Noel is better than you think

[Dr.J4ever]

Defensively, that is.

http://www.csnphilly.com/basketball-philadelphia-76ers/nerlens-noel-better-you-might-realize?p=ya5nbcs&ocid=yahoo

Among rookies, Noel leads the league in rebounds (7.2) and steals (1.5) per game. He also has the most double-doubles (four) and is just behind teammate K.J. McDaniels in blocks per game (1.4). He’s sixth in points per game (7.6) and 10th in player efficiency rating (9.7). While those last two numbers aren’t at all impressive, his stats at the defensive end are considerably better.

As you might recall, after the Sixers drafted Joel Embiid in a move that some thought created redundant skills in the paint considering they had taken Noel the year before, Sam Hinkie mentioned the importance of rim protection. So far, Noel has done well with that assignment. Opponents are shooting 47.7 percent at the rim against him, according to NBA.com. To put that in perspective, opponents shoot 52.7 percent against Joakim Noah, 50.6 percent against Anthony Davis, and 49.3 percent against Andre Drummond. What Noel is doing puts him in the same company as DeAndre Jordan (47.8 percent) for opponents’ field goal percentage at the rim. That’s significant.

Noel’s 1.5 steals per game also puts him in good company. Among all centers and power forwards, he’s third in the league. Only Paul Millsap and Davis have been better.

Additionally:

He’s been a better rebounder lately, but he’s grabbing 52.3 percent of his chances within 3 1/2 feet, according to NBA.com. That could be better. On the upside, 41.6 percent of his rebounds are contested (meaning there is at least one other person from the other team in the vicinity). That’s basically in line with Greg Monroe (42.2 percent) and Serge Ibaka (41.4). It’s also better than Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Pau Gasol and Millsap, all of whom are under 40 percent. It should be noted that all of those guys are regarded as quality rebounders. And they’re all bigger, stronger, more physical veterans.

[kunk75]

i think he is an absolute shit pile so if he is even decent you are correct

[kunk75]

steals are often a crap stat too, often just means they overplay the ball

[Eric Cartman]

Not important don't care.

[Real Men Wear Green]

He has Marcus Camby potential. He will be a guy that every team could use for most of his career but not a real star. At his best he could become (and maybe already is) a defensive anchor but he has no offensive game and we have no idea if he'll ever develop anything useful on that end.

[Milbuck]

Who do the Sixers take with the 1st or 2nd pick if they get it? Okafor and Towns are up there in most mocks I've seen, do you roll with a 3 big rotation, trade Noel, or take someone else like Mudiay?

[Dr.J4ever]

Who do the Sixers take with the 1st or 2nd pick if they get it? Okafor and Towns are up there in most mocks I've seen, do you roll with a 3 big rotation, trade Noel, or take someone else like Mudiay?

You take the best available player and worry about how they all fit in later. You don't who's going to really stick and pan out later anyway. Trades will be easy to come by when you compile the assets.

Mudiay is the most athletic guard in the draft and could be a potential franchise player, but there are red flags with his shooting too.

[ZenMaster]

steals are often a crap stat too, often just means they overplay the ball

More often than that though, it means that a player has pretty good defensive understanding, instincts, quickness in change of direction, hand speed, hand cordination and so on.

Overall deflections is a better stat as it often takes to or more players to create a steal, but that is a coach kept stat.

[kunk75]

this draft has maybe 2 potential all stars, nothing close to a superstar from what i have seen. it's a bad year to tank unless you want to trade the pick.

[Dr.J4ever]

He has Marcus Camby potential. He will be a guy that every team could use for most of his career but not a real star. At his best he could become (and maybe already is) a defensive anchor but he has no offensive game and we have no idea if he'll ever develop anything useful on that end.

You're right we don't know if he can develop a semblance of an offensive game, but the tools are there, and Tyson Chandler could be his model. He's capable of that, and we all know Chandler was the center of a title team.

[chocolatethunder]

He has Marcus Camby potential. He will be a guy that every team could use for most of his career but not a real star. At his best he could become (and maybe already is) a defensive anchor but he has no offensive game and we have no idea if he'll ever develop anything useful on that end.
He's more Theo Ratliff than Camby. His ceiling is low offensively and in soite of his whopping 7 boards a game, his rebounding needs improvement. He's young though and he can improve. If his peak is Ratliffs peak then he's a success to me.

[Dr.J4ever]

He's more Theo Ratliff than Camby. His ceiling is low offensively and in soite of his whopping 7 boards a game, his rebounding needs improvement. He's young though and he can improve. If his peak is Ratliffs peak then he's a success to me.

What I can't figure out is that he was surprisingly a good FT shooter in the Summer League, and suddenly now he's shooting 51% or something.

It has to be concentration.

[chocolatethunder]

What I can't figure out is that he was surprisingly a good FT shooter in the Summer League, and suddenly now he's shooting 51% or something.

