Detroit Pistons: Is a trade market developing for Nerlens Noel?

The Detroit Pistons are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, so are guaranteed to be mentioned in trade rumors as the season progresses.

We’ve already heard Bojan Bogdanovic’s name come up, and Alec Burks will also get attention once the trade deadline comes closer.

The Pistons also have lower tier veterans like Cory Joseph and Nerlens Noel who could draw attention, though are unlikely to yield much return.

The latter has apparently been getting some inquiries from teams according to Ian Begley, who named the Dallas Mavericks as a possible suitor that has made calls to the Pistons.

Here’s what Begley had to say:

"“Also on the trade front, the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons touched base recently on trade talks in which Nerlens Noel’s name came up…Noel, the former Knick, has drawn interest from several contending teams who have struggled with rim protection. Noel was a key force for New York’s defense in 2021, when the club made a surprise run to the playoffs.”"

Nerlens Noel has barely played for the Detroit Pistons this season, as they are trying to develop three young big men who are ahead of him in the rotation.

The league knows what Noel can do, as he has a track record as a rim protecter and defender, but what could the Pistons expect to get in a trade?

Detroit Pistons: Trade for Nerlens Noel

It’s hard to imagine the veteran center getting much return in a trade, but his salary is high enough that the Pistons can’t just give him away for a second-round pick, they’d have to take back an equal amount of money.

This is where it gets tricky. If you take Dallas as an example, a quick look at their payroll doesn’t yield any obvious matches for Noel’s $9.2 million salary. The final year of Noel’s contract isn’t guaranteed so the Pistons are unlikely to want to take on any deal that extends past this season, especially if there is little motivation in the form of young talent or draft picks coming back.

It’s not going to be easy to find a suitor for Noel, and it might require a third team that has an expiring contract to help grease the deal.

Fans of the Detroit Pistons should probably temper their excitement about any return for a Noel trade unless it is part of a bigger deal, as his contract and diminishing value as a player will make it difficult to move him straight up.