Things are getting bad for Nerlens Noel in Philadelphia.
Last Sunday, Nerlens Noel made his season debut in the Philadelphia 76ets game against the Detroit Pistons.
He played 10 minutes, scoring 8 points and getting a steal, before he left the game with an injured ankle.
He returned to the lineup tonight in a nationally televised game against the Los Angeles Lakers… and played 8 minutes, while scoring 2 points, hauling in 5 rebounds and blocking a shot.
Noel, who has been outspoken about the center situation in Philadelphia, was furious after the game. “I need to be on the court playing basketball. I think I’m too good to be playing 8 minutes. That’s crazy. That’s crazy. Need to figure this shit out” Noel said.
The thing is, trading Noel isn’t as easy as it seems.
Reports have surfaced that teams who look into the 22-year-old are receiving negative reports back.
This quote comes from Adrian Wojnarowski on The Vertical podcast:
“The research teams have done on him is not good,” Wojnarowski said. “They don’t get good reports back on their intel, how he’s carried himself there, of his habits. It’s not a great return. There are teams willing to do a deal for him and bring him in but they don’t want to give up much. And so at some point there, Philly has got to make a decision, ‘What’s the best we can get for him?’ I think at some point he probably moves, too.”
What Noel doesn’t seem to understand is that he’s the one making it hard to trade him.
The 76ers aren’t eager to give away a valuable asset at pennies on the dollar, and they have no reason to be.
Noel is set to become a restricted free agent following this season. But ultimately, that means little to Philadelphia as they’re still under the salary floor this season and project to be miles under the cap next year.
All Philadelphia has to do in order to retain control of Noel is to make him a qualifying offer.
Then Noel is faced with this option: Sign a contract with another team that the 76ers would almost certainly match, or play next season under the QO and become an unrestricted free agent the following year.
So worst-case scenario, Philadelphia controls Noel’s rights for another year and a half.
The reality is, had Noel come into camp publically saying the right things and being a good soldier, he probably would have been traded already. It’s his actions that make it harder for him to reach the outcome he desires.
Being frustrated is fine, understandable even. But whining to the press is the absolute worst way to handle things when teams are already receiving reports that question your maturity.
Tonight’s outburst is just another step in the wrong direction.
