Where is Nerlens?

wickedwrister · Post #21 » by **wickedwrister** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 6:51 pm

While we are at it, where is George Lynch?

Samson · Post #22 » by **Samson** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 11:14 pm

Where is Hodor??!

jbent87 · Post #23 » by **jbent87** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 3:53 pm

Zero Dark Nerlens continues. No tweets since 6/8/2016.

dkj5061 · Post #24 » by **dkj5061** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 4:00 pm

I know this was discussed on one of the recent RTRS podcasts. Both guys agreed (and seemed to know) that Nerlens has been a little upset recently about all of the trade rumors/etc. I hope it's nothing serious but he has to see that a bench role on this team is possibly in his future one way or another.

broseph13 · Post #25 » by **broseph13** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 5:08 pm

dkj5061 wrote:I know this was discussed on one of the recent RTRS podcasts. Both guys agreed (and seemed to know) that Nerlens has been a little upset recently about all of the trade rumors/etc. I hope it's nothing serious but he has to see that a bench role on this team is possibly in his future one way or another.

As it should be. As a team, you're not going far if NoHands Noel is your starting center.

dkj5061 · Post #26 » by **dkj5061** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 5:48 pm

broseph13 wrote:
dkj5061 wrote:I know this was discussed on one of the recent RTRS podcasts. Both guys agreed (and seemed to know) that Nerlens has been a little upset recently about all of the trade rumors/etc. I hope it's nothing serious but he has to see that a bench role on this team is possibly in his future one way or another.

As it should be. As a team, you're not going far if NoHands Noel is your starting center.

I really don't know if that's necessarily true, especially considering that the two finals teams this year started Tristan Thompson and Andrew Bogut as their centers, both guys of the same defense first mold as Nerlens. Looking even farther than that, the conference finals had breakout guys like Steven Adams and Bismack Biyombo who, again, resemble Nerlens more than anyone else on our team. I'm not saying Nerlens should be our starter, but it clearly isn't inhibiting the top teams in the league who are starting very similar players.

Unbreakable99 · Post #27 » by **Unbreakable99** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 5:57 pm

broseph13 wrote:
dkj5061 wrote:I know this was discussed on one of the recent RTRS podcasts. Both guys agreed (and seemed to know) that Nerlens has been a little upset recently about all of the trade rumors/etc. I hope it's nothing serious but he has to see that a bench role on this team is possibly in his future one way or another.

As it should be. As a team, you're not going far if NoHands Noel is your starting center.

Yeah he fumbles a lot of passes that are chest high but you most definitely can get far with Noel as your starting Center. Noel on Cleveland gives them a better chance to win than Okafor on Cleveland. Same with Golden St and same with OKC and same with Toronto and same with just about any good team with scoring guards and wings.

rzzzzz · Post #28 » by **rzzzzz** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 6:43 pm

Unbreakable99 wrote:Yeah he fumbles a lot of passes that are chest high but you most definitely can get far with Noel as your starting Center. Noel on Cleveland gives them a better chance to win than Okafor on Cleveland. Same with Golden St and same with OKC and same with Toronto and same with just about any good team with scoring guards and wings.

OKC centers are pretty sturdy. Really took it to GSW, but yeah, Noel would have been very handy for both of the finalists, and now Toronto and Chicago could surely use him.

ET Da Gawd · Post #29 » by **ET Da Gawd** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 6:56 pm

Noel can't play without being spoonfed, basically a smarter dalembert, not championship caliber. Okafor however adds a new dimension, nerlens knows at this point he's a backup here, nothing wrong with that, and esp if we wanna win a chip, we would need his depth off the bench to relieve Jah or Joel. Joel & Jah are players you can count on in a 7gm series when it slows down. GSW could of really used Okafor when Cleveland shut down all their fast teams and jump shots. You need to be able to go at your man 1 on 1. Last time we went to the finals we had the best 1on1 player in the league with poor talent around him. Jahlil is a top 5 1on1 player already, people know they can guard him 1on1 so as long as he learns to get a good feel for passing out of doubles, sky is the limit.

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Unbreakable99 · Post #30 » by **Unbreakable99** » Thu Jul 7, 2016 7:55 pm

ET Da Gawd wrote:Noel can't play without being spoonfed, basically a smarter dalembert, not championship caliber. Okafor however adds a new dimension, nerlens knows at this point he's a backup here, nothing wrong with that, and esp if we wanna win a chip, we would need his depth off the bench to relieve Jah or Joel. Joel & Jah are players you can count on in a 7gm series when it slows down. GSW could of really used Okafor when Cleveland shut down all their fast teams and jump shots. You need to be able to go at your man 1 on 1. Last time we went to the finals we had the best 1on1 player in the league with poor talent around him. Jahlil is a top 5 1on1 player already, people know they can guard him 1on1 so as long as he learns to get a good feel for passing out of doubles, sky is the limit.

