Boston Celtics: 10 Potential Star Trade Targets
4. Nerlens Noel
As the NBA’s 28th-ranked rebounding team and 21st-ranked shot-blocking team, the Celtics could really use another defensive presence in the middle. Al Horford is a great positional defender and shot-blocker, but he’s historically underwhelmed as a rebounder.
Enter Nerlens Noel, a player whose value has taken a hit with the overnight emergence of Joel Embiid but could really help a playoff team now that he’s getting healthy.
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Noel’s injury history is a concern, as he even entered this season recovering from a minor knee surgery. But as the weeks have progressed, Noel has earned his place in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ rotation again, surpassing Jahlil Okafor and reminding people his defense still makes him valuable.
Though Noel is only averaging 8.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game so far this season, his minutes have been limited and he had to shake off the rust after his knee injury.
In the month of January, his numbers are up to 9.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks in only 21.1 minutes per game on 62.5 percent shooting. Don’t forget, this is the same guy who averaged 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game just last year.
The Celtics could use the rim protection, rebounding and rim-running alley-oop threat he’d provide. Even better, Noel is still only 22 years old, meaning he could be a fixture in Boston for the long haul as a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Assuming he could stay healthy, Noel would strengthen a dark horse contender in the here and now while also ensuring this defense remains stout for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, it’d probably cost another defensive ace, either Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley.
If the Celtics want to pair Noel with Smart, Jaylen Brown and their upcoming lottery picks from the Brooklyn Nets, they’d deal Bradley and hope Smart is able to replace him in the starting lineup in 2016-17, while also working on that jump shot of his to spread the floor in the future.
If the Celtics believe Noel is an all-in move that will help them seriously challenge Cleveland in the East this season, trading Smart and waiting for Bradley to return is the right play.
Either way, Boston will have to sacrifice a key guard if they want Noel. The Sixers have the cap space to absorb any contract, but there are other complications to consider.
For starters, Philly would be wise to deal Okafor rather than Noel, especially since Noel has looked much better in his limited time alongside Embiid compared to Okafor. Noel will also be a restricted free agent this summer, complicating Boston’s interest in trading for him. Finally, even if the Sixers were interested in dealing Noel, they’d probably want a future first-rounder in addition to Bradley or Smart.