Despite a lingering knee injury, Jahlil Okafor hasn’t considered shutting down his season, Jessica Camerato of CSN reports (Twitter link). Okafor’s been experiencing soreness ever since a March 2016 surgery, but the former No. 3 overall pick will be relied upon in Nerlens Noel‘s and Joel Embiid‘s absence.
“We just rest and do treatment whenever we think is necessary, and just go from there.” Okafor told Keith Pompey of Philly.com.
More from Philadelphia…
- Tiago Splitter could spend part of his rehabilitation process with the Delaware 87ers, as Keith Pompey relayed in the article linked above. Splitter, who has been sidelined with a calf injury all season, was acquired in exchange for Ersan Ilyasova at the trade deadline. “We are discussing his return to play. Some of it could look like involvement with D-League stuff, practicing, maybe playing,” coach Brett Brown said. “It’s a vehicle to return to play. He hasn’t played basketball for a year. I think the path to return to play can take different looks. That’s one of them that I just suggested.”
- Commissioner Adam Silver told Brian Seltzer of NBA.com that he is excited about the Sixers’ progress this season. “It’s fun coming to games here. Just as I was walking through the tunnel pre-game, I ran into Allen Iverson and Julius Erving. [It’s] nice to see that they’re back, they’re believers, and I am, too,” Silver said. “This is a great sports town. Understandably, the fans are very demanding here. They expect to see a great product on the floor. I know the ownership is committed to that. It takes time to build a great franchise.”
- The Sixers have shifted their focus toward acquiring a top lottery draft pick, Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes. After shipping out Ilyasova and Noel at the deadline, they’ve recently given playing opportunities to Justin Harper and Shawn Long. “The realities of our roster are very clear to everybody. There’s no mystery to what our roster is right now,” coach Brown said. “It’s going to take some extra effort and extra luck in finding ways to compete.”
It’s strange that Silver is a “believer” in what the Sixers are doing considering he forced out Hinkie.
I love the sixers, but what they are doing to Brett brown is a crime. GM, ownership and the team doctors seem to sabotage him every time this team gets momentum. Once again, we have to rely on the lottery to hopefully help us out and get the lakers pick.
I’m not a fan of Brown’s coaching. Should have a few more wins this yr. Eventually they should bring in someone better. I do like the fact that the players seem to fight for each other and are tightknit
How? He is literally, LITERALLY given nothing to work with each year. Embiid and Simmons are injured, Noel is already gone. Okafor has been off and on. They have veterans and the Sixers have slowly improved, but it’s unfair to assess him when he has so little to work with.
If I was a season ticket holder I would be furious… another year of tanking and embiid only has 1 year left now and if he gets hurt again, is he even worth resigning knowing his career is going to be plagued with injuries?
TheProcess failed… nice job stinxers
Take notes Jackson and Dolan
I think they can definitely get a really good player in the draft this year, and if they actually end up with 2 lottery picks, that would be even better in this year’s draft…but I think they should be improved next year. Obviously, Embiid only has another year left, and will be coming back from another injury, and it will be Simmons’ first year, but they have enough depth off the bench at both the 5 and at the 4 with Okafor (he isn’t terrible in that role off the bench) and Holmes and Saric (probably starting) and Justin Anderson, and they’ll have a bunch of really good catch and shoot shooters (that’s why they signed Bayless) to put around McConnell, Saric, Simmons, Embiid, and Okafor. They need a couple of guards. Hopefully they grab one in the draft, and possibly add another veteran there. They should have TLC on his 2nd season, and I think he has looked good for what he will hopefully be for that team on the wing…and the guy they stashed last year is another interesting wing. Depending on what they might do outside of the draft, I could see them being one of those teams competing for that 8th spot next year; probably in that 8-10 range
Justin Anderson is a wing.
He’s a 3/4 in today’s NBA.