The Toronto Raptors have reportedly renewed their interest in Philadelphia 76ers forward/centre Nerlens Noel.

ESPN's Marc Stein reports the team has circled back to the 22-year-old Noel, a player Toronto had talks over in the summer. The centrepiece of the Raptors' offer to the Sixers was reportedly Terrence Ross, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, but no deal came to fruition.

While Noel is available with a glut of bigs in the Sixers' frontcourt including Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and the recently acquired Ersan Ilyasova, the Raptors right now are leaning towards more minutes for rookies Jakob Poetl and Pascal Siakam until the return of Jared Sullinger from a foot injury.

Sullinger, signed from the Boston Celtics in the offseason, underwent surgery late last month after incurring the injury during the Raptors' preseason opener with the Golden State Warriors on October 1. He's expected back in January.

Noel, taken with the sixth overall pick out of Kentucky in the 2013 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans and traded to the Sixers in a draft-night deal for Jrue Holiday, is in his third NBA campaign. He is currently out of action with swelling his left knee. He missed the entire 2013-14 season recovering from surgery on the same knee.

In 67 games last season, Noel averaged 11.1 points on .521 shooting and 8.1 rebounds in 29.3 minutes a night.