The Philadelphia 76ers usually seem like a team that has no plan. This past season they traded Michael Carter-Williams just one year after he was named Rookie of the Year. They seem to be piling up draft picks in the hopes that some will work out great and they can eventually become a good team. However, they've stuck in the cellar for a while now. One plan they do appear to be pursuing is making Norris Cole a 76er, according to Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops.
Cole is a restricted free agent, so if he does sign an offer sheet with the 76ers, the New Orleans Pelicans can match the offer. As of right now the interest doesn't appear to be imminently leading to an offer, but if it does the Pelicans will have a decision to make as they are close to the luxury tax line. As much as Cole is a good backup point guard, he may not be worth the extra money. It will likely all come down to how much the offer sheet Cole signs with the 76ers is for (if that happens).
Point guard is a major area of need for the 76ers, as the only two they have on the roster are Isaiah Canaan and Tony Wroten. Wroten is coming off of a torn ACL and there is reportedly a good chance he can be ready for the start of the season. If Wroten were fully healthy he is a solid point guard that can be used either as a starter or off the bench, but Canaan is better suited to be a third point guard, as he shots 38 percent from the field and is not much of a facilitator.
Norris Cole's career numbers might not look pretty but he has had some valuable NBA experience. His first three and a half years were spent with the Miami Heat, where he helped them win two championships. In the playoffs he averages 43 percent from the field and 39 percent from beyond the arc.
Cole was traded to the Pelicans in the middle of last season and flourished with a more prominent role. In 28 games he averaged 9.9 points in 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 38 percent from three. Based on those numbers with the Pelicans, and the fact that he is only 26 years old, Cole might be the type of player that is worth the 76ers overpaying in order to take him away from the Pelicans.
