Tyler Trumbauer
Brett Brown’s pre-game media availability produced quite the stir ahead of the Sixers’ Sunday night tilt against the Brooklyn Nets as the head coach revealed that Nerlens Noel has essentially been benched.
Nerlens Noel is out of the rotation for the foreseeable future, according to Brett Brown
— Bob Cooney (@BobCooney76) December 18, 2016
Noel will still be in uniform and will see the floor, if only certain scenarios unfold.
Brown says team will go with Embiid and Okafor as starters and Noel not in rotation unless foul trouble or something else occurs
— Bob Cooney (@BobCooney76) December 18, 2016
This news is developing while Noel’s name has been swirling in trade rumors around the NBA and is freshly coming off his choice words after playing just eight minutes on Friday night. It is known that Noel wants out and he is priming himself for a trade and a new home as he relieved his agent of his duties.
Additionally, Adrian Wojnarowski reported that teams are not willing to offer a lot for the center, which only hurts his chances of being moved this season. Woj said:
Nerlens Noel in Philly, the research teams have done on him is not good. They don’t get good reports back on their intel, how he’s carried himself there, of his habits. It’s not a great return. So, there are teams willing to do deal and bring him in, but they don’t want to give up much.
It is not clear where this decision to take Noel out of the big man rotation is coming from, however, Brown said it came from team management.
Brown said handling of center rotation is something that’s been discussed at highest level of organization – ownership, Bryan Colangelo.
— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) December 18, 2016
This decision does not seem like it is a day-to-day one or one that will be short lived either. It does not have a clear end date either.
Brown, asked if this is the case for Noel next game, too: “I assume we’re gonna stick with this rotation for a while.”
— Christopher A. Vito (@ChrisVito) December 18, 2016
Despite the timing of this decision from management, Brown stated pre-game that it has nothing to do with those aforementioned comments from Noel last week.
#Sixers Brown: ‘This has nothing to do with (what Noel said Friday).’
— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) December 18, 2016
After word of this move spread, Noel initially declined comment pre-game, stating he would speak after Sunday night’s contest. However, he did take questions from reporters before tip and addressed the situation.
#Sixers Noel on being out of rotation pic.twitter.com/6kxDIdY0y9
— Tom Moore (@tmoore76ers) December 18, 2016
Noel also said, according to Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly, Noel said that he does not believe that being pulled out of the rotation has to do with his comments on Friday night.
Does this mean that a trade for Noel is imminent? It does not appear so as multiple Sixers beat reporters reiterated on social media. However, a trade is almost essential at this point for all parties involved.
Why do you guys work on the weekends??