Nerlens Noel Injury: Updates on 76ers Star's Status and Return

More problems have popped up for the Philadelphia 76ers, with starting center Nerlens Noel battling multiple ailments. 

Continue for updates. 

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Noel Exits vs. Magic

Wednesday, Jan. 20

The 76ers announced Noel would not return against the Orlando Magic after suffering from a headache and blurred vision.

There are many issues plaguing the Sixers right now, but Noel has been one of the few bright spots. He's not a dynamic offensive player, though his 10.6 points per game rank fourth on the team. 

Noel finished 11th in defensive win shares (4.2) last season, per Basketball-Reference.com, and has been a strong rebounder with more than eight per game this year. He did give the 76ers a scare early in the year after taking an elbow to the eye against Toronto, but head coach Brett Brown said it wasn't as bad as the team initially feared. 

Injuries have not been a big problem for Noel since he was forced to sit out his rookie season (2013-14) recovering from a torn ACL suffered during his days at Kentucky. He played in 75 games last year and has been available for all but six games this season. 

The 76ers don't have a strong backup power forward, though Robert Covington has played well. Depth is a huge problem for the franchise at this point, so losing any player is going to cause big problems. 

Noel's absence is particularly troublesome because the Sixers lack depth at the power forward position. This is still a franchise in transition, so the team has to evaluate anyone who could play a significant role in the future with Noel on the sidelines.