Pistons Cut Nerlens Noel; Trail Blazers Interested?

The NBA buyout market now has another big man, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Center Nerlens Noel and the Detroit Pistons have completed a contract buyout, his agent @GeorgeLangberg tells ESPN. Noel can join a team and become eligible for a playoff roster.

Noel, 28, has only played 14 games this season for the rebuilding Detroit Pistons, averaging just 2.3 points per game.

The numbers are slightly misleading, as Noel has only played more than 15 minutes in five games this season.

As a new entry in the buyout market, Noel has until Wednesday to sign with a team in order to be eligible for the playoffs. A team that could be interested in his services is the Portland Trail Blazers.

With Jusuf Nurkic sidelined with an injury, Drew Eubanks has stepped in as the starter, but the team has no other centers on the roster.

As the shortest team in the league, the Blazers could run into trouble with some big teams in the stretch run of the season without some semblance of size.

Noel wouldn’t come into Portland and immediately usurp minutes from Nurkic (when he returns) or Eubanks, but he simply provides a veteran insurance policy that the Blazers will be kicking themselves if they need it and pass up on it.

BE community, what do you think about adding Noel to the roster for the stretch run? Answer in the poll and chime off in the comments section!

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