Cooney: Noel's gripes cast pall on Sixers at the wrong time

THERE IS A BALLOON of hope floating around the sports scene in Philadelphia. It is rising higher every day that Carson Wentz continues to amaze with his ability to orchestrate a football game like a seasoned All-Pro. It thrives because, despite closing in on 90 losses, the Phillies have minor league talent that tickles the imagination. Young offensive-minded defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov have Flyers fans as excited as they've been in years, and the talk of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor and the Sixers dominated the sports airwaves before the arrival of Wentz.

That balloon of hope seems to grow bigger every day.

And there sits Sixers center Nerlens Noel, waiting for it with a huge needle, ready to burst it.

In a story Monday in the Inquirer, Noel talked of the silliness of the team still having three starting centers in him, Embiid and Okafor. Monday at the team's annual media day, the 6-11 center, who is entering his fourth season with the club, did nothing to calm the embers he stoked.

"I don't see a way of it working. It's just a logjam," Noel said Monday at the team's new practice facility in Camden. "You have three talented centers that can play 30-plus minutes a night. No three centers can play 30 minutes a night. That's that.

"Obviously, things need to get situated. Obviously, things need to be moved around. It's just a tough situation, but I can't really say too much, because I have no say and no power. Obviously, that's for who can handle the situation."

That responsibility would land on general manager Bryan Colangelo, of course. It's no secret he listened to all offers during the offseason concerning the possible movements of, in particular, Noel and Okafor. He and coach Brett Brown have talked of having a positionally balanced roster. In that regard, Noel is right. There is nothing balanced about the 20 guys assembled to start training camp Tuesday at Stockton University. They are still deprived of the appropriate amount of three-point shooters; a 6-10 forward, either Simmons or Dario Saric, will dominate the ball, and there is that problematic center position.

Colangelo did his best when speaking Monday to downplay the small firestorm Noel caused. But it was pretty telling, when asked whether he was disappointed by Noel's initial comments, Colangelo said: "It's not disappointing. I think it's understandable. I think Nerlens did a pretty good job sizing up what we have. There is a lot of depth and a lot of talent at that position. I want to correct one aspect of it, though. He left out someone who has made great strides and improved significantly over the summer through hard work and his performance in the Summer League, but Richaun Holmes has really emerged as another player we're excited about in terms of what, potentially, he is going to bring to this team."

Zing.

The confusion and frustration Noel obviously feels is understandable. At the end of his first year of playing, after sitting out a season recovering from a knee injury, he began showing offensive potential to go along with unmatched defensive prowess. The addition of point guard Ish Smith late in the 2014-15 season unleashed an offensive game from Noel not seen before.

But the team then drafted Okafor and last season was a mess of offensive confusion, as to how the two could play on the court together. Couple that with the 7-2 Embiid waiting in the wings, and you can feel Noel's frustration. Then last week, Brown said of Noel: "He is a modern-day 'five' man. He is an elite defensive presence that can run the floor, block shots, pick-and-roll, and go get lobs. That is a modern-day 'five' man."

Brown added: "Personally, I don't care if he ever makes a jump shot for the rest of his life. I mean that. That's not how his bread is buttered."

That all must have been a bit confusing to Noel, as the team did work intensely on his shot for the past three seasons. And though Brown went on to say the Kentucky product has "elite gifts" and is "as athletic and quick off the floor and quick to the rim as anybody I've coached and as any big man in the league," it's obvious Noel thinks he is the odd man out in this juggling process.

The timing of his complaints couldn't be worse, for the organization and the fan base. Optimism is as high as the new three-story practice facility that just opened, and the building lends a lot to that. Noel's comments have somewhat dimmed a positivity that hasn't been present in quite some time. And fans certainly don't want to hear any negativity coming from the team.

Showing his frustration now doesn't really help Noel at all. Does he think he's forcing the team's hand? He's not. The Sixers can treat their center situation much as the Eagles played with Sam Bradford. What if a team loses a center early in the season to injury? If it's a contending team, Noel could get his wish and be dealt to find a better place where, "You just always want to make sure you're in a good situation to show your abilities the best way possible."

Perhaps his type of game is best suited to play with Embiid or Simmons or Saric. Maybe his defensive skills can be matched by Holmes, who is a much superior offensive player.

However it plays out, Noel has put a negative spotlight on his team in the middle of one of the most positive times in recent Philly sports history.

"I've seen a lot over these past three years. I'm not surprised anymore," said Noel. "Obviously, I wished it would have played out better, whether I was here or not. You just always want to make sure you're in a good situation so show your abilities the best way possible. Obviously, I'm a real person, so I really can't sugarcoat anything. It's just a whole different position that I didn't picture being in.

"I want to emphasize how much I love my guys. Jahlil and Joel are some of the closest friends on this team that I have. It's definitely nothing to do with that. I love the city of Philadelphia. The fans are some of the best fans in the country, that mean everything they say and really show up."

It was telling that, while Embiid answered questions for close to 20 minutes, Simmons for 15 and Okafor and Saric 10 each, the team's public relations people cut off questions for Noel after just over five minutes.

Could it be too late for those kind words he finished with? Could it be that Noel just made it easier for Brown to move the team ahead with Noel given a limited role? Could it be that he has burst the optimistic balloon surrounding the team and turned a portion of the fan base against him?

The answer is the same as the one Colangelo has been giving all summer when asked about his three (four, counting Holmes) centers: "We'll see how it plays out."

@BobCooney76

Blog: philly.com/Sixersblog