Getty Nerlens Noel #3 of the New York Knicks.
The Boston Celtics have until midnight ET on July 18, 2022, to use the $17.1 million Evan Fournier trade exception. They can acquire either a player who makes that exact amount of money or less, or they can acquire multiple players whose contracts total out to $17.1 million. With the exception set to expire in less than 24 hours, Keith Smith recently laid out a number of options of who the Celtics could get before they lose it. Among those options is Massachusetts native Nerlens Noel.
9. Nerlens Noel – $9,240,000 – Detroit Pistons: Noel is a Boston kid and has been a rumored Celtics target for years. The challenge is that he’s rarely healthy and he’s basically a poor man’s version of Rob Williams at this point. The good news? Detroit would probably let him go for a song. The bad news? Noel is healthy less often than Williams is.
Noel was acquired by the Pistons along with Alec Burks from the New York Knicks earlier this summer in a cap-clearing move so that the Knicks could pursue free agent guard Jalen Brunson in free agency.
Noel played in 25 games during the 2021-22 season because of plantar fasciitis, a sprained knee, and lower back soreness that plagued him throughout the year.
Because Noel is slated to make $9,240,000 during the 2022-23 season, he would fit into the Evan Fournier TPE. However, from the sounds of things, Noel appears to be happy to be a Piston.
Noel Voiced Excitement Over Joining Detroit
After Noel’s trade to Detroit had been announced, Noel took to Instagram to express how excited he was to join the Pistons.
“Detroit basketball! Let’s go! I’m here in Detroit feeling it out. I’m loving it. Detroit, y’all know what Imma bring man. If y’all don’t, y’all gonna find out.”
Nerlens Noel on IG: “ Detroit basketball! Let’s Go. I’m here in Detroit, feeling it out, I’m loving it. Detroit y’all know what Imma bring man. If y’all don’t y’all gonna find out. 💯”
Noel’s apparent excitement does not mean the Pistons won’t trade him. There is a logjam of bigs on the Pistons roster at the moment. If Noel were to play, he would have to share minutes with Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duran, Marvin Bagley III, and Kelly Olynyk.
If he were to be acquired by Boston, Noel would have to share minutes with Al Horford, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, Luke Kornet and possibly Danilo Gallinari. The Celtics plan to rest Horford a lot more during the 2022-23 season, and Robert Williams III has shown himself to be injury-prone. Noel could potentially see minutes during games when Horford rests or if Williams gets injured.
Kelly Olynyk Listed as an Option
Olynyk is another big man on the Pistons roster that could potentially be available. On Smith’s list, Olynyk’s name came up first among the players the Celtics could look to acquire.
1. Kelly Olynyk – $12,804,878 – Detroit Pistons: Detroit is flush with bigs now. And they are young bigs that need to play. The Celtics could probably get Olynyk without sending much to the Pistons. And he’d fit in perfectly on both ends of the floor.
Olynyk has familiarity with Boston since he played for the Celtics from 2013 to 2017. In that time, he played with current Celtics Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Al Horford. Olynyk also has a fair amount of playoff experience to his name. In the 48 postseason games he’s played, Olynyk has made the playoffs three of the four years with the Celtics while also playing with the Miami Heat when they made their run to the NBA Finals in 2020.
Being seven feet tall while being a career 36.5 percent shooter from three, Olynyk would be a welcome re-addition to the Celtics.