NBA Trade Rumors: Nerlens Noel To Trailblazers Raptors Cavaliers

NBA Rumor One: Nerlens Noel to Toronto Raptors

This one recently surfaced from a report from Matt Couden of Inquisitr.com.  In this scenario, the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to deal Noel to Bryan Colangelo’s old stomping ground, the Toronto Raptors.

Arthur Hill of Hoops Rumors is on board with this scenario.  In a recent mailbag storyline, he was asked about the Raptors need at power forward. He responded:

"Greg Monroe in Milwaukee is an obvious target. Another is the Sixers’ Nerlens Noel. A longer shot might be Zach Randolph, who has already been demoted to a reserve role in Memphis and is headed toward free agency. Any of them would make the Raptors a bigger threat to Cleveland in the East.”"

While that is a far cry from active negotiations, it’s likely that the teams have talked and will continue to discuss the probability of making the trade.  In the past, the Raptors were rumored to have been very close to this trade by offering Terrence Ross.   Since Ross would likely be considered less than fair market value, the Raptors could spice up the deal with a trade including both Terrance Ross and one of two first round picks: their own, or that of the Los Angeles Clippers (1-14 protected).

With a deeper draft next year, the Philadelphia 76ers would look long and hard at this scenario. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors would get a very versatile rim-protector who could start either at center or power forward for the team, is athletic enough to play in post season, and is young enough to remain a factor of the team for years to come.