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.
