sixers238 wrote:I've been pro Noel this whole time but I think it's best to part ways with him. It's unfortunate the way things have turned out with him bc looking back at the 2013 draft he was the best prospect and a steal at 6. I still think he can become something in this league but I don't know if it's with us. He wants to get paid now, and there hasn't been a peep about a contract extension. In fairness to Noel, he does deserve a starting gig with a real PG next to someone not named Jahlil Okafor. Even with Ish Smith, who we know is a below average starter, he thrived. The guy has been so deprived of any talent around him that he spoke of the necessity to re-sign ish smith. Poor guy knows nothing better. All that being said, it's going to be easier to trade him because teams are more certain of what they're going to get with him.
Okafor seems impossible to trade right now because his exact value is unknown. He can turn into a player at the level of anyone from Eddy Curry to Al Jefferson to Demarcus Cousins. The jury is still out whether you look at raw stats, advanced stats, or the plain old eye test.
I wish there were still hope to acquire CJM from POR but that ship seems to have sailed (if it ever even existed). As others have said, the only options that make any sense now are PHX/BOS and maybe a contender like GS/CLE but they can't realistically afford to keep him next summer.
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I agree with the poster who said ship Noel to the West. Re CJM, the reality is that signing him for $26.5 mil/year, one of the richest contracts in league (to date) history based on ONE good year, was extremely risky. On the other hand, he played four years in college. So you pretty much know what you get. And while his upside may be lower than some drafted ahead of him, he has less of a downside. For guards in particular, I believe you can get good quality if you're willing to go for three/four-year players - Kris Dunn, Buddy Held, others.
Re potential destinations, I'm sorry to sound like a broken record, but I still don't see what Boston has to offer since the Brooklyn picks - rightfully - are off the table. The ship sailed when they picked Brown rather than Dunn, who apparently BC coveted.
The Celtics aren't going to trade Crowder. Jaylen Brown, if he proves he can play, will be the next Andre Iguodala-type player. That's his upside - highlight film dunks, beast on defense, shoots bricks. Smart looks like the next Tony Allen. And Avery Johnson, until he signs his next contract, is a rental player. They've got nothing else of interest.
