Sixers Rumored to Have Interest in a Reunion With Pistons Center

The Detroit Pistons can be considered sellers ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline. With a 14-40 record, the Pistons currently sit last in the Eastern Conference. While they are struggling, they still have talented options that could be reliable trade options for a contending team such as the Philadelphia 76ers.

According to The Athletic’s James Edwards, Detroit center Nerlens Noel is on the Sixers’ radar. In his latest report, Edwards mentioned Philly as one of the teams making calls inquiring about Noel.

However, the Sixers aren’t alone in the market for Noel. In addition to Philly, Edwards mentions the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, and the Boston Celtics as other interested suitors for the center’s services.

This year, Noel’s played in only 13 games for Detroit. In the games he played, Noel averaged 11 minutes on the floor. The last time he took the court was on January 23, when he checked in for six minutes in a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

While Noel is having a down season in Detroit, it shouldn’t reflect the value he could add to a contending team. Therefore, the Sixers’ interest in the veteran isn’t surprising.

Noel might not have the same ceiling as the sixth-overall pick the Sixers snagged in the 2013 NBA Draft, but he could be what the team needs at this time. With the Sixers struggling to find a steady backup in Montrezl Harrell and Paul Reed, Noel could give them a different look and potentially offer more reliability in the minutes behind Embiid.

It wouldn’t be an easy path to land Noel, who has a crowded market at this time, but it seems the Sixers will keep tabs on him and other potential backup bigs as the trade deadline approaches.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.