Where is Nerlens?

[Winejk]

I'm big time Noel guy, but I think trading Holmes instead of him would be a mistake right now. Holmes has been lights out this year. Check his advanced states, they're elite. But he's not really a name. Not sure how much buzz he has around the league right now. Noel and Okafor are both lottery picks, and while they've underperformed their expectations to a degree, I still think you're more likely to snag a better return for them. We'll see how this shakes out, Holmes definitely seems to be the odd man out when everyone is healthy, but I think dumping him would be a mistake.

Holmes is making one of the bigs - Noel or Okafor - a lot easier to part with. I love how he tries to throw everything down with power when he has a chance, and when he doesn't he has a quick release with a soft touch around the basket reminiscent of Todd MacCulloch. By continuing to develop his jump shot and becoming more consistent at 3s, he brings a skill that the other bigs really don't have other than Embiid. His defense is good and he can protect the rim. Plus he plays with a lot of energy. He literally is the perfect big man coming off the bench. Add in that he's unlikely to demand a $20+ million contract when he's up for renewal, and he's definitely a keeper. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...every game Noel misses, Holmes is stealing his job.

[Sarni]

Blazers fan from Poland here (Sixers are one of my favourite in the East though, been liking you since I was a small kid back in Iverson days, watching games at late night).

Lots of people on our side would happily trade you Crabbe for Noel. Less convinced about parting with McCollum whose value is easily higher than Noel for now. Question for you guys: would you do this trade? You are getting a very poor contract in Crabbe, $18M a year, but he's probably exactly what you need currently - good shooter with decent perimeter defense and possibly decent upside. It's not like Philadelphia will be picking top stars in the free agency for the next 2-3 years so you are probably the most suited to accommodate this contract.

[Foshan]

Blazers fan from Poland here (Sixers are one of my favourite in the East though, been liking you since I was a small kid back in Iverson days, watching games at late night).

Lots of people on our side would happily trade you Crabbe for Noel. Less convinced about parting with McCollum whose value is easily higher than Noel for now. Question for you guys: would you do this trade? You are getting a very poor contract in Crabbe, $18M a year, but he's probably exactly what you need currently - good shooter with decent perimeter defense and possibly decent upside. It's not like Philadelphia will be picking top stars in the free agency for the next 2-3 years so you are probably the most suited to accommodate this contract.

I am really not that interested in Crabbe. Granted i haven't seen a lot of him, but I'm not sure what he gives us that Nik & Hollis don't? Granted they are both pretty inconsistent, but Nik is starting to look better, and both make a fraction of what crabbe does.

[Sarni]

Blazers fan from Poland here (Sixers are one of my favourite in the East though, been liking you since I was a small kid back in Iverson days, watching games at late night).

Lots of people on our side would happily trade you Crabbe for Noel. Less convinced about parting with McCollum whose value is easily higher than Noel for now. Question for you guys: would you do this trade? You are getting a very poor contract in Crabbe, $18M a year, but he's probably exactly what you need currently - good shooter with decent perimeter defense and possibly decent upside. It's not like Philadelphia will be picking top stars in the free agency for the next 2-3 years so you are probably the most suited to accommodate this contract.

I am really not that interested in Crabbe. Granted i haven't seen a lot of him, but I'm not sure what he gives us that Nik & Hollis don't? Granted they are both pretty inconsistent, but Nik is starting to look better, and both make a fraction of what crabbe does.

His defense is quite good, better than McCollum, and he's a good shooter. He's got slightly better at creating his own shot this season too. Yes, the contract is not favorable but are Sixers really in any risk of exceeding the cap anytime soon? You would have to sign a few pricey free agents and they will usually go somewhere else at this point. In 3-4 years when Simmons and Embiid are there, you may get there, but not now. Sort of similar to us though we then decided to spunk $17M on Evan fecking Turner which we won't be able to offload anytime soon, unless we trick Kings into taking him in Cousins package that has been rumored.

I think Crabbe is quite comfortably better than both Stauskas and Thompson and there's a good potential for him to develop into a top 10-15 shooting guard (albeit this is largely due to amazing lack of talent at this position in NBA now).

