Are we on the verge of a mini-shakeup to the Eastern Conference terrain?
According to a report by Shams Charania of The Vertical on Thursday, the Hawks and the Sixers are discussing a deal centered around a Jeff Teague-for-Nerlens Noel swap. Charania does add, however, that no trade is imminent at the moment.
Atlanta and Philadelphia are discussing a deal centered on a Jeff Teague and Nerlens Noel package, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 2, 2016
The 27-year-old Teague (unrestricted) and the 22-year-old Noel (restricted) are both due to hit free agency in Summer 2017.
Noel’s name, along with that of Jahlil Okafor, has been mentioned in trade rumors recently with the Sixers apparently looking to unclutter a crowded frontcourt that could also include both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons next season. Philadelphia needs a decent floor general, but it’s doubtful that an acquisition of Teague would move the needle much for them, especially given the loaded talent pool of point guards in today’s league.
Meanwhile, Noel would make for an interesting fit in Atlanta, where there is some measure of uncertainty considering the fact that Al Horford will be a free agent this offseason. Noel is an elite one-on-one defender and is already one of the top rim protectors in the league so he would fit in nicely on a Hawks team that has long had to emphasize sound team defense over strong individual defense pieces.
This is a deal that seems to make a moderate amount of sense for both parties. We’ll see if Atlanta’s seeming desperation to leave the Teague era behind (both literally and figuratively) as well as that of Philadelphia to move past The Process really gets the ball rolling on these trade talks.
Image Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
