NBA Trade Rumors: Should the Phoenix Suns Look to Deal for Current Philadelphia 76ers Big Man Jahlil Okafor?
Okafor may be the odd man out in Philly's young big man rotation
It seems so long ago now, but there was a time when the Philadelphia 76ers were praised for using the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft to select former Duke University standout Jahlil Okafor.
Prior to reaching the NBA, Okafor was viewed as the classic low-post scorer, a player an offense could run through, and someone who could produce as long as he had the ball in his hands.
Okafor has not lost that ability to become an effective interior scorer, but there are other issues that have kept his professional career from taking off.
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For one, the league now places more value on shooting. And though Okafor can score, he does not possess a reliable stroke from the three-point range. Having him on the floor means that the other four players may not have as much space to work with.
It does not help that Okafor has been slow to develop on the defensive end as well, allowing other big men on the 76ers' depth chart to pass him.
To put it simply, Okafor does not really have a spot with the team anymore and so a trade would seem to be in order.
In a recent article, ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe noted that the Phoenix Suns could take Okafor right now, thanks to them having some cap space available.
At first glance, the move seems to make sense for the Suns. The 2017-18 edition of the Suns is not expected to be very good, and the franchise right now is focused on acquiring and developing young players.
Okafor is young and he would not have been taken third overall if he lacked talent. This means acquiring him would seem to be a no-brainer for the Suns, or at least it seems that way.
Though the Suns probably would not mind taking a flier on another talented youngster, the thing is, they have their own young big men who they need to develop.
2016 draftees Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss need playing time themselves to show that they belong in the team's long-term plans. The Suns also just used another high draft pick on Josh Jackson, another player who will be spending time in the frontcourt.
If the Suns traded for Okafor, they may just be taking on the same problem the 76ers currently have.
Okafor deserves a shot to show that he can be a good player in this league, but he will first need to find a team that can actually afford to invest playing time in him.
The 76ers is probably not that team for Okafor, and it does not appear that it would work with the Suns too.