[jbent87]

Blazers fan from Poland here (Sixers are one of my favourite in the East though, been liking you since I was a small kid back in Iverson days, watching games at late night).

Lots of people on our side would happily trade you Crabbe for Noel. Less convinced about parting with McCollum whose value is easily higher than Noel for now. Question for you guys: would you do this trade? You are getting a very poor contract in Crabbe, $18M a year, but he's probably exactly what you need currently - good shooter with decent perimeter defense and possibly decent upside. It's not like Philadelphia will be picking top stars in the free agency for the next 2-3 years so you are probably the most suited to accommodate this contract.

I am really not that interested in Crabbe. Granted i haven't seen a lot of him, but I'm not sure what he gives us that Nik & Hollis don't? Granted they are both pretty inconsistent, but Nik is starting to look better, and both make a fraction of what crabbe does.

His defense is quite good, better than McCollum, and he's a good shooter. He's got slightly better at creating his own shot this season too. Yes, the contract is not favorable but are Sixers really in any risk of exceeding the cap anytime soon? You would have to sign a few pricey free agents and they will usually go somewhere else at this point. In 3-4 years when Simmons and Embiid are there, you may get there, but not now. Sort of similar to us though we then decided to spunk $17M on Evan fecking Turner which we won't be able to offload anytime soon, unless we trick Kings into taking him in Cousins package that has been rumored.

I think Crabbe is quite comfortably better than both Stauskas and Thompson and there's a good potential for him to develop into a top 10-15 shooting guard (albeit this is largely due to amazing lack of talent at this position in NBA now).

I would agree that Crabbe is better than what we have, but what is the word with CJ McCollum? Is there anyway we could add some more to Nerlens that would make him expendable? I would add in the Lakers 1-3 protected pick this season for starters. Just didn't know if he's considered untouchable or not.

[Unbreakable99]

Both sides need to come together. BC needs to tell Noel they need him. He needs to talk so good that he has Noel and his agent forgive us for the way he has felt treated. Noel needs to be shown love by BC and the Sixers front office. I thought it was a bad PR move when in training camp the 76ers twitter account showed a pic of Embiid dunking on Noel. Why show that? Did they think that would make Noel feel good posting that pic? You need to understand players and their feeling and make them feel wanted. I bet Noel was hot when he saw that pic online. You can't post that pic. No way the Sixers would have posted that pic if Noel dunked on Embiid. We need to show Noel love and show he's a part of our core going forward.

[CoreyGallagher]

Read on Twitter

[phillynative]

Both sides need to come together. BC needs to tell Noel they need him. He needs to talk so good that he has Noel and his agent forgive us for the way he has felt treated. Noel needs to be shown love by BC and the Sixers front office. I thought it was a bad PR move when in training camp the 76ers twitter account showed a pic of Embiid dunking on Noel. Why show that? Did they think that would make Noel feel good posting that pic? You need to understand players and their feeling and make them feel wanted. I bet Noel was hot when he saw that pic online. You can't post that pic. No way the Sixers would have posted that pic if Noel dunked on Embiid. We need to show Noel love and show he's a part of our core going forward.

I know this is kind of off topic but I wonder if Nerlens look at the struggles defensively and kind of smirks. ( All though I have doubts he even watches the sixers)

[Unbreakable99]

Both sides need to come together. BC needs to tell Noel they need him. He needs to talk so good that he has Noel and his agent forgive us for the way he has felt treated. Noel needs to be shown love by BC and the Sixers front office. I thought it was a bad PR move when in training camp the 76ers twitter account showed a pic of Embiid dunking on Noel. Why show that? Did they think that would make Noel feel good posting that pic? You need to understand players and their feeling and make them feel wanted. I bet Noel was hot when he saw that pic online. You can't post that pic. No way the Sixers would have posted that pic if Noel dunked on Embiid. We need to show Noel love and show he's a part of our core going forward.

