NBA Rumors: More To Nerlens Noel Scratch?
By Bret Stuter
No Room At The Inn
Nerlens Noel is a special player. Despite his role as an NBA Center, his athleticism betrays his role. You simply cannot emphasize his dominance defensively. As Dan Falcone wrote in May 2016, Noel is one of a few elite players in the NBA who can generate 100 steals assists and blocks in one season. The truly great thing about Nerlens Noel? He’s done it each of his two years in the NBA.
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Combine that with a player who shoots 49 percent from the floor, and averages 8.1 rebounds per game, and you can see why he deserves a starting role on an NBA team.
But to make room on the Philadelphia 76ers roster, who do you sit? Can you sit center Joel Embiid, whose 7-foot-2 stature towers over the competition and promises unmatchable production from the five spot? Can you sit Jahlil Okafor, whose offense in 2015-2016 was almost entirely self generated, and whose upside could hit 30 points per game in this roster this season?
To earn minutes on this team, you must optimize the playing minutes you get. The easiest way to do that is to come out and drop 30 points in one evening.
But that is not Nerlens Noel’s game, nor will it ever be. His is the subtle game that is often missed by the camera. His is the timely steal, the assist, the blocked shot. He keeps the game close to allow other players to showcase their scoring heroics.
And perhaps, like Atlas who shouldered the weight of the world upon his shoulders, he has fatigued at the burden.