I don't think we disagree much on this. I simply don't feel teams have a need to identify a "who" at this point if Noel shows that he can be productive in a winning environment. They only need to recognize that would have a pretty decent chance to occur in the new marketplace.
If Colangelo massively overvalues Noel as I feel many Sixer fans do I would probably get the phone hung up on me fairly quickly.
I would never have come into the season with the 3 centers all on the roster, it was always going to blow up because of Noel's impending FA.
I would.
I can't imagine PHI is that delusional. Smart straight up for Noel is a bad deal, regardless of how you feel about each player, simply because of the extra year of control. I can't even see a scenario where Rozier is made available for Noel, for similar reasons. And the more I think about it, I can't imagine the Celts giving up any first round pick for him.
This was the best quote I saw:
So much this. Fucking joke.
1) Yes.
Yet Colangelo is being mocked for not wanting to make a bad deal for the organization. I don't understand this. It isn't like they are competing for wins this year and still are in a personnel mess from last year.
Totally agree but if Noel continues to whine and mope about it, it's probably best just to take the best offer and rid the team of his shitty attitude anyway come trade deadline, especially with all the young players around. The best offer isn't going to be that great though since the position he plays is plush with talent like him. Bigs aren't what they used to be.
I am higher on Noel than most. I think his ceiling is that of an elite defender and an adequate rim runner on offense. But setting that aside, the above understates the impact of restricted free agency. First, an RFA remains under a team's control because the incumbent has the right to match. Second, restricted free agency acts to depress the player's value. Seems like this will be less true based under the new CBA, as RFA's will be less subject to the NBA's equivalent of musical chairs where by the time the market is really available to them, most of the big money is gone. Finally, there is also the advantage of being able to sign the player without using cap space.
Equating? No. In the scheme of tradeable assets to make a deal, however, Smart is about the only player (plus filler) that works in a deal for Noel. Same with the MIN pick (plus additional filler). There is no transitive property of trading, only options that provide flexibility.
They may not have cut him but he's stapled to the bench these days.
So long as Embiid keeps increasing playing time, and especially with Simmons joining them, their own pick is going to be closer to the end of the lottery.
They have the added bonus of possible being able to get two lottery picks AND get to the playoffs thanks to the Kings and Lakers. TTP.
I will eat any number of hats if the Sixers play .600 ball after the all star break, so that's a pretty good surprise pick.
No doubt they're much better without Okafor, but a team moving from playing .286 ball for 35 games to playing .600 ball for their last ~35 games would be unprecedented I believe. When I have time, I'll go check to make sure.
I can see them closing that last 36 game stretch of the season with 20-22 wins, because Embiid just keeps getting better and they've finally stapled LaRue Okafor to the bench. Had Hinkie not butchered that pick so badly they'd be making a credible run at the playoffs this year.
That's true, it'll be interesting to see what moves the Kings make to play in the postseason this year in an attempt to shed the sad sack label.
I've been meaning to take a look at how big an effect this "cruise control" idea is. Never given it too much weight (some obviously, but a game or two at the high end really).
I expect that he will be Philly's Darko. He is a biblically bad defensive player that isn't a skilled enough offensive player to make up for it. I was openly puzzled by the pick given that they had Noel playing and Embiid (theoretically) in the wings. I think I expected them to grab Mudiay to be their PG of the future or that they'd make a deal with LA in order to land Russell. Okafor I thought he might pan out as a less crazy, poor man's version of DMC, assuming he applied himself. Clearly he hasn't.
If he could get a first he should take it.
Strikes me that his value is at its nadir right now. Assuming they are moving Noel, Philly has plenty of time to address Okafor. With Nerlens gone after the deadline, then you have the remainder of this season and two more years of team control during which Philly can rebuild some value for Okafor. Absent Noel and caution regarding Embid's usage, there should be adequate minutes as a backup center to showcase Okafor. Make him the focal point of the second unit's offense, so his counting stats will look better. Kanter fetched a protected first from a good team as an impending RFA. Maybe Okafor can get you a better pick with a year or more of team control.
I don't think they are going to move Noel. Both Brown and Embiid want to win some games, and Noel gives them the best chance of winning, and Brown on the radio today (yesterday?) saying that he's going to play Noel and Embiid more together. And I wonder how Embiid would react if the 76ers trade Noel when they have been playing well together.
I don't know that his value is at it's nadir. He's still young, and they have lots of bigs and no guards, so maybe you can convince a team that it's a fit problem and he'll be better in a different lineup/system. The more he plays though the more other teams will realize he's just a shitty basketball player, there is a direct correlation between the perceived decrease in Okafor's value and him playing basketball.
Are there any interested teams with a vet 3rd point or combo guard that they don't play much? Or is Okafor not even able to bring that much back?
Who would've thought that replacing a really, really bad defensive big with a really, really good defensive big would make the team significantly better on defense? Crazy.
