Boston Celtics: Pass or pursue on 7 marquee free agents
By Mark Nilon
Potential Boston Celtics free-agent target No. 4) Nerlens Noel
Similar to Willie Cauley-Stein, Nerlens Noel came into the league as a highly-touted big man prospect with comparisons to some of the NBA’s best centers — one of the most notable comparisons was to that of Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.
Since being selected sixth overall, we’ve seen the big suit up for 3 different franchises where, just like Cauley-Stein, he has found solid individual success.
Most recently we saw Noel logging minutes with the overachieving Oklahoma City Thunder, where he posted per-36 averages of 14.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 2.9 blocks per game on 68 percent shooting from the floor.
A defensive-oriented center with a ridiculous amount of athleticism, the 26-year-old would be a sound addition for numerous contending teams looking to add depth to their pivot spot. Unfortunately, however, the Boston Celtics do not fall under this specific category.
Again, like Cauley-Stein — many parallels between the two players –, Nerlens Noel lacks the skill set the Boston could seriously use upfront, such as floor spacing.
Sure, his defensive prowess would be a nice addition but, frankly, Danny Ainge could just as easily utilize one of his 3 first-round picks to bring on a player of the same position in this year’s draft that possesses the skills in which they desire — we’re obviously thinking of Jalen Smith with that last statement.
We wish Noel luck during the rest of his NBA career but, this offseason, we hope the signs elsewhere.