Its not going to be a pretty year for NBA basketball in Philadelphia.
The 76ers have completely drained their roster of any and all talent in hopes of winning the NBA lottery next summer.
One of those moves was to trade away All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for top prospect Nerlens Noel as well as future draft picks.
The idea of seeing Noel play at some point this year was going to be one of the few attractive elements that the Sixers could have offered this season, but apparently we won’t be seeing Noel at any point this season.
Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown said on Monday that it’s very likely that Noel will miss the entire season.
As disappointing as it is to hear that Noel won’t suit up at all this year, its the right move by the organization. If they believe that Noel has a chance to be a player and be part of this team’s future, then shut him down, get him right, and get him ready. Don’t take any chances putting the man at risk by rushing him back and forcing him into risk on a lost season.
I also love the fact that the Sixers decided to come out and take any and all pressure off of Noel to return. A year after dealing with the Andrew Bynum fiasco, constantly dealing with questions about how close a return could be, the last thing that the organization wanted (or needed) to do was put the kid in a position with the media and fans getting on his case about getting on the floor.
Now Noel can just focus on getting himself back to 100%.
Its another example of how much the mindset of the organization has changed. They’re building this thing the right way, and every move to this point has been the correct decision, carefully thought out with the goal of constructing a legitimate contender in mind.
So in other words, get ready for another season of Spencer Hawes and Kwame Brown in the middle.
ROFLMMFAO! SMFH!!!!!
Good article Denny. Know surprise to any KNOWLEDGEABLE fan that’s been following the strategic moves being made since Hinkie arrived. Though I’m not a fan of tanking; it’s clear that is where we are. For better or worst, this kid is a key component of our future. A future that needs a Wiggins or one of the other top 4 players coming out next year. Play the scrubs. Showcase ET and Thad for trade bait.
Evan Turner was on the trading block all draft night long for a late first round pick and no takers – Evan argues with Refs argues with coaches. Evan is irascible and non pleasant toward coaching and direction
and he stinks as a player as well.
Celtics are worse than the Sixers so there is a win
Not if they get the higher pick, it isn’t.
This is exactly what they should do with this kid. Why risk it? It’s already a lost season and the kid has upside. Let him rest up and get 100%. He’s still growing and I see no reason for him to risk his future and the Sixers future for 2-3 wins this year.
Evan Turner blows and no one wants him. He can’t effin shoot. If they can get anything for him, then they should take it.
Good move with Noels. We are all anxious to see him play especially since it took the only player that the Sixers had to get him, but this season is going to be brutal. No need to rush him.
As much as it pains me, benching Noel and tanking are the right decisions.
The NBA needs to reexamine it’s salary cap policies and move more in the direction of the NFL. It’s nearly impossible to compete or improve in the NBA without taking drastic measures like the Sixers are forced to.
Best move this organization could have possibly made. Why risk a future All star on a wasted season? Allow him to come back healthy when we acquire TWO first round picks in the top 10 AGAIN and grab Andrew Wiggins. Good times are coming for us boys.
I know I’m going to get crap off this one, but this is the season ET breaks out. I know we’ve all been saying it for years now, but watch. You heard it here first.
Risk a Future All-Star… Noel needs to first prove that he can physically withstand a 80 Game Schedule in the NBA which I am not sure that he can.. A Future All-Star is a major stretch in my Opinion..
He’s a Solid Defender, a great hot Blocker, but he will never be an
All-Star due to his limitations on the Offensive end on the Floor ..
Hopefully he will develop a nice Touch and Jump Hook but to expect
20 + Pts and 12 + Rebounds a Game is not realitstic,
at least for his first 2-3 Seasons …
I agree. I think he will be a pretty good defender (he needs to bulk up), but I’m not expecting much from him on the offensive side. If a guy his size isn’t a good scorer by now, chances are he never will be. I’ll be happy if he’s a great shot-blocker and rebounder, a decent passer, and if he can set a pick
Future All-Star? Did you watch any NCAA Basketball games. He averaged 10 pts., 9 rebounds, 4 blocks a game! Are you f^#@ing on dope! He has zero offensive skills. He could be a good defensive player, COULD, that’s about it. Think Samuel Dalembert 2.0, Theo Ratliff 2.0. He was a wasted pick, that might not ever play! This organization better pray to the almighty, that this tanking strategy works, & they get 1-2, or they will NEVER have a contending team. If they don’t get Wiggins, or Parker, they are f^#@ed! I just wish they’d expunge the team, or they’d move so the NBA would give us an expansion team. This team is an embarrassment to the city!
Personally, I find the Flyers to be more embarrassing than the Sixers. The Sixers have tried a few things in the last few seasons that I’ll at least give them credit for trying (Bynum, new GM, trading Holliday). I feel like the Sixers are moving in the right direction. Even if they don’t get the top 2 picks, I feel like they’ll get a couple of players that will help them improve.
The Flyers are still running their team like it’s the Vietnam War era. Ed Snider says they have a culture of winning, but they really have a culture of bullying more than anything else.
Nah, E$$$, at the very least, the Flers spend $$$ & try to win every year, & actually make the playoffs, more than they don’t. The Sixers are an embarrassment, a cruel joke, & a black hole of an organization, & have been since the mid-late 80’s. By far the 4th team on the totem pole.
