Philadelphia 76ers Nerlens Noel Must Earn Top NBA Center Contract

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Sep 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dribbles the ball during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Keys to the future

The key to his future rests in how he responds to the distractions of an NBA player’s day-to-day routine. You know, like the team showcasing the other two centers at the same time with surprisingly effective results?

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Or by tuning out the endless stream of NBA rumors that tie him to the Portland Trailblazers, or the Chicago Bulls, or even the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s clear that virtually every NBA team has or will pick up the phone and window shop for the Philadelphia 76ers center.

But window shopping leads to wish lists. Nerlens Noel cannot allow himself to lose focus at this critical intersection. All he can do is elevate his game. Do that, and the rest will take care of itself.

To which level? The bar for elite defensive NBA centers hovers around a Roy Hibbert and Dwight Howard level. Hibbert’s play is sunsetting, but in his prime, he was a solid center for the Indiana Pacers. He scored 12+ points, rebounds 8+, assists 2 and blocked 2+ per game at his apex. He was earning $14 Million a year in a tighter salary cap market. Noel must do at least these numbers this season to be on track.

Howard’s play is even more impressive. Averaging 17.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1.1 assists and 2.1 blocks per game over 13 NBA seasons. While Noel does not score at those levels, he has proven himself capable of those defensive statistics.