Should Philadelphia 76ers Flip Noel With Okafor?
By Bret Stuter
Dec 1, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward
(4) and center
(8) celebrate a score against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers won 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Should Philadelphia 76ers Flip Noel With Okafor?
The moment Jahlil Okafor was drafted, and the rumors of trading him were squelched, the reality hit that Jahlil Okafor would play as the starting center of the Philadelphia 76ers. He was Duke’s center, is big and has an excellent post game, and he has the physicality to rock and roll under the basket.
Nerlens Noel WAS the Sixers center, but with the concept of a returning Joel Embiid, and then with the news of drafting Okafor, was professional enough to train at the four position, attempt to develop a mid range shot, and be a team player. The goal was to have Okafor and Noel pair up into a dominating presence in the post. So far, that pairing has not yet gained any traction. When they play together, Noel cannot use his defensive skills at the post, and Okafor continues to set up in the post. Noel hasn’t gotten that perimeter shot down, in fact, he doesn’t shoot from beyond the arc. Nada.
Now please don’t misread me. Three pointers are NOT a bread and butter shot for the power forward, and likely never will be. Their role is to help defend the basket, and on the offensive boards to space sufficiently to allow lanes of penetration, or a pass turn and pop from mid-range. The double-edged sword effect, however, is losing Noel’s uncanny shot blocking ability if he moves to the four spot. How to fix that? Innovative thinking. And innovation means doing what others would not do.
Next: Bright Brown