Hawks, Sixers Discuss Deal Involving Teague, Noel

7:48pm: Sixers shooting guard Nik Stauskas and/or small forward Robert Covington could be included in the potential deal, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Philly has shopped both Noel and Jahlil Okafor to approximately 15 teams in an effort to locate the best deal, Pompey adds.

5:34pm: The two sides have discussed the deal recently, but an agreement isn’t imminent, Charania relays in a full-length story.

5:00pm: The Hawks and the Sixers are discussing a trade that would involve point guard Jeff Teague going to Philadelphia and big man Nerlens Noel heading to Atlanta, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear how far along the talks are, or what other pieces are involved, though any deal would likely be completed prior to the NBA Draft on June 23rd, though that is merely my speculation.

This is a deal that could potentially benefit both teams, though Noel is six years younger than Teague, which means the Hawks could be the ones receiving the better long-term benefit from the swap. Atlanta may need to find a replacement for Al Horford, who is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. While Noel lacks Horford’s offensive game, he more than makes up for that on the defensive end of the floor. It remains to be seen how well Noel would fit in Atlanta’s system, but acquiring the young big man would be a bold and exciting move for the team.

The Sixers desperately need backcourt help and Teague would be a major upgrade at the one spot for Philly. Atlanta can spare a playmaker, with Dennis Schröder waiting in the wings and making no secret about his desire to be the starter going forward. Perhaps Schröder would be a better fit with the Sixers due to his age, 22, but the franchise has stated it wants to add veteran leadership, something Teague could provide.

Noel, 22, is set to earn $4,384,490 in 2016/17 and will be eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer. He appeared in 67 games this season and averaged 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 29.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .521/.500/.590.

Teague, 27, has one season remaining on his current deal that will pay him $8MM in 2016/17, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. He appeared in 79 games this season and averaged 15.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 28.5 minutes per night. His shooting numbers were .439/.400/.837.

Which team would get the better of this potential swap? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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