Free agency is set to begin in the NBA on Friday at 6:00 p.m. EST and for the Philadelphia 76ers, it is time to add some pieces to their already improved roster.
In the past, the focus in free agency was to go after a guard who can shoot the ball and can be a playmaker. However, after the big trades to acquire Danny Green and Seth Curry as well as the draft picks of Tyrese Maxey and Isaiah Joe, their attention now should be focused on finding a suitable backup for Joel Embiid.
Presently, the team does have some faith in Paul Reed who fell into their laps at 58 on Wednesday, but in reality, they should bring in a guy who is proven to provide backup minutes. They will need to find somebody cheap too as they still only have roughly $6 million to spend.
One option who has been floating around is former Sixers big man Nerlens Noel. He spent the first 2.5 seasons of his career with Philadelphia before being sent to the Dallas Mavericks and he has spent the previous two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger has placed Noel in the $6.5 million salary range, but he also had this to say which makes it seem that maybe he can fit Philadelphia’s price range:
Noel may have trouble getting to this number because of perceptions about his commitment level, but he was really good in OKC this year. In the playoffs against Houston, he showed himself to be far more switchable and versatile against the Rockets’ unique schemes than starter Steven Adams.
While Noel’s overall offensive limitations are pretty severe — the dunk is basically his only shot — he easily could play a more prominent role in a switch-heavy scheme that needs a rim-runner. He’s also 26, so a two-year deal would guarantee a team the sweet spot of his career.
As mentioned, Noel’s offensive game is limited to being the roll man in a pick-and-roll game, but his defensive acumen is something to behold. In those minutes when Embiid goes to the bench, Noel can come in and use his defensive versatility and his rim protection skills to keep the team afloat. The team has a tendency to fall apart on defense in the minutes Embiid doesn’t play so Noel can fill that role for cheap while also providing hustle baskets on offense that can spark a team. [lawrence-related id=39331,39328,39325]