Heading into this season, fans were excited to see former AAU teammates, Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel in action together. Unfortunately, that was short lived as Sam Hinkie decided to deal MCW to the Bucks last week in exchange for the Lakers 2015 first-round pick, which is top-5 protected. Before being traded, Carter-Williams was averaging 15 points, 7.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. MCW told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he's excited to play his former team, but once the ball is tipped, it's all business.
Carter-Williams said after Monday's game in Chicago that he would be ready to play Wednesday, although he did not know for how many minutes.
And he said he was looking forward to facing his former teammates on the 76ers.
"It's going to be great," Carter-Williams said. "I love all those guys over there. My teammates were awesome and they gave their all every single night. I have nothing bad to say about them.
"It's going to be nice to see 'em. I'll enjoy their company, but then when that ball goes up in the air, I've got new teammates now."
On the other side of things at Sixers camp, CSNPhilly.com's Dei Lynam spoke with Brett Brown about the team facing their former point-guard so shortly after being traded.
"It is going to be awkward," coach Brett Brown said of seeing MCW in an opposing jersey. "It is going to be different. It is part of our jobs. I still communicate with Michael and K.J. (McDaniels) and I follow them every time they play — well every time K.J. plays.
"When Michael was still with us, he was going to play in the Milwaukee game. Maybe that is still the case, and he will play against us. I don't know. But it will be awkward."
MCW's former teammate, Nerlens Noel, has been doing his best to lead the charge for the Sixers since before the trade, when Carter-Williams was nursing a toe injury. Over Noel's last five games, he is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and two steals. He's also shooting 53.5% from the field during that time and 70.8% from the free throw line. Noel commented on what it will be like to go up against his former teammate and his role on the team with MCW's departure.
"It is going to be something to play against him," Noel said Monday night. "I haven't played against him since high school, but it is going to be special going up against him. We will compete and hopefully get the better of them."
"I feel a greater responsibility defensively and offensively," Noel said. "I want to continue to progress. I find myself getting more into a rhythm as this season has unfolded. I just want to continue to build momentum."
To fill in for Carter-Williams, the Sixers acquired Isaiah Canaan from the Rockets in the K.J. McDaniels trade, in addition to a second-round pick in this upcoming draft. In two games with the Sixers, the 23-year-old guard is averaging 12.5 points and three assists. He's also shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc. He scored 14 points (5-12 FG), draining four out of nine shots from three-point range in his Sixers debut this past weekend against Orlando. Head coach Brett Brown told CSNPhilly.com that he was impressed by the play of Canaan during his debut against the Magic on Sunday.
"To come in and be the point guard in an NBA game at the end of February is hard to do," Brown told reporters of Canaan's challenge of adapting quickly. "I thought he did a good job. I think the better in shape he gets, the better his understanding of things — it will all come together for him. For his first performance, I thought he was well-above average.
"I can see the upside in him once he gets to know me, the system and gets in better shape."
Canaan, Noel and the Sixers tip-off tonight in Milwaukee at 8PM. Tune into CSN Philly starting at 7:30PM for full-coverage of tonight's action.
