Philadelphia 76ers NBA Trade Rumors: Jahlil Okafor on the Trade Block
Jahlil Okafor was supposed to solidify his role as Joel Embiid's primary backup after they cleared the logjam at center by shipping Nerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks before the trade deadline. The Philadelphia 76ers even started him at center when Embiid was shut down, but his playing time and production remained inconsistent. To make matters worse, he was even getting outplayed by Richaun Holmes.
Well, the Philadelphia 76ers must have seen enough because they're putting him on the trading block again this offseason.
"If a deal comes along that makes sense for both of us, then we'll go ahead and make the deal," Sixers president Bryan Colangelo said last week, according to CSN Philly. "Openly, we've discussed scenarios with his agent that we could find something mutually beneficial. But if not, we're happy to have Jahlil as part of this organization. He's a great kid," he continued.
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Okafor might be better off playing elsewhere since the Sixers would never start him ahead of Embiid. However, he said he wants to stay and he was willing to play a backup role.
"Whatever they tell me to do, I'll embrace," Okafor said, via CSN Philly. "I love being here. I got really close with everybody here. Great things are happening here in Philadelphia and I'd love to be a part of it," he added.
Okafor will continue to say all the right things and act like a true professional, but it's clear that he doesn't fit in the Sixers' plans for the future. They have already realized that he's not the player they were hoping he would turn out to be, and Holmes' emergence has rendered him expendable as well.
Okafor can be a defensive sieve, but he's actually a very good low post player. He can be a starter elsewhere and center-needy teams will likely give him a long look this summer.
