Noel to the Spurs:
Spurs get: Nerlens Noel
Sixers get: Dejounte Murray, 2018 Lottery Protected First Round pick
Why it happens: The Spurs are in desperate need of fortifying their strangely mediocre defense. Like Portland, San Antonio has been uncharacteristically bad at defending pick and rolls this year. Synergy ranks them 25th in points per possession against from ball handlers and 23rd from big men in the pick and roll. Try not to fall out of your seat when you see this one:
Just peep at these On/Off numbers for Kawhi and start scratching your head pic.twitter.com/ayzisDZFPf
— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) December 12, 2016
Turns out that teams are willing to take Kawhi Leonard’s matchup out of the play to 20-25 feet away from the basket and let the rest of their team play four on four with the Spurs’ defenders. The Spurs are in desperate need of another defender to shy teams away from that four-on-four game. Noel would provide an ideal detour away from the rim and back towards Kawhi Leonard territory. The Spurs also have Pau Gasol’s contract likely coming off the books after this year, so they could afford to hold onto Noel long-term.
From the Sixers’ perspective, they get an athletic, raw guard in Murray and another shot at a first round pick. This might seem like a small haul for the Sixers. But such is life when your General Manager publicly denounces the logjam and the players curse out the front office.