Sixers head coach Brett Brown said he and others on the Sixers doubt that rookie first-round pick Nerlens Noel will play this season.

"I doubt, everybody doubts that he's going to play this year," Brown said before the Sixers game against Cleveland on Monday. "We don't want to waste this year. I think from a skill perspective, it's an opportunity for us to break down his shot, really work on his free throws and start a little bit from ground zero."

Philadelphia acquired Noel and a protected 2014 first-round draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday.  When they traded Holiday and acquired Noel with the seventh pick, it served as an indication that they were ready to rebuild - an effort most Sixers fans seem to have embraced.

 

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