The Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers have been the subject of numerous NBA trade rumors, and it appears that they are now discussing a deal to redistribute some of their respective talent.
According to YIBADA , the Cavs are interested in trading power forward Kevin Love to the Sixers for center Nerlens Noel . It’s no secret that Cleveland has been trying to move Love for quite some time — he hasn’t blended well with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving during his time with the Cavaliers. Noel has also been on the trading block due to Philadelphia’s surplus of big men.
The Cavs have plenty of offensive firepower; what they really need is a defensive presence in the paint, and Nerlens Noel would fit that need very well. Noel is one of three quality centers on the 76ers’ roster, and the team has made it clear that they want to trade one of them to better balance their roster, per Hall of Fame Magazine .
On the other hand, the Sixers are a team that needs more top-flight players, in fact, the case could be made that they don’t currently have any elite talent (as their 10-72 record from last year would indicate). Kevin Love would give the 76ers a star-caliber player to build around, something they desperately need as they attempt to build from the ground up.
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In the NBA, fit can sometimes be much more important than talent or statistical production, and this scenario is a good example of that.
Kevin Love has proven that when he is featured in a team’s offense, he can put up big numbers. However, he is the third or fourth option in the Cavs’ pecking order, and he hasn’t been successful in that type of role.
Nerlens Noel doesn’t have Love’s offensive skill set, but he is a player who does not need the ball in his hands to be effective. Noel would be very valuable to Cleveland as a rim protector, rebounder, and floor-runner on the fast break. Noel would give the Cavaliers some things they currently lack, and things they can’t get from Kevin Love.
Kevin Love was the 5th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft out of UCLA. He was a solid contributor off Minnesota’s bench for two seasons and once he got an opportunity to play a bigger role, he flourished. Love has been elected to the NBA All-Star team three times, and has averaged over 26 points per game twice during his years in the NBA. He is also excellent on the glass, leading the NBA in rebounds per contest (15.2) in 2010-11. Love has had a lesser role since joining the Cavs, but still managed to average 16.0 points and 9.9 rebounds last season for the NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbLPHvyLmS8&feature=player_detailpage
Nerlens Noel was also a high draft choice, chosen No. 6 in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Noel missed the entire 2013-14 campaign due to injury, but has returned to provide the Sixers with rebounding, shot-blocking, and opportunistic scoring. Noel is coming off a season in which he posted per-game averages of 11.1 points and 8.1 rebounds. Noel will probably never be a primary scoring option in the NBA, but he offers skills that would compliment an otherwise-talented offensive lineup.
Kevin Love and the 76ers’ centers have been mentioned in NBA trade rumors for weeks. Do you think this might be the proposed deal that finally gets done?
[Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images]