National Basketball Association

NBA Rumors: Sixers Trying To Trade Nerlens Noel, It Appears

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:19 p.m. ET

Fansided, Michael Saenz/FanSided via Sir Charles In Charge

Nerlens Noel might’ve played his last game in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

Since his return from injury, Noel has played in two games for the Sixers. In those two games, he’s played a combined 18 minutes. Now, he’s no longer in Brett Brown’s rotation.

In Sunday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, Noel didn’t play a single minute. Which was expected before the game, actually. Still, the fact that Noel is now “officially” out of the team’s rotation, it looks like the Sixers have never been closer to trading Nerlens Noel.

More from Sir Charles In Charge

[via CSN Philly]

“I think trying to force feed three bigs in a game is unfair,” Brown said Sunday before the Sixers faced the Nets. “I intend on going with two of those three bigs tonight. Nerlens will not be one of those people that will be in rotation unless something happens with foul trouble or some type of other circumstance.”

“I think a lot of people know it was going to get to a point like this,” Noel said. “Now I’m the one that’s in it, so I’m going to deal with it the best way possible.”

Noel, 22, is still relatively young and has a ton of potential as an athletic, rim-protecting big. Question is, will he find the right place in order to develop his game?

We thought the Sixers was the place for him to flourish, and it looked like it was going to be, until the team went on to draft Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor in back-to-back drafts. Not saying that drafting either of those players was a mistake – although you can make an argument against the Okafor pick – you can’t be surprised that Noel is upset with the fact that Philly kept trying to essentially draft his replacement.

Noel will likely be moved before the NBA Trade Deadline, that was always the likely outcome. However, now it appears it’s a lock. Noel will not finish the season in a Sixers uniform.