I know this is kind of off topic but I wonder if Nerlens look at the struggles defensively and kind of smirks. ( All though I have doubts he even watches the sixers)

He probably looks at Okafor defensively and knows he should definitely be getting more minutes than him when he gets back. And no way the Sixers twitter account would have posted a pic of Ben Simmons getting dunked on in training camp had that happened. The more I think about them showing Noel getting dunked on by Embiid the more I think it was completely disrespectful to Noel. They acted like he was just another player. You don't do that to players you hope should be part of the core or integral players. The Sixers have disrespected Noel and it's up to BC to make amends and show him the love.

[phillynative]

^ lol I think your over exaggerating the pic but it's funny I have yet to see Embiid dunk on any players on another team yet. Though Biid and Jah are superior offensive players. I don't think neither are on Nerlens level as far as athleticism and defense.

[Unbreakable99]

^ lol I think your over exaggerating the pic but it's funny I have yet to see Embiid dunk on any players on another team yet. Though Biid and Jah are superior offensive players. I don't think neither are on Nerlens level as far as athleticism and defense.

But think about it though? Do you really think any team would show a pic of their best player getting dunked on in practice? No. You wouldn't see it with LeBron or Steph or Durant or Towns or Davis etc. You should only show that with marginal guys who won't be big contributors or could be cut. Why show a pic like that to the entire world. They wouldn't have shown that if Noel dunked on Embiid or Simmons. You know that's right. And Noel was hustling and contesting a shot. That shouldn't be used to embarrass him. Just because he didn't just walk away or not jump he gets embarrassed by his own team's twitter account? That's complete disrespect. Noel is our best defensive player and one of the few players who gives a damn about defending. I don't think I'm over exaggerating that. BC needs to repair the relationship with Noel and his agent ASAP.

[Sarni]

I would agree that Crabbe is better than what we have, but what is the word with CJ McCollum? Is there anyway we could add some more to Nerlens that would make him expendable? I would add in the Lakers 1-3 protected pick this season for starters. Just didn't know if he's considered untouchable or not.

Everyone bar Lillard is available IMO but McCollum has reached the point where if he is going to be traded, it will only be for Cousins or Davis if they become available. Noel (or Okafor) are not quite there yet. Lakers pick is attractive as it could come around 5-8 even but in a draft where most top prospects will be guards it is not that attractive to Portland, unless we could get Josh Jackson or Harry Giles which we couldn't.

[Kobblehead]

So Robert Swift is coming back to the team? Hotels in the area, be on lookout.

[LloydFree]

Both sides need to come together. BC needs to tell Noel they need him. He needs to talk so good that he has Noel and his agent forgive us for the way he has felt treated. Noel needs to be shown love by BC and the Sixers front office. I thought it was a bad PR move when in training camp the 76ers twitter account showed a pic of Embiid dunking on Noel. Why show that? Did they think that would make Noel feel good posting that pic? You need to understand players and their feeling and make them feel wanted. I bet Noel was hot when he saw that pic online. You can't post that pic. No way the Sixers would have posted that pic if Noel dunked on Embiid. We need to show Noel love and show he's a part of our core going forward.

I know this is kind of off topic but I wonder if Nerlens look at the struggles defensively and kind of smirks. ( All though I have doubts he even watches the sixers)

Noel sits back and watches Okafor and Holmes play defense and laughs out loud.

[kriss73]

..throwing bricks close to the basket at Sixers facility.

Read on Twitter

Little steps, however.

[jbent87]

^ lol I think your over exaggerating the pic but it's funny I have yet to see Embiid dunk on any players on another team yet. Though Biid and Jah are superior offensive players. I don't think neither are on Nerlens level as far as athleticism and defense.

But think about it though? Do you really think any team would show a pic of their best player getting dunked on in practice? No. You wouldn't see it with LeBron or Steph or Durant or Towns or Davis etc. You should only show that with marginal guys who won't be big contributors or could be cut. Why show a pic like that to the entire world. They wouldn't have shown that if Noel dunked on Embiid or Simmons. You know that's right. And Noel was hustling and contesting a shot. That shouldn't be used to embarrass him. Just because he didn't just walk away or not jump he gets embarrassed by his own team's twitter account? That's complete disrespect. Noel is our best defensive player and one of the few players who gives a damn about defending. I don't think I'm over exaggerating that. BC needs to repair the relationship with Noel and his agent ASAP.

