In another edition of Dei-Mails, Sixers insider Dei Lynam weighs in on Nerlens Noel's prospects in the low post.
I watched Nerlens Noel play in the summer league, and he scares me. He looks awkward, especially on offense, and he has a tendency to extend his body in really odd ways. He looks like an accident waiting to happen. I am worried best-case scenario he gets pushed around by stronger pros. At worst, he is going to land hard on his back and suffer a serious injury. Do you share my concerns?
- Larry R.
I understand your concerns. Stronger post players will be able to push Noel off the block. We saw that in the Orlando Pro Summer League. Noel admitted he had to make some adjustments to counter the physical play of others.
But others must deal with Noel's length, quickness and athleticism. He averaged 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and three blocks per game in Orlando.
In his debut in Vegas Monday night, Noel has 12 points, six rebounds, four blocks and two steals against the Cavs (see story).
One thing to understand: Noel is a defensive player first. He and the Sixers will work to bring his offense around.
"I think to handle the physicality at our level he needs to develop strength," assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said last week in Orlando. "Bigger is a tough term. He is a guy who will always struggle to put weight on, the type of weight we want him to put on.
NBA
"For him to be stronger, to have better balance, to have better strength to hold off guys, and to absorb contact is something he is always going to have to deal with."
Noel is 6-foot-11 and weighs 228 pounds. Marcus Camby was 6-foot-11 and 220 pounds. Camby played 17 years in the league. He never played an entire 82-game season, but the well-traveled center played 973 career games and another 79 playoff games.
Camby made the NBA all-defensive team four times.
Theo Ratliff is another player of Noel's size that comes to mind. Ratliff, 6-foot-10 and 225 pounds, stayed relatively healthy the first six years of his 11-year career.
Twice Ratliff led the league in total blocked shots and seven times he finished in the top 10.
Noel's strength can increase, but his frame is always going to be long and lean. As it has worked for others, that build can work for him.