help any team with a void at center.
The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be committed to the potential of Joel Embiid. The 22-year-old Cameroonian, who missed the first two seasons of his career due to injury, has been playing well in limited minutes for the Sixers, averaging 18.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in less than 23 minutes per through 12 games. Jahlil Okafor, for his part, is averaging 10.7 points and 3.9 rebounds.
