Los Angeles Lakers: Realistic tier 4 free agents to target
By Ethan Temkin
5. Nerlens Noel
Noel showed promise when entering the league as a dynamic defensive big-man, with an ability to guard both on the perimeter and in the paint. The past couple of years, however, have not been kind to Noel, as he’s now on a one-year minimum deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Noel has had a small resurgence and has become a reliable backup center to Steven Adams. The advanced numbers have been favorable this year for Noel, whose posting the best DBPM (Defensive Basketball Plus/Minus) of his career at 5.3, and a DWS (Defensive Win Share) of 2.3, which would be his highest since his days as a 76er.
But, as good as Noel is on the defensive end, he’s as bad on the offensive end, where he’s shown almost no ability to shoot the ball, post-up, or make smart passes.
But at this juncture, the Lakers have enough offense, and instead, need to start looking for upgrades on the defensive end if they want to truly be a playoff contender.