We have our first big move of NBA trade deadline day.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ rebuild continued as Philly agreed to trade former top-10 pick Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports. The full return is unclear, but multiple reports indicate Dallas will send Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut and a first-round pick to the Sixers as part of the deal.
Philadelphia is sending Nerlens Noel to Dallas for Justin Anderson and a first-round draft pick, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 23, 2017
The first-round pick on its way to Philly is a 2017 selection and it’s protected for slots 1 through 18, ESPN’s Marc Stein reported.
The New Orleans Pelicans took Noel with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but they shipped his draft rights to the Sixers on draft night. Noel missed the entire 2013-14 season while recovering from knee surgery before making his debut a year later.
The 6-foot-11 big man has been a fine player through his first two-plus seasons, but his playing time has dropped off in a big way. After starting a combined 133 games over two seasons, Noel has come off the bench in all but seven contests this season, averaging 8.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
One thing to watch will be what the 76ers do with Bogut. The veteran big man is in the final year of his contract, making a buyout a viable option. Of course, Philly also could trade him before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline.
Thumbnail photo via Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Images