It has to be concentration.
I dunno. My friend who played summer league for the Sixers this year and had to guard Noel every day at practice said that he was one of the worst FT shooters he'd ever seen. So bad that at practice the coaches would always pick him to shoot a FT and if he missed everyone would have to do suicides. He missed all the time. He's an awful FT shooter and awkward on offense in general. They work with him a lot but he is a serious project offensively.

[Dr.J4ever]

I dunno. My friend who played summer league for the Sixers this year and had to guard Noel every day at practice said that he was one of the worst FT shooters he'd ever seen. So bad that at practice the coaches would always pick him to shoot a FT and if he missed everyone would have to do suicides. He missed all the time. He's an awful FT shooter and awkward on offense in general. They work with him a lot but he is a serious project offensively.

He had a stretch in Summer League where he shot 17-21 FTs. Not saying this is a big enough sample size, but there was talk during SL that coaches were impressed with the improvement he was making with his new shooting form. Here's the article:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2203012-complete-predictions-for-nerlens-noels-role-statistics-with-philadelphia-76ers/page/2

"Head coach Brett Brown famously deconstructed and recalibrated Noel's shooting mechanics throughout last season, and the fruits of their labor were evident during summer league.

While his catch-and-shoot jumper is still in its infancy, Noel did well to knock down 17 of his 21 free throws during summer league play. "

[chocolatethunder]

He had a stretch in Summer League where he shot 17-21 FTs. Not saying this is a big enough sample size, but there was talk during SL that coaches were impressed with the improvement he was making with his new shooting form. Here's the article:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2203012-complete-predictions-for-nerlens-noels-role-statistics-with-philadelphia-76ers/page/2

"Head coach Brett Brown famously deconstructed and recalibrated Noel's shooting mechanics throughout last season, and the fruits of their labor were evident during summer league.

While his catch-and-shoot jumper is still in its infancy, Noel did well to knock down 17 of his 21 free throws during summer league play. "
I'm well aware of that. Yet during the season with a larger sample size, he's not a good shooter. It makes more sense to think that he got lucky and hit a bunch of FT in a short period in summer league than it is to think that his summer league FT stretch is how he really shoots. He's not a good FT shooter, in fact, he's terrible. It's ok to be honest about guys who play for your favorite team. It doesn't mean he can't improve, it means that he's terrible right now. It's ok, Eric Snow shot 35% his freshman year at Mich. State and went on to be a really solid FT shooter. But Snow was terrible then as Noel is now.

[Dr.J4ever]

I'm well aware of that. Yet during the season with a larger sample size, he's not a good shooter. It makes more sense to think that he got lucky and hit a bunch of FT in a short period in summer league than it is to think that his summer league FT stretch is how he really shoots. He's not a good FT shooter, in fact, he's terrible. It's ok to be honest about guys who play for your favorite team. It doesn't mean he can't improve, it means that he's terrible right now. It's ok, Eric Snow shot 35% his freshman year at Mich. State and went on to be a really solid FT shooter. But Snow was terrible then as Noel is now.

No, I agree about being critical for the benefit of the team.

I hope he can regain whatever it is he had in that brief stretch in SL play. Is his form way off from SL play? We would have to look at the tape. Hoping the coaches notice if he has regressed with his shooting form. Or perhaps concentration?

You realize if he can somehow fix this, he will eventually get 4-5 shots a game shooting from mid range with Embiid by his side.

Also, look at a player like Ibaka. Do you realize he is now shooting 3s? And from the 1 game I saw recently of OKC, he was surprisingly accurate. So it can be learned.

[Jailblazers7]

If I were Noel, I would try to model my development after Tyson Chandler.

[Dr.J4ever]

If I were Noel, I would try to model my development after Tyson Chandler.

That's his ticket.

Chandler was a title winning center, and as a starter to boot. Noel certainly has enough talent to model and even improve on Chandler because of his ability to defend a 3 point shooting PF or Center. Noel is good enough and quick enough to be on the perimeter and to occasionally guard smaller players.

He can be a defensive nightmare eventually if he can stay on the court and improve his offense.

[chocolatethunder]

No, I agree about being critical for the benefit of the team.

I hope he can regain whatever it is he had in that brief stretch in SL play. Is his form way off from SL play? We would have to look at the tape. Hoping the coaches notice if he has regressed with his shooting form. Or perhaps concentration?

You realize if he can somehow fix this, he will eventually get 4-5 shots a game shooting from mid range with Embiid by his side.

Also, look at a player like Ibaka. Do you realize he is now shooting 3s? And from the 1 game I saw recently of OKC, he was surprisingly accurate. So it can be learned.
Sure I know all of that and I'm not saying he can't but the likelihood that he can shoot like Ibaka is small. Baby steps. Make some FTs first.