It’s obvious what the theme is for the Philadelphia 76ers as they approach the Feb. 9 trade deadline. They need a reliable backup center behind Joel Embiid, and they need to find one quickly.
A few names have popped up recently. A former Sixer is among the latest to have drawn interest from president Daryl Morey and the front office: Nerlens Noel of the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons are a rebuilding team who are focused on developing Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren. Noel is a veteran who doesn’t get much playing time. He’s averaging 2.5 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing in 13 games for Detroit.
Per James Edwards of The Athletic:
Per league sources, the Heat, Nuggets, Mavericks, Kings, 76ers and Celtics have recently called the Pistons and inquired about Noel.
Noel, who spent his first 2.5 seasons with the Sixers, would bring exactly what Philadelphia needs in a backup big man. He’s an elite rim protector with a career average of 1.5 blocks per game. He is a big lob threat which is what James Harden needs in the pick-and-roll, and he has a great relationship with Embiid.
With the deadline being at 3 p.m. EST on Thursday, trade talks will begin to heat up for teams around the league.
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=]
[listicle id=74880]
[lawrence-related id=74889,74877,74886]