Len or Noel?
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Len or Noel?
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Len or Noel?
Just curious to see what people think. Assume you can get either of them for the same amount - $18 mil per over 4 years. Assume further that Noel can be got without giving anything up in trade. Which do you prefer?
Re: Len or Noel?
- kennydorglas
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Re: Len or Noel?
I think it's closer now, but I'd still go for Noel.
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Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
Noel's Knees scare me
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
Noel. I think that his ceiling is higher like a defensive presence.
Re: Len or Noel?
- Qwigglez
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Re: Len or Noel?
Len. At 7'1 he's always the tallest guy on the court. I'm not sure the advanced stats but I think he's shooting less mid-range jumpers this year and because of that his FG% is hovering around 50% once again. I think he'll eventually get the mid-range jumper in a couple years where Noel can't play further than 4 feet away from the basket. Noel has attitude problems that scare me as well.
Len is only playing 22mins a game and I think if he played 33mins a game we'd see him average 12.5/10/2. He's progressed slowly but it's progress nonetheless.
Len is only playing 22mins a game and I think if he played 33mins a game we'd see him average 12.5/10/2. He's progressed slowly but it's progress nonetheless.
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
Len. And it's because of upside and health just like it has always been. Len is not as bad as many think. He's shown to be very good at rebounding and protecting the rim when that is his focus. If those are all he is asked to do, he can potentially be elite at both. There is still the skillset to eventually be an offensive plus, but even if that never comes I would rather have Len, who has the size to battle the remaining big centers and isn't at risk to blow out his knees with every passing year.
Re: Len or Noel?
- MrMiyagi
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Re: Len or Noel?
Neither. The amount of money each is going to make is going to be ridiculous. But if those were my only two options, I pick Len for health.
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Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and 4 1st round picks and a swap so some Vegas Bookies would like us.
Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and 4 1st round picks and a swap so some Vegas Bookies would like us.
Re: Len or Noel?
- LukasBMW
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Re: Len or Noel?
We might end up with both if we trade Knight for Noel and then Chandler for a pick. 


Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
MrMiyagi wrote:Neither. The amount of money each is going to make is going to be ridiculous. But if those were my only two options, I pick Len for health.
If Noel can work with Len, he can work with Embiid. If he can work with Embiid, Philly should pay him and play him.
And then my poll question would have to be changed - Len or Okafor? In that case, btw, my vote would remain unchanged.
And then my next poll would be,
$16m?
$17m?
$18m?
$19m?
$20m?
$21m?
$22m?
Match a max?
As important a question might be, 4 years or 5 years? My bet is that we re-sign him at around
Spoiler:
Prepare for it mentally, friends.
Re: Len or Noel?
- DusterBuster
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Re: Len or Noel?
As an impartial fan, I'd take Len over Noel without much question.
Health and attitude alone tip the scales for me.
Health and attitude alone tip the scales for me.
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Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
This team needs a defensive presence. Len is a horrible defender and rebounder. Both players have had injury issues but I think Len has the edge right now.
Re: Len or Noel?
- Sunsss
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Re: Len or Noel?
GoranTragic wrote:Len is a horrible defender and rebounder.
Thanks for the laugh.
Re: Len or Noel?
- bwgood77
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Re: Len or Noel?
Sunsss wrote:GoranTragic wrote:Len is a horrible defender and rebounder.
Thanks for the laugh.
Top Rim Protectors This Year - Blocks / 36 Min vs. FG% for Shots Defended at Rim

