Sixers interested in acquiring Nerlens Noel from Pistons

NEW YORK – Could Nerlens Noel reunite with the 76ers?

The Sixers have contacted the Detroit Pistons to inquire about obtaining Noel in a trade, according to The Athletic.

However, the Sixers aren’t the only team interested in the 6-foot-10 shot blocker as Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline approaches. The Boston Celtics, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets also have expressed interest.

A source said the Pistons would be open to buying out Noel’s contract if he goes untraded. That route could be another option for the Sixers. But a source said Noel’s hometown Celtics are looking at him as a player to add for certain matchups in the postseason.

» READ MORE: For the Sixers, NBA trade deadline could be more about shedding salary than adding talent

So there’s no guarantee that Noel will be available past the trade deadline.

He has remained close friends with Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid since his time with the team. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has also been a fan of Noel’s playing style for some time, according to sources. And Noel would provide the solid rim protection off the bench the Sixers are missing.

Noel is more of a true center than Sixers reserves Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell. Both are undersized and more in the center/power forward model. Noel is not as decorated as former Sixers Andre Drummond or Dwight Howard, but he’s more similar to them than Reed (6-9) or Harrell (6-7), at least in stature. And teams are scoring at ease around the rim when Harrell plays.

Noel is averaging career lows of 2.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 11.4 minutes in 13 appearances (three starts) for the rebuilding Pistons (14-40). The 28-year-old last played against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 23.

The Sixers originally acquired Noel and a first-round pick in a trade on the night of the 2013 draft from the New Orleans Pelicans for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. Noel sat out what would have been his rookie season in 2013-14 to rehabilitate a torn left anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in his lone season at Kentucky.

The Sixers shipped Noel to the Mavericks on Feb. 23, 2017, in exchange for Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut, and two second-round picks. Noel spent the rest of the season and the following one with the Mavs before playing with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns.

Noel had five points, five bounds, and three blocks in a 147-116 loss to the Sixers on Jan. 10 at the Wells Fargo Center. It was the ninth-year veteran’s first start as a Piston because of injuries to both Detroit big men, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.

» READ MORE: Pistons’ Nerlens Noel says he takes pride in helping Sixers’ Joel Embiid develop into a future Hall of Famer

“It was good; that’s my guy,” Embiid said of playing against Noel. “Obviously, a lot of good years with him; it’s good playing against him. He [blocked] me a few times with him reaching. So I was kind of [ticked] about it because that’s all he does defensively.”

But Embiid was happy to see his friend get minutes. “I think he still deserves to get a lot of minutes nightly,” Embiid said. “That’s my guy.”

It appears the Sixers would like for the same thing to happen ... in their uniform.

Sources felt there was a real chance Noel could have reunited with the Sixers as a free agent in November 2020. However, the team signed Howard, a future Hall of Famer, to back up Embiid. Noel, in turn, signed with the New York Knicks.

Before Sunday’s game against the Knicks, Sixers coach Doc Rivers was asked his impressions of the Brooklyn Nets agreeing to trade Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks earlier in the day. Irving will form an All-Star backcourt pairing with point guard Luka Dončić.

“I don’t really know, honestly,” Rivers said.

The coach said he was informed of the news while boarding the team bus on the way to the arena.

“I said, ‘Wow, that’s interesting,’ ” Rivers said. “But, obviously Kyrie is an amazing basketball player and you are putting him with another amazing basketball player. And so we’ll see how that works, and see if it’s good for the Nets.”

In addition to Irving, the Nets are sending North Philly native Markieff Morris to Dallas. In exchange, Brooklyn will get Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finny-Smith, a 2029 first-round draft pick, and 2027 and 2029 second-rounders.