The move comes as somewhat of a surprise, as most of the trade buzz had been around second-year center Jahlil Okafor, who had been behind Noel in the rotation. The first round pick that Philly acquired is protected pick, and will go back to Dallas if the Mavericks finish top 18 in the draft order.
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He didn’t play in Dallas: Anderson has not really had a chance to develop with the Mavericks.
Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo is getting shredded on Twitter by his fan base.
At just 22-years old, Noel is far from a finished product.
Wizards: None. Scott Brooks says he hopes Bojan Bogdanovic will be available to play.
But he did, and put himself in a position to do so. With Embiid and Noel rotating in the paint, the team finally had floor balance and a defensive mindset for the full 48 minutes.
Bogut did not hide his love for the San Francisco Bay area so likely would not mind returning to the Warriors where he helped the star-studded team win the 2014-15 National Basketball Association title. It was easy to envision Noel being the flawless backup to Embiid (a role he publicly stated he was happy to accept), or hell, even playing next to the 7-foot superstar. But the team’s progress without him is just a simple fact, played out over almost a season and two-thirds of basketball. The two had an embrace at practice after Noel was informed of the news.
The 2017 first-round pick?
Here are five things you need to know about Anderson.
Embiid’s been a revelation for the 76ers, looking every-bit the No. 1 pick he projected to be.
Anderson, who was drafted 21st overall in 2015, is averaging 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game this season.
But there’s a certain flaw in the logic behind moving Noel as it pertains to his potential new deal.
As for Anderson, he hasn’t been able to recapture the focus that turned heads last season and earned him playing time as the Mavs made their playoff push.
“If they can’t get a deal for Okafor done before the deadline, I’m told that it’s possible they’ll start – there are still teams still checking on Noel, re-engaging on him”. The Kings are a mess, and this deal doesn’t do much to make it any better.
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“We have a young core that we like”, Carlisle said earlier in the day before the Noel and Williams moves were officially announced. He hasn’t played a game yet this season, meaning insurance is covering his salary for the Atlanta Hawks.