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"First, they fascinate the fools. Then, they muzzle the intelligent."
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
bwgood77 wrote:Sunsss wrote:GoranTragic wrote:Len is a horrible defender and rebounder.
Thanks for the laugh.
Top Rim Protectors This Year - Blocks / 36 Min vs. FG% for Shots Defended at Rim
Shots defended at the rim by the above players or their shooting percentage at the rim on the offensive end?
Re: Len or Noel?
- batsmasher
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Re: Len or Noel?
Nerlens' defensive upside is way higher. He probably has more of a chance of being an impact player.
But Alex has a very high floor and I'm sure plenty of teams would be prepared to pay him the money he wants this summer. Don't think I can say the same for Noel.
So... uhh. It's hard. I'd probably take Nerlens. He is a very good athlete and has shown he can be special defensively. Alex has shown he can be serviceable across the board and will probably develop a 3 ball. Alex is definitely closer to being a good two way player.
Nerlens because I can see him being an impact player. But wake me up tomorrow and I might think differently. It's close.
edit: this sort of stuff you know will never be an issue with Len. He's a massive dork and that's a good thing if you want to be a successful basketball player.
But Alex has a very high floor and I'm sure plenty of teams would be prepared to pay him the money he wants this summer. Don't think I can say the same for Noel.
So... uhh. It's hard. I'd probably take Nerlens. He is a very good athlete and has shown he can be special defensively. Alex has shown he can be serviceable across the board and will probably develop a 3 ball. Alex is definitely closer to being a good two way player.
Nerlens because I can see him being an impact player. But wake me up tomorrow and I might think differently. It's close.
edit: this sort of stuff you know will never be an issue with Len. He's a massive dork and that's a good thing if you want to be a successful basketball player.

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Re: Len or Noel?
- bwgood77
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Re: Len or Noel?
GoranTragic wrote:bwgood77 wrote:Sunsss wrote:Thanks for the laugh.
Top Rim Protectors This Year - Blocks / 36 Min vs. FG% for Shots Defended at Rim
Shots defended at the rim by the above players or their shooting percentage at the rim on the offensive end?
We don't need inside scorers, because we have enough scorers. We need rebounding and shot blocking.
When asked how Fascism starts, Bertrand Russell once said:
"First, they fascinate the fools. Then, they muzzle the intelligent."
"First, they fascinate the fools. Then, they muzzle the intelligent."
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
GoranTragic wrote:bwgood77 wrote:Sunsss wrote:Thanks for the laugh.
Top Rim Protectors This Year - Blocks / 36 Min vs. FG% for Shots Defended at Rim
Shots defended at the rim by the above players or their shooting percentage at the rim on the offensive end?
Shots at the rim defended by them. So this is basically rim protection in one graph, as the title suggests. Seems like Len is a good one.
Plus he is so much better offensively than Noel that it's not even funny. Add the injuries, the attitude, and this is getting to be a no contest - as the voting indicates.
# waiting for the next chapter
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
Wrt Len's offense - it's clear he's getting better. He still has lots of adjustments to make - that elbow that he uses to clear space for the hook won't work against smaller players, as George Hill has demonstrated for all of us. But he's now hitting that short turn and fade with consistent effectiveness. And frankly, as hard as it is to watch our guards dive at the basket every play, when Len's playing with the backups, he's sometimes the best option on offense right now. He's not savvy at this point, but it's also pretty clear that he's working on his game and committed to growth. I don't expect him to peak for a few more years, actually.
Re: Len or Noel?
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Re: Len or Noel?
Bogyo wrote:GoranTragic wrote:bwgood77 wrote:
Top Rim Protectors This Year - Blocks / 36 Min vs. FG% for Shots Defended at Rim
Shots defended at the rim by the above players or their shooting percentage at the rim on the offensive end?
Shots at the rim defended by them. So this is basically rim protection in one graph, as the title suggests. Seems like Len is a good one.
Plus he is so much better offensively than Noel that it's not even funny. Add the injuries, the attitude, and this is getting to be a no contest - as the voting indicates.
Aren't Lopez and Hibbert a better option according to that graph?
Re: Len or Noel?
- lilfishi22
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Re: Len or Noel?
I like what I've seen from Len as this season has progressed. His defense has improved, he's simplified his offense and he's always been a hard worker with a great attitude. He won't ever be the offensive/defensive beast we expected him to be when we drafted him but I think he can still be a walking double double while playing great D.
Noel has the better chance of becoming elite on defense and it's without a doubt a valuable commodity. But his knees are an issue, as is his attitude. Sometimes you need that abrasive attitude to take your game to the next level and he's worth taking a chance on if we lose Len.
But to me, Len is the guy we drafted, we invested a ton of money and time into developing him and I'd rather keep our guy than take a chance on a guy with knee and attitude issues.
Noel has the better chance of becoming elite on defense and it's without a doubt a valuable commodity. But his knees are an issue, as is his attitude. Sometimes you need that abrasive attitude to take your game to the next level and he's worth taking a chance on if we lose Len.
But to me, Len is the guy we drafted, we invested a ton of money and time into developing him and I'd rather keep our guy than take a chance on a guy with knee and attitude issues.