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NBA Trade Rumors: Nerlens Noel To Cavs, Kenneth Faried To Sixers, Kevin Love To Nuggets In Blockbuster Three-Way Deal

By Adrian Lawhorn
Published on: 14:26 PST, Aug 30, 2016

Three names have been included in NBA trade rumors for weeks: Cleveland’s Kevin Love, Nerlens Noel of the 76ers, and the Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried. The most recent NBA trade rumors indicate that all three players may be involved in an upcoming blockbuster deal between their respective teams.

Yibada reports that the proposed three-team trade would have the Cleveland Cavaliers sending Kevin Love to the Nuggets, Nerlens Noel would move from Philadelphia to the Cavs, and Kenneth Faried would leave Denver to play for the Sixers. If this rumored swap becomes a reality, it would be a major transaction for all three teams as the Cavaliers look to remain on top, the 76ers try to exit the cellar, and the Nuggets attempt to rise from mediocrity.

Cleveland just won the NBA Championship, but Kevin Love has never been a great fit with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. The team would like to add a center, and preferably one that is strong defensively and doesn’t need the ball to be effective on the offensive end of the floor.

Nerlens Noel fits that description perfectly, but the question here is whether he is good enough (or has a high enough ceiling) to justify dealing Kevin Love to obtain him. Overall, Love is a better and more productive player than Noel at this time, but Noel is probably a better fit with the Cavs’ starting five as they try to keep pace with the Golden State Warriors in 2016-17.

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The Philadelphia 76ers are at the opposite end of the spectrum, coming off a 10-72 record last season. The team has a very incomplete roster with three young and talented big men — and little else. This deal would allow the Sixers to improve at power forward by acquiring Kenneth Faried, as well as break up the bottleneck the club has at the center position. A frontcourt rotation consisting of Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Faried would be a step in the right direction for the rebuilding 76ers.

Kevin Love would join the Denver Nuggets in this trade scenario, taking over the power forward spot vacated by Faried. Denver is not an extremely talented team and as a result, Love would be a primary offensive option for the Nuggets. Dealing Kenneth Faried in a three-team trade that nets Kevin Love would be an upgrade for the Nuggets.

The rumored deal would also subtract Faried from Denver’s roster, which according to ESPN Radio is something the team wants to do not only because of his bloated contract, but because he has become a problem in the locker room and worn out his welcome in Denver.

This NBA trade rumor seems to make sense for all three teams involved, which certainly is not the case for a good number of these deals that circulate in the offseason rumor mill.

The Cavs would become stronger defensively and the trade would allow LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to run the show without having to find ways to get the ball to Kevin Love. Philadelphia would improve their roster balance and their team as a whole, and the Nuggets would have more offensive talent in their lineup and likely be in position to challenge for a 2016-17 playoff position in the Western Conference.

Current NBA trade rumors are stating that a blockbuster three-team deal could be in the works between the Cavaliers, Sixers, and Nuggets. The trade proposal being discussed appears to benefit everyone involved; given that assertion, do you think Kevin Love, Nerlens Noel, and Kenneth Faried will be dealt for each other before training camps begin in a few weeks?

[Photo by Mark Duncan/AP Images]

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