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You do realize basketball is not just offense right? You keep talking about Noel needing to be spoonfed but DeAndre Jordan is exactly the same. He's just a better rebounder and doesn't fumble the ball as much and he has more mass at this point. Bogut doesn't have set plays for him either. Neither does Thompson. He gets a lot of garbage points off rebounds and easy passes he gets. Did you see how easy it was for LeBron to get to the rim when Bogut got hurt? What would Okafor do to deter LeBron from going to the rim? Nothing. LeBron would have a field day attacking the rim. Noel would be more valuable to a championship team than Okafor.

voodooguru · Post #31 » by **voodooguru** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 1:33 pm

NN4 is a shot blocker who, unlike most shot blockers, is such an instinctive defender that he makes steals on the perimeter. Nerlins has the potential to be an exceptional defender, who will probably shoot over 50% for his career.

I don't underestimate the value of having a player that not only makes slashers, cutters and drivers choose Plan B, but also stays in front of perimeter players on switches and PnR.

I'm not saying that Nerlins has the potential to be a Bill Russell, the game and the players have changed so he'll never have the same impact as Bill and his, what is it? Eleven rings?

I am saying that Nerlins is an intense defender who can save his team a lot of points against. Bill Russell was a career 44% shooter. Last year, without a backup-grade PG until deep into the season, NN4 shot 50%.

I see his defensive upside and adequate offence as equal to Real Deal Jahlil's magnificent, KAT-killin' and Zingus-zappin' O game, and hopefully improving D.

Arsenal · Post #32 » by **Arsenal** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 1:57 pm

I'm pleased that the new cap projection for next summer is now $102M. That means a max for Noel would start at around $24M. We need to sign him for an extension right now for around $20M/year. Something like 5 yrs $100M. If he will sign that, then he's a keeper. Otherwise he's a goner.

joyeuxnoel · Post #33 » by **joyeuxnoel** » Sun Jul 10, 2016 12:38 pm

Arsenal wrote:I'm pleased that the new cap projection for next summer is now $102M. That means a max for Noel would start at around $24M. We need to sign him for an extension right now for around $20M/year. Something like 5 yrs $100M. If he will sign that, then he's a keeper. Otherwise he's a goner.

no way he takes a discount and other teams will offer him the max

phillynative · Post #34 » by **phillynative** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:50 am

This is a valid question. We have got updates on all the young guys this summer except him..

kriss73 · Post #35 » by **kriss73** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 11:57 am

...cause the right question is: where is Noel going to be this fall?

jbent87 · Post #36 » by **jbent87** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 1:46 pm

Yep. Writings on the wall at this point. Just a matter of time now.

agiaco · Post #37 » by **agiaco** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 3:13 pm

Is it wiser now to invest in Jahlil/Embiid front court and have cheaper talented bigs like Wood and Holmes coming off the bench? Seems like NN is less of a fit now based on their play. If Christian Wood can put it together in the NBA, he's a great big off the bench.

broseph13 · Post #38 » by **broseph13** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:39 pm

Those wanting to trade Okafor in favor of Noel are insane.

Yea, trade a truly talented big who could turn into a 20/10 guy with a ridiculous offensive repertoire, acceptable defense, a solid 10-15 foot jumper, and 3 years left on rookie deal in favor of a guy who has zero offensive skills, terrible hands, couldn't even manage to 1 all-defensive team vote, who probably won't get much better than he already is, and who will want $20-25 million a yr next summer...

Okafor's skillset is very hard replace while Noel's (rim protection/hustle/dirty work) can be replaced much easier. Trade Noel and go find a much cheaper replacement somewhere else. Personally, I think a guy like Wood or Holmes could eventually be that replacement.

Unbreakable99 · Post #39 » by **Unbreakable99** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:52 pm

broseph13 wrote:Those wanting to trade Okafor in favor of Noel are insane.

Yea, trade a truly talented big who could turn into a 20/10 guy with a ridiculous offensive repertoire, acceptable defense, a solid 10-15 foot jumper, and 3 years left on rookie deal in favor of a guy who has zero offensive skills, terrible hands, couldn't even manage to 1 all-defensive team vote, who probably won't get much better than he already is, and who will want $20-25 million a yr next summer...

Okafor's skillset is very hard replace while Noel's (rim protection/hustle/dirty work) can be replaced much easier. Trade Noel and go find a much cheaper replacement somewhere else. Personally, I think a guy like Wood or Holmes could eventually be that replacement.

Embiid should be able to come close to Okafor's offensive production while also being a better defender. If Embiid can't stay healthy it's better to keep Noel as the backup plan.

Easymoney · Post #40 » by **Easymoney** » Wed Jul 13, 2016 6:37 pm

It getting kind of obvious now that Noel will not accept a backup role with us.