You're right about this. it isn't something that should be just looked over. This is a very self aware team; hell they confiscate Hinkie posters at the door of the arena. They also mention Ben Simmons injury in passing on a Friday night and the next hour have a tweet of Gerald Henderson throwing out the first pitch at a Phillies game. Hey, aholes, we don't care about this first pitch at a baseball game that nobody went to. You just told us that our 1st overall pick who was pimped in ticket packages as the savior is out for the foreseeable future.

They also tell a girl invited to sing the national anthem wearing a BLM-centric shirt that she cant perform, and think that that issue will just go away because they sadistically had the foresight to put fine print in the contract language she signed that said "no political statement attire." WHAT?! The next day they're getting killed all over the place on social media and they send a press release via email saying they're sorry to the beat writers, but don't post it on Twitter. They're shameless, calculated creeps at times. And they don't want you to pick up on it or call them on it.

It's just frustrating, that all we want is good content on the court and they continue to botch things not just there, but off the court as well.

[spikeslovechild]

Both sides need to come together. BC needs to tell Noel they need him. He needs to talk so good that he has Noel and his agent forgive us for the way he has felt treated. Noel needs to be shown love by BC and the Sixers front office. I thought it was a bad PR move when in training camp the 76ers twitter account showed a pic of Embiid dunking on Noel. Why show that? Did they think that would make Noel feel good posting that pic? You need to understand players and their feeling and make them feel wanted. I bet Noel was hot when he saw that pic online. You can't post that pic. No way the Sixers would have posted that pic if Noel dunked on Embiid. We need to show Noel love and show he's a part of our core going forward.

Ugh I knew this was going to happen. A couple weeks w/Noel and all of sudden Noel is a savior of the franchise. Need I remind you that we had Noel for pretty much all of last season and we were historically bad.

And Noel is not part of our core. First of all, he's blocked by Embiid. Two, even if he wasn't non-skilled def bigs are not part of your core they are finishing pieces to an existing core.

What this team needs is skilled guards and wings. Trade Noel to a team like the GSW in need of a finishing piece. If Boston is willing to move their BKN picks make the deal. We have two bigs as part of our core Simmons and Embiid. I had hoped Okafor would develop into a core piece and while there is still time he's not right and more of a question mark then ever.

We don't need Noel. Once Embiid gets healthy and off a minutes restriction he'll be playing 30+ minutes a night. The minutes just aren't there to justify the dollars required of an extension. Time to move on and bring in a realistic option to backup Embiid

[NatiboyB]

Are you guys expecting Noel to actually play for you all again or do you think the team already has a trade for him which is why they let him do the surgery since they didn't want him being hurt because one of the players being moved for him can't be move do until dec?

Especially considering that Joel and Jah should be coming off of the minute restrictions around December.

[PhilasFinest]

Are you guys expecting Noel to actually play for you all again or do you think the team already has a trade for him which is why they let him do the surgery since they didn't want him being hurt because one of the players being moved for him can't be move do until dec?

Especially considering that Joel and Jah should be coming off of the minute restrictions around December.

I think if Noel was being moved, we would have heard rumblings of it.I honestly hope there is some type of deal available though.

I truly have NO idea how the hell they are going to play this out though. Noel is obviously disgruntled and heading into a contract year, he isn't going to be happy playing 20-25 minutes of action off the bench or out of position impacting his ability to showcase his talent.

Okafor may stay quiet a bit longer if he is getting his points and a high usage role, but I feel he is also bound to become vocally frustrated with the situation soon as well.

I know Embiid has a versatile offensive game and can stretch the floor with his shot, but he is NOT a 4 and has no business playing on the perimeter. He needs to be around the basket, where he can impact the game defensively and rebound.

[LloydFree]

Are you guys expecting Noel to actually play for you all again or do you think the team already has a trade for him which is why they let him do the surgery since they didn't want him being hurt because one of the players being moved for him can't be move do until dec?

Especially considering that Joel and Jah should be coming off of the minute restrictions around December.

Yes, I expect him to play for the team again. I think they let him show he's healthy and then they trade him to a contender before the trade deadline. They have to trade somebody and they aren't going to get anything for the other guys, so he's gone.