Nerlens Noel completes contract buyout from the Pistons; who could sign the veteran center?

Ever since the NBA trade deadline, the Detroit management have continued to reshape their roster. Not too long ago, they signed RJ Hampton from free agency, and now they’ve decided to complete a buyout contract with veteran Nerlens Noel, as they had been trying to find a team for him before February 9, but had little luck in finding a suitable squad for him. 

One of the Pistons most valuable transfers was the acquisition of young prospect James Wiseman, who was a No.2 overall pick in the 2020 draft, and never really got the chance he needed to prove his worth with the Golden State Warriors. Detroit simply couldn’t resist the opportunity of signing him and now the 21-year-old has a four-team deal in Michigan.

Now that Wiseman is part of the roster, it is clear that Noel’s playing time will diminish almost to none whatsoever. Subsequently, this meant the 28-year-old would pressure his management to liberate him into free agency so he can find a new squad that could use his talents through this last stretch of the campaign.

Report: Pistons complete buyout with Nerlens Noel, opening roster spot https://t.co/3OL1oVerIZ

— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) February 28, 2023

Coach Dwane Casey has definitely had a preference for playing the youth in frontcourt this season, a traditional strategy from teams in the lowest part of the standings, as they are the only squads that can offer potential stars with the development on court they need in their rookie and sophomore years in the NBA. And if their talent is worth it, maybe even build the team around them.

This meant that athletes such as Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley III, and Isaiah Stewart have been given the most chance in the Pistons’ center position instead of veteran Nerlens Noel.

Because of this reason, Noel has only participated in 14 contests this tournament, averaging 10.9 minutes per match. In this span, he has dropped 2.3 points and won 2.6 rebounds.

Who are the potential candidates who might be interested in signing Noel?

Now that he is hitting the market, there are definitely a few franchises who will look into signing him from free agency. Reportedly, both the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers had asked about him before the trade deadline if he ever was to clear his waivers. As for the Warriors, they could be in need of a defensive boost towards the last stretch of the championship.

One of his best perfomances this season was on January 10th against the Sixers, as he was able to register 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 1 steal against his old squad. Take a look at his highlights below:

As his mindset has grown less offensively and more opposing as he grew older in the NBA, Detroit will miss how impactful his defense qualities can be on court.

Only two seasons ago, he was averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest with the New York Knicks, as he was an important part of the team who earned the 4th spot in their conference and making the playoffs in 2021.