Sixers coach Brett Brown gave fans what they were asking for Tuesday night, and the Nerlens Noel situation took another twist, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Two days after Brown announced that Noel was out of the rotation, he entered the game midway through the third quarter. Brown explained it was because of foul trouble, but Philly fans were loudly chanting, “We want Nerlens” just before he got off the bench. Noel played the final 6:49 of the quarter and finished with four points. “I think holistically [the Sixers have] to find a way to take these bigs and manage them,” Brown said after the game. “We have to try to find a way that is going to help our team moving forward, get some wins, develop our guys.”
There’s more out of Philadelphia:
- Starting center Joel Embiid was happy to see Noel back on the court and referred to him as his “best friend on the team,” relays Shamus Clancy of LibertyBallers. Clancy urges Philadelphia to try to re-sign Noel this summer to ensure that there is always at least one rim protector on the court.
- The Sixers aren’t going to let Noel talk his way into a trade, claims Bob Ford of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Noel has been critical of the franchise for having three young centers on the roster who all need playing time and lashed out after playing just eight minutes in a game last week. GM Bryan Colangelo held a news conference Monday and delivered the message that Noel should keep quiet to avoid further damaging his trade value. “At this point, in order for us to fairly evaluate Nerlens and for Nerlens to be fairly evaluated [by other teams],” Colangelo said, “he needs to show that he’s healthy, and that he’s professional and he’s got a good attitude to everything that’s going on and that may lead to ultimately something that would lead to a move.”
- No. 1 pick Ben Simmons is making progress in his recovery from the right foot fracture he suffered in October, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. The team hasn’t placed a timetable on Simmons’ return because it wants to avoid any temptation to rush him back before he is ready. In the meantime, he is getting a classroom-style education about the NBA game and is preparing to be the Sixers’ primary ballhandler. “We’re going to play with probably a considerable amount of pace [with Simmons],” Colangelo said. “He tends to grab and go … rebound the ball and push the ball up the floor, pass ahead, all the things that he demonstrated not only in college, but quite clearly in summer league. I think that the desire of this team and this organization to play a certain style of play incorporates some of that.”
The player the Sixers should “reward” with a trade is Richaun Holmes to Golden State for Patrick McCaw.
Holmes runs like GSW wants, plays way above the rim, is physical, shoots threes.
McCaw is good, but not in the rotation yet.
Cant stress this enough: After re-signing Curry and Durant, the Warriors will only be able to afford minimum salaried contracts. They need as many draft picks as possible. The Sixers have them.
Holmes and picks for McCaw. Easy.
After that, there’s really no reason for Philly to move any more bigs considering the wings and guards are the best players in the upcoming draft of which the Sixers will get at least three, plus Furkan Korkmaz from last year. Plus, the best free agents they’ll probably be able to sign are Andre Igoudala and Tyreke Evans.
At that point the logjam at guard and wing is as intense as it is in the front court.
But I think they’re hoping to keep and develop McCaw and Clark in anticipation of losing AI and Shaun to free agency.
I suspect the Warriors main goal at the moment is finding a trade partner for Zaza. McGee is looking more and more like their starting 5. Not sure of Zaza and McAdoo’s contact situation, but I think they might be the first to go.
I also think the Sixers should trade Okafor, and keep Noel and Embiid. They can start against teams with two bigs or split minutes against teams with smaller 4s.
I like the idea, but I think it would be Ian Clark for Holmes and picks.
Ian Clark is going to leave the Warriors next year no matter what, and McGaw has a team friendly contract. Plus Clark has shown he can score 20 points off the bench (multiple times). – Ian Clark for Holmes and (2) 2nd Round Draft picks.
Zaza is playing for the Veterans minimum and clearly only cares about winning – not minutes. Keep him and McGee and split time. It does not matter who starts the game. They both will be playing crucial minutes.
I’m sure GSW would love if Ian Clark or Zaza could get a shot blocker who can shoot threes and is under contract for the next two years.
But Ian Clark does little for the Sixers considering they’re getting one of Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith Jr or DeAAron Fox out of this draft.
McCaw brings a guard who can play defense and shoot next to Ben Simmons. Sixers defense against guards is horrendous. Both Holmes and McCaw have two years left on their deals.
Wojnarowski is on record that GSW is looking for a rim protector, but won’t make any move that lessens their chances at a ring. Ian Clark is in the rotation. McCaw is not.
Gotta give to get. Richaun Holmes (NYK2d17, GSW2d17, PHI2d18) for Patrick McCaw.
Alternative: Richaun Holmes + OKC2020(x15) for McCaw
Or the 6ers draft one of the following and do what they do best and make things worse… Harry Giles, Bam Adebajeo, or Ivan Rabb. Feels about right