Philadelphia 76ers NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Want a 2017 First-round Pick for Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Okafor missed the last few games because the Philadelphia 76ers wanted to avoid any risk of injury while trade talks were ongoing, but he was back on the court when they played the Boston Celtics. Well, it looks like negotiations may have stalled, but he remains the most likely candidate to be moved before the trade deadline.
Chris Mannix of The Vertical talked about the Okafor situation on 97.5 The Fanatic recently and he said the Sixers were looking for a high 2017 first-round draft pick in return for the center, but they were having a hard time looking for a buyer who would give them what they want.
"I think Philadelphia right now is trying to extract the best possible first-round pick they can get in the 2017 NBA Draft. The problem with that is that this draft is highly perceived to be a very healthy, deep and talented draft," he said, according to NJ.com.
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It appears that the Sixers may be overestimating Okafor's trade value by asking a lot in return. They will have to settle for less if they want to move him before the deadline.
"The teams I talk to look at Okafor as a solid role-player. He's somebody who maybe could start, maybe come off the bench. He could be a post-scorer but obviously has limitations. Philadelphia still sees him as the third-overall pick from the 2015 draft," Mannix said.
Reports note that the New Orleans Pelicans remain interested in acquiring Okafor. They are willing to ship a future first-round draft pick to the Sixers, but they also want to include Alexis Ajinca in the deal. Well, the Pelicans clearly want to dump Ajinca's contract on the Sixers. And the deal got even more complicated when the Sixers reportedly asked for point guard Jrue Holiday as well.
For now, Okafor is back with the team, but there is still a possibility that he will be traded before the trade deadline.
