So.. what is Nerlens Noel's market going to be like next year?

[konkmv]

You got Horford baynes Morris Monroe theis and with the return of Hayward Tatum will get minutes at the pf position...
Where will he play?

[HomerSapien]

I'd consider signing him on a 1-year minimum, or maybe on a 2 or 3-year deal with non-guaranteed out years for part of the MLE at a little more, but I don't think he's worth much more than that.

Centers are going to have a really hard time finding money in free agency this season.  Between the lack cap space across the league, the number of teams already with tons of money/bad money tied up in Center contracts, and the large number of quality big men coming into the league in the 2018 draft I think some of the lesser free agents are going to get squeezed big time.

Brook Lopez, Baynes, Noel, Okafor, Alex Len, and Greg Monroe are all going to be UFA's looking for a piece of the same small pile of money this summer.  And that's before teams start cutting non-guaranteed guys, team/player options don't get exercised, etc.  Buyers market this year.

[Big333223]

Slim. He began the season getting minutes for Dallas and was starting some games and then totally fell out of the rotation for a bad team. His season has been a bit of a disaster.

[SHAQATTACK]

dumpster

[celticsclay]

I'd consider signing him on a 1-year minimum, or maybe on a 2 or 3-year deal with non-guaranteed out years for part of the MLE at a little more, but I don't think he's worth much more than that.

Centers are going to have a really hard time finding money in free agency this season.  Between the lack cap space across the league, the number of teams already with tons of money/bad money tied up in Center contracts, and the large number of quality big men coming into the league in the 2018 draft I think some of the lesser free agents are going to get squeezed big time.

Brook Lopez, Baynes, Noel, Okafor, Alex Len, and Greg Monroe are all going to be UFA's looking for a piece of the same small pile of money this summer.  And that's before teams start cutting non-guaranteed guys, team/player options don't get exercised, etc.  Buyers market this year.

I think there is a reasonable chance Okafor has to go overseas or the g league. I remember when I used to be on an island on this board saying he was terrible. Got a few more people on the island now.

[vjcsmoke]

The Mavericks are very lucky Noel didn't accept that 4/70 offer, and Noel is an absolute idiot for turning that down.  Hopefully at least he has fired his agent for advising him into that bad decision.

Noel has limited offensive value, especially in the modern NBA, where even bigs are expected to provide some floor spacing when needed.  I don't mind him as a backup big on the Celtics for the MLE.  But... if we are up against the luxury tax, I'm not sure he is a Stevens type of player.

[Moranis]

I'd consider signing him on a 1-year minimum, or maybe on a 2 or 3-year deal with non-guaranteed out years for part of the MLE at a little more, but I don't think he's worth much more than that.

Centers are going to have a really hard time finding money in free agency this season.  Between the lack cap space across the league, the number of teams already with tons of money/bad money tied up in Center contracts, and the large number of quality big men coming into the league in the 2018 draft I think some of the lesser free agents are going to get squeezed big time.

Brook Lopez, Baynes, Noel, Okafor, Alex Len, and Greg Monroe are all going to be UFA's looking for a piece of the same small pile of money this summer.  And that's before teams start cutting non-guaranteed guys, team/player options don't get exercised, etc.  Buyers market this year.

I think there is a reasonable chance Okafor has to go overseas or the g league. I remember when I used to be on an island on this board saying he was terrible. Got a few more people on the island now.

Okafor hasn't been that bad as a bench player in Brooklyn, and still occasionally flashes the talent he has with some very strong games

[CFAN38]

The Market for big men is going to be really interesting to watch play out this off-season. Their positional value is at an all time low and very few teams are going to have real cap room this off-season.

The free agents centers this off-season are the follwing. I put in bold the players most likely to get more then MLE.

Cousins
Jordan (player option likely to decline)
Capela RFA
Kanter (player option)
B Lopez
Nurkic RFA
Favors
Monroe
Dedmon (player option will decline)
Baynes
Lenn
Noel
Pachulia
McGee
Willie Reed
B Wright
Speights
A Johnson
Okafor
E Davis
K Koufas
J Lauvergne (player option)
Nogueira (RFA)
J Smith

This is going to be a really good market for the celtics to fill their biggest off-season roster void. With some roster gymnastics the Cs should be able to retain Smart (I suspect for around the MLE or a little more) and still have almost the full MLE to get a big man. I suspect they will show interested in retaining Baynes or Monroe and if they look outside of those two Favors and Dedmon would both be great options if they are available at that price point. The real benefit is going to be the Cs ability to pick over the left overs in the later summer and find a backup center. Players like Koufas, B Wright, E Davis or our old friend A Johnson may have to settle for vet min or BLE deals and would then look to winning teams lacking center depth.

As for Noel he may be best off looking to go to a rebuilding roster like ATL (if they dont draft a big) on a short deal. This will give him a chance to salvage his career. 


 

[No Nickname]

Cousins and Jordan are going to be two fascinating stories this offseason.

[Surferdad]

The Market for big men is going to be really interesting to watch play out this off-season. Their positional value is at an all time low and very few teams are going to have real cap room this off-season.

The free agents centers this off-season are the follwing. I put in bold the players most likely to get more then MLE.

Cousins
Jordan (player option likely to decline)
Capela RFA
Kanter (player option)
B Lopez
Nurkic RFA
Favors
Monroe
Dedmon (player option will decline)
Baynes
Lenn
Noel
Pachulia
McGee
Willie Reed
B Wright
Speights
A Johnson
Okafor
E Davis
K Koufas
J Lauvergne (player option)
Nogueira (RFA)
J Smith

This is going to be a really good market for the celtics to fill their biggest off-season roster void. With some roster gymnastics the Cs should be able to retain Smart (I suspect for around the MLE or a little more) and still have almost the full MLE to get a big man. I suspect they will show interested in retaining Baynes or Monroe and if they look outside of those two Favors and Dedmon would both be great options if they are available at that price point. The real benefit is going to be the Cs ability to pick over the left overs in the later summer and find a backup center. Players like Koufas, B Wright, E Davis or our old friend A Johnson may have to settle for vet min or BLE deals and would then look to winning teams lacking center depth.

As for Noel he may be best off looking to go to a rebuilding roster like ATL (if they dont draft a big) on a short deal. This will give him a chance to salvage his career.

The big man market will be interesting indeed, especially with possibly 4 of the top 5 picks being 6'10" or taller.
http://www.nbadraftroom.com/p/2018-nba-mock-draft.html
Big men on rookie-scale contracts are going to be gold.

[More Banners]

In short: he's screwed.

[Erik]

Agreed with most that it's MLE. I think that he could get 15 mil a year from a dumb GM, though.

[Big333223]

It's been a forgone conclusion that Deandre Jordan is going to opt out so he can get a bigger contract but are we sure someone is going to sign him to a long term deal more than $24 mil a season? In today's NBA? With this summer's cap situation?

I won't be surprised if it happens but I don't think it's as sure of a thing as it once was. It's not like Jordan is a perenial all star or has any kind of upside we haven't seen yet.

[clevelandceltic]

Can someone who thinks he will get the MLE explain why you think that he will get that because I dont think he gets close to that?

[CFAN38]

It's been a forgone conclusion that Deandre Jordan is going to opt out so he can get a bigger contract but are we sure someone is going to sign him to a long term deal more than $24 mil a season? In today's NBA? With this summer's cap situation?

I won't be surprised if it happens but I don't think it's as sure of a thing as it once was. It's not like Jordan is a perenial all star or has any kind of upside we haven't seen yet.

I agree I suspect Jordan either gets a short deal on max money or a longer deal on sub max money. Unless a team (Kings) wants to get crazy,