Nerlens Noel is expected to be traded before or at the February deadline by the Philadelphia 76ers. One of the rumored teams looking to acquire Noel is the Boston Celtics. They have several first round picks which could come in handy in a possible deal.
Several reports indicate that Noel prefers getting traded rather than play for the Sixers. Philly is currently playing well with Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor. The two big man, as well as Dario Saric, will battle for minutes once Noel gets healthy.
Some of the teams that have been linked with the 22-year-old center are the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors. However, it seems like the Boston Celtics could possibly acquire Noel this season.
According to Mike Gorman of CBS Boston, Noel is a perfect fit for the Celtics. He believes that one of the Brooklyn draft picks should be traded to the Sixers. Boston's primary need is a defensive stopper in the middle to allow Al Horford to slide into the power forward position.
"I like Nerlens. He's a nice kid with New England ties. The strength of his game is what Boston could use right now: A rim protector and a shot blocker," Gorman said.
"I would give up one of those Brooklyn picks for him. I wouldn't package anyone on the Celtics roster with one of those picks to get him. But that pick we can swap, I would do that," he added.
The problem for the Celtics is Noel being a risky acquisition. He is coming off knee surgery and it is not the only injury in his resume. He might not be able to play until the next year since he is only starting to get back on the court, per CSN Philly.
The Celtics are looking for ways to improve their team and establish themselves as Eastern Conference contenders. On the other hand, the Sixers are just trying to unclog their glut of big men and hope that Joel Embiid stays healthy.
