The Philadelphia 76ers have demoted Nerlens Noel to the NBA Development League and the Portland Trail Blazers are rumored to be interested in acquiring the disgruntled big man.

The Sixers said on Wednesday that they have assigned Noel to the team's D-League counterpart, the Delaware 87ers, as part of his "ongoing rehabilitation for a knee injury" that has kept him out of the lineup throughout the season, Amico Hoops reported.

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Noel, 22, underwent surgery last month to repair an inflamed plica above his left knee and was ruled out for three to five weeks. He has not played a single game in the NBA this season so far.

Even with Noel's condition, he has been mentioned in a lot of trade rumors after his public rant during the Sixers' preseason Media Day. He told reporters that he thought having three starting-caliber centers in one team is "silly" and that it would be fine with him if he gets traded to another team.

ESPN noted that Noel's stance on the issue has not changed and that he is still willing to move out of the squad once he is cleared to return in the basketball court. There is no timeline yet when he will be allowed to come back, but the report said that it is "getting closer".

"Right now my body is telling me get back to everyday basketball, and the little kinks and soreness, I'll just pass right through," said Noel. "So now it's just getting in shape, getting my rhythm back and my wind up."

Sixers coach Brett Brown is said to be planning to "showcase" Noel first once he returns from injury before any offers will be received. The team reportedly wants to increase Noel's trade value in order to get a better deal.

The Blazers are rumored to have already discussed a trade with the Sixers involving Noel, although it is not clear how deep the negotiations have gone.

Noel averaged career-highs of 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 steals last season along with 1.5 blocks per game. The debut of Joel Embiid and the presence of Jahlil Okafor, two other highly-drafted centers, in the Sixers lineup have created a logjam at the position in Philly.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, NBA Trade Rumors 2016, Nerlens Noel, philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers