Center Jahlil Okafor Wants the Philadelphia 76ers to Buy Out His Contract or Trade Him
This may sound like a broken record, but Jahlil Okafor's time in Philadelphia is likely over. This time, the third-year center has opened up about his willingness to leave the 76ers to join another team.
A day after the team declined to pick up his fourth-year option, Okafor told reporters that he has asked the Sixers to trade him or buy him out if they couldn't find a trade partner. He also noted that he was glad Philadelphia didn't pick up his option because he wants to have the opportunity to play meaningful minutes elsewhere.
Right now, there's no way he can play significant minutes behind Joel Embiid, Amir Johnson and Richaun Holmes (once he returns) on the Sixers' depth chart.
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Apparently, the Sixers aren't interested in a potential buyout right now because they don't want Okafor to leave without getting something back in return, per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey.
"Bryan didn't think [a buyout] would be a great idea. Because he said he would be giving me away to a team for free. But that's pretty much where we stand right now," Okafor said of his talk with Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, via the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"I didn't expect Nov. 1 to hit [and] I would be here. That's why these past few weeks when [reporters] ask me questions about the rotation and stuff like that, I've been calm because I didn't think I would still be here today. I didn't think that Bryan would keep me, honestly," he added.
According to Pompey, the Boston Celtics have expressed interest in acquiring Okafor, but they don't want to give up much to get him since his trade value is at an all-time low right now. The Celtics were awarded an $8.4 million disabled player exception due to the Gordon Hayward's injury, so they won't have a problem securing Okafor's services if he can get a buyout.
