NBA trade rumors Sixers: Nerlens Noel could shift to Rockets as Jahlil Okafor heads to Boston Celtics

Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor might be donning different jerseys soon after the NBA trade.Reuters/Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

According to the latest NBA trade rumors, the Houston Rockets are very adamant in getting Nerlens Noel from Philadelphia 76ers when Dwight Howard's fate in the team is decided.

The buzz is that Howard is expected to move out of Houston if he decides against playing the way new Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni - who wants to implement his offense on the team - wants him to play.

Howard and the Rockets have struggled to find chemistry, and NBA trade rumors suggest that D'Antoni was brought in to make sure he changes the way he plays to rectify that or to send him packing altogether.

Sixers superstar Noel may then be brought in to the Rockets. However, if the latter wishes to have him without losing Howard, Sportsrageous says that trading Michael Beasley (or Patrick Beverley) and Andrew Goudelock might just seal the deal for Noel's team.

Meanwhile, Rockets is also eyeing another Sixers cager and that's Jahlil Okafor. However, it is speculated that Boston Celtics wants the former Duke superstar on its lineup.

According to CSN New England's Gary Tanguay, who has been following the NBA trade possibilities between the Celtics and the Sixers, the Celtics would not think twice and agree "in a minute" if the Sixers offered Okafor for number three draft pick.

Brian Windhorst of ESPN "SportsCenter" also believes that Okafor will be irresistible to the Celtics, who he believes will bite into the offer.

"The Sixers at No. 3 have a number of huge offers that they can take from teams that want to get in there and covet Jahlil Okafor very badly," Windhorst said.

"At the top of that list being the Boston Celtics who are willing to put together a mother lode to get into the spot," he went on to say.

The Celtics are allegedly prepared to trade Marcus Smart and the number three draft pick.