Philadelphia 76ers: Nerlens Noel is available you say? Interesting

The New York Knicks want a point guard.

They drafted players like Immanuel Quickley and Frank Ntilikina to fill that role, traded for Dennis Smith Jr. to fill the role, signed hometown hero Kemba Walker to fill the role, and even tried our old pal Alec Burks in the role, and yet, it didn’t work, the Knicks are just as in need of a lead guard as they were in 2019, 2009, 1999, and 1989, which, coincidentally, is the last time the team had an All-Star point guard.

When you consider the player in question, Mark Jackson, hasn’t had more head coaching gigs over the past 30 years than the Knicks have had All-Star point guards, you know something is seriously wrong.

So naturally, with some moveable contracts, plenty of draft picks, and a seemingly unquenchable need for a good guard, it only makes sense that the New York Knicks would find themselves linked to Jalen Brunson, the top guard on the market. That’s what Jake Fischer reported on Bleacher Report in his “Latest NBA Offseason Intel” column and has been a poorly held secret league-wide – I mean, you did see the faction of Knicks adjacent players who showed up at the Dallas Mavericks’ playoff game back in April, right?

But hey, I don’t want to keep talking about the New York Knicks. I mean, this is a Philadelphia sports blog, right; let’s talk about the Philadelphia 76ers. In that very same Bleacher Report article, Jake Fischer mentioned that the Knicks have been looking to move off of Nerlens Noel since February’s trade deadline and could again look to get the former sixth overall pick off their books too.

Hmm… could the… no, there’s no way Philadelphia 76ers would bring back noted Joel Embiid friend Nerlens Noel back for a second stint in the City of Brotherly Love… right?

If the Philadelphia 76ers want a backup big, Nerlens Noel is a name to watch.

Alright, so before we get too deep into #TheProcess of it all, let’s address the elephant in the room: The Philadelphia 76ers should just roll with Paul Reed and Charles Bassey as their backup centers. Enough with the old guys who are over the hill enough with swapping out backups year after year; unless a combo big capable of playing the four and the five becomes available, signing another traditional center is a waste of a roster spot.

… with that being said, Doc Rivers is Doc Rivers, and he just doesn’t like relying on young players. Even if the Sixers tried to roll with Reed and Bassey, you just know somehow an older, Paul Millsap-type will end up on the roster before the season’s end – my money is on Blake Griffen. If the Sixers want to fight off that urge and at least secure an Andre Drummond-level performer, making a trade for Nerlens Noel, either straight up for Danny Green – assuming his contract is guaranteed – or as part of a bigger deal, wouldn’t be the worst idea, especially if BBall Paul can shoot well enough to play the four full time.

Since leaving the Sixers via a trade with the Dallas Mavericks back in 2017, Noel has largely remained the same player fans in Philly came to love. He’s still a versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions, a good player around the rim, and a certified disruptor who has averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game since the 2017-18 NBA season.

Transplanted onto the Sixers’ roster, Noel could be a fantastic fit next to James Harden and Tyrese Maxey as a lob threat, a transition big, and as a pick-and-roll man. He could hold down the five spot when Embiid needs a break, allow the Sixers to push the tempo when the reserves are in the game, and even provide a fun little look where the two homegrown centers play together in situations where the team desperately needs a rebound.

Again, I personally wouldn’t do it, but goodness, it certainly would be cool to see Noel back in a red, white, and blue uniform, as it would give fans one final chance to see the number four on the court, as it was officially retired in 2016.

Nerlens Noel is the player who started ‘The Process.’ He was selected with the pick acquired from Jrue Holiday and was supposed to be a building block piece well into the future. Instead, that player became Joel Embiid, and Noel became a fun footnote in team lore. While a reunion may be fun, better to keep that one in the past.