What is going to be more embarassing this season though? The Sixers who will be in last place on purpose or the Flyers who will be in last place after adding veteran players on the downside of the career and spending all of their cap money?
Good ???? Bugs. BWAHAHAHA!!!!
I agree with you 100% E. Change of ownership led to Hinke being the new GM. We need to have Paulman “retire” Snyder.
In retire, do you mean take him on a fishing trip? 8D
I am more than willing to take Ed S out.. All I need is a good Alibi,
a Case of Stella-Artois and a Beach Blonde for my return Trip
if you don’t take out Jay Snider too you only get a case of colt 45 and Matt Barkley for your beer and blonde half ass job and Jon Hart is your alibi
e0, LOL!!!!
Of course I meant fishing. I am sure it is pretty solid down in NC right Pman?
It’s almost the end of “Blue-Fish” Season off the Outer-Banks
EMoney – I blame Ed Snider and Comcast for ruining both the Sixers and Flyers. New Sixers owner Josh Harris pissed me off when he couldn’t be honest with the fans and just say he fired Doug Collins. He had to continue to insult our intelligence and pretend Doug voluntarily stepped down and will still be employed as a special consultant. Sixers are F…ing liars!
I’m thinking along the lines of a Roy Hibbert caliber player in Nerlens. This kid is only 19 years old for Christ sakes. He’s going to bulk up with more growing to do. Mentally and physically the kid is going to mature and will eventually blossom into a beast defender who can contribute 12-15 points a game and be among the league in shot blockers. The kid could play this season if the Sixers wanted him to, but the point is this season is a waste and we are playing for a high pick. So there is no point. When he comes back 110 percent him being able to play a full season will be a non issue.
Are you a crack head? Seriously! Roy Hibbert?
Hibbert- 7’2″- 275+ lbs. Physical defending center.
Noel- 6’10”- 220+ lbs. Finess defender.
Like I said, Dalembert 2.0, Theo Ratliff 2.0. Get your head out of your poop shoot, & stop overrating him.
I was going to say the same thing DCar (outside of the Crack usage)
You coult put 2 Nerlens Noel’s together and still not be as big or physical as 1 Roy Hibbert..
Paul, the mental retardation that runs rampant on this site, is unreal! Some of the senseless, useless, factless, baseless, imbecilic, $#!t, that comes out of some of the posters on here, is astounding! I lose brain molecules, just reading some of these nitwits!
You don’t have any brain cells to lose.
Yeah, & you do? I’ve forgotten more, than you can ever hope to attain son! Give it a rest, douche-bag, you ain’t worth my time, nor comments.
We should start a “MENSA” club for Sport IQ’s … Ha Ha
It would be a pretty small club around here…
Yeah, only Lawrrd, the tard, will be the only one.
CT – if you want to put a positive spin on Nerlens Noel prospects than Al Hortford might be a good comparison, maybe Chris Bosh.
Way off again..
THortford has some upper body strength to his game and Bosh always had some nice Offensive Skills even during his COllege Days at Georgia Tech
the Best Comparison is what DCar stated a fdew times, a Theo Ratliff, with better upside, but when you look at Noel’s game as a 19 Year Old, it’s about what he is, in 2-3 years time, he will fill out more, get stronger and hopefully develop an outside shot, jump hook or something that he can score with besides dunks nad put-backs..
Paulman – I think you are under selling his offensive game. He doesn’t have any post moves or outside shot but Noel is an above average ball handler. He might be better at driving to the basket than Thad Young. Although you are definitely correct he doesn’t have the strength of Al Hortford and never will. I was using Hortford’s height and dribble as a comparison.
I saw most of Noel’s a games as a Freshman last year when he was healthy while at Kentucky and saw a very limited Big man as far as Offensive Skills go..
He’s great at Blocking Shots, running the floor and finishing breaks but we all know that at the NBA level, those open and free opportuinities Rw few and far between.. I saw very few Post moves or a threat of of mid-range shot and believe me when I say I like this kids upside potential and desire, work ethic and attitude, but I am not expecting much from the Offensice end from him to about Year 3 , renember that he is only 1 year removed from High School and to expect or demand that he will be an impact on the offensive end if the floor is just not realistic or fair to him.. He will be a good NBA player, but very unlikely a
20pts/10 Rebounds a game type of Player until a few yarlers in
Like former Center Draft Pick Vucevic is now for Orlando and it took him a couple of Seasons and he had a lot polish on the Pffebsive end than Mowls has this stage of his game..
fair enough I’ll concede I only watched him 2 maybe 3 times and not the whole games -not a Calipari fan hence not a Kentucky fan ( the John Chaney Temple press conference fight with U Mass Calipari was the birth of my bitterness towards Calipari, as a fan it was funner to hate Calipari and support Chaney)
Like I said, Theo Ratliff, Samuel Dalembert. Same body, same game, not much offensive upside. Period…..
Noel = Keon Clark/ Maybe Kenyon Martin/ Prayerfully Marcus Camby
during World Series commercials I tuned into the Sixers TWolves preseason game and Evan Turner was shooting bowling balls. His shot had no rotation, no arch, and no chance of going in.
ET and Spencer Hawes have two expiring contracts. JH is hearing reports that they both are on the Trade Block. Sources say that rumor around the league is that the Sixers are looking to move them both by the deadline… I believe the Sixers will get draft picks for them..