Nerlens Noel had a plane to catch — he is headed to Minneapolis because that is where his new team the Dallas Mavericks are right now (Dallas faces Minnesota on Friday night).
But first, Noel wanted to say goodbye to his buddy Joel Embiid.
Joel Embiid saying goodbye to Nerlens Noel: pic.twitter.com/7iK48eStUj
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) February 23, 2017
Embiid later tweeted this.
Gonna miss my best friend but I'm happy for him... He represented the process since he was here from the start.. One more time>>> Trust It
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 23, 2017
Noel was traded to the Mavericks for Justin Anderson, Andrew Bogut (who will be traded again by the deadline or waived by Philly after), and a protected first-round pick in the 2017 draft that will almost certainly convert to two second-round picks (2017 and 2018). It’s a great landing spot for Noel, Dallas will re-sign him this summer and see him as the future of the franchise at the five.
What we as fans tend to focus on is things like that last paragraph — who “won” or who “lost” the trade, how it fits on the court — and we can forget these are human beings. They are leaving their home, their friends, and in many cases asking family to pack up and move with them. There is a human side, a human cost to these trades, which we can’t overlook.