Sixers: Nerlens Noel max offers will be clarification, not damnation of deadline trade
Former Sixers center Nerlens Noel will enter the restricted free agent market, and it seems like he’ll be getting paid…a lot.
When the Sixers made a deal to send Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks, their was some sort of shock value involved. It always seemed inevitable that Noel would be moved eventually, as he was always set to receive at least one max offer from the rest of the league. The Sixers would have had to either let him walk for nothing, or tie up money in a backup center just one summer before Joel Embiid is up for his almost certain max payment.
Noel was the first selection that led to the controversial Sam Hinkie rebuild, and as he sat out his first season excitement faltered on the once top prospect. Over the next few seasons, Noel would enjoy brilliance on the defensive end of the ball finding ways to impact the game and the Sixers’ defensive unit as a whole.
Noel was one of three Sixers centers that had promise, but the first who would see his contract expire. Jahlil Okafor‘s trade value dissolved to a point where nothing of significant value would make it worth dumping a low-value contract in hopes of a miraculous turnaround. Joel Embiid has become the face of the franchise after just 31 games. It seemed impossible to avoid a Noel trade.
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The outrage came with the return of the trade. Justin Anderson and a faux first-round pick did not seem to match the value of what Noel brought to the Sixers roster. And that’s correct. The problem is, these max offers were always in sight.
The trade market for Noel decreased because it was apparent that the Sixers would have trouble swallowing a big contract in the front court, and that some teams weren’t willing to give fair value to take on an expiring contract for a half season that was primed to turn into an expensive investment.
These reported offers by NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman should come to no surprise to anyone who has followed this scenario closely. Noel was never anything short of a rookie max contract value. His game has holes, and those holes may not make him worth the max, but considering the way the restricted free agent market has unfolded in the past two summers, his market value is up to rookie max levels.
This is a clarification on why this deadline trade occurred. Why the Noel deal was made. It isn’t validation by any means on the part of Bryan Colangelo, who may have put himself stronghold by waiting to deal so close to the deadline. But a Noel deal was the right move. Not necessarily the Noel deal that unfolded.
This also should not be looked at as a damnation of the trade as well. This doesn’t make the deal any worse or better than it was the day it happened. Noel is no better or worse than he was the day he was traded as well.
But these reports now give the rest of the league a sense on why exactly this deal occurred. The Sixers were not comfortable using Noel as a pricey insurance policy in the case Embiid never finds his way to a healthy career. Rather than letting Noel go for nothing, Colangelo tried to grab the highest possible return, even if it was for very little.
Another argument has been to sign Noel, and trade him sometime this summer. This doesn’t increase leverage or value at all. The Sixers would now be playing a dangerous game where they hold a big contract in the front court, with another one on the way. This could even degrade Noel’s trade value to a point where they get the same deal or lesser.
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At the end of the day, confirmation is given that Noel would have been a constricting contract in an offseason where Colangelo will look to spend money on top-bill free agents. The Noel deal was not good value-wise, and maybe that exact deal didn’t have to happen. But a Noel move was imperative for this team if they ever wanted to take the next step forward. It’s one of the risks of asset accumulation, but one that has given the Sixers Joel Embiid.