Would Julius Randle and Nerlens Noel benefit from initial December trade talks?

Nerlens Noel

If anybody could use a change of scenery, it’s probably Nerlens Noel. The fifth-year player averaged over 30.0 minutes per game his first two seasons of playing (sat out 2013-14 season), but fell out of favor with the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded him to Dallas last season.

That trade hasn’t worked out too well, with Noel has receiving limited minutes and a number of DNP’s despite being healthy, perhaps stemming from him declining the Mavs’ four-year, $70 million contract offer before settling on a one-year, $4.1 million qualifying offer.

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Noel should interest the Lakers because he’s a young big on an expiring contract with plenty to prove heading into free agency. If he doesn’t pan out in L.A., they can let him walk at the end of the season. He also fills a desperate need for the Lakers.

One of the most glaring weaknesses for the Lakers this season is their interior defense. They don’t have any rim protectors that make opposing ball-handlers think twice from attacking the paint.

Brook Lopez averages 1.4 blocks per game this season, which happens to be Noel’s career average, but the latter is much quicker and bouncier to handle rim protecting duties and stay with defenders onto the perimeter.

Offensively, the Lakers would get a rim-roller with serious hops to finish put-back dunks and lobs. He hasn’t shown much of an offensive game and may tap out as a rim-roller, but they’re valuable in the NBA given how much space the Lakers would provide him.

Things could get interesting if he were traded to the Lakers and played well. L.A. would certainly try their hand with the big free agents this summer, but Noel would present some security if they missed out on their top targets. If he signs elsewhere, then the Lakers still have that cap space to build their roster.