Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
adamtaylornba

Free agent center floated as potential Warriors target

The Golden State Warriors have lacked size at the center position throughout the season’s first quarter. The need for a rim protector has been evident at times this season, with Paul George noting how the LA Clippers recently took advantage of the flaw in Golden State’s roster.

According to Ben Stinar of Sports Illustrated, the Warriors should take a closer look at Nerlens Noel. The 29-year-old is currently an unrestricted free agent and would bring size, length, and rim protection to Golden State’s bench rotation for the remainder of the season.

“There is no question that Noel could give the Warriors a big boost on defense in a role off the bench,” Stinar reasoned. “In addition, he could likely be signed to a veteran’s minimum contract (or a ten-day deal), so there would be no risk for the Warriors.”

Golden State has an open roster spot. Adding a veteran free agent would be a simple endeavor. However, Noel’s lack of a perimeter game could potentially rule him out of contention for a gig in the Bay Area. Nevertheless, Noel would bring a new dimension to the rotation, most notably as a drop defender tasked with protecting the rim.

Noel has played in 461 regular season games throughout his career. He spent last season splitting his time between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets, where he made an accumulative 17 appearances, averaging 2.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.

Whether the Warriors would see value in Noel’s skillset is debatable, but he would be a risk-free addition to a rotation that needs some additional options in the middle of the court.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.