Sixers Will Try Again To Trade Jahlil Okafor

The Sixers plan to call around the league again to see what they can get in exchange for third-year center Jahlil Okafor, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Coach Brett Brown confirmed that the team will see what sort of return might be available.

The third player taken in the 2015 draft, Okafor hasn’t lived up to expectations in two seasons in Philadelphia. Injuries and off-court issues have gotten in the way as Okafor has played just 103 games over two years.

There are also financial considerations, as the Sixers have yet to make a decision on Okafor’s $6.3MM option for 2018/19. The team may be reluctant to tie up that much cap space with a banner crop of free agents due to hit the market next summer.

Okafor is stuck behind Joel Embiid in the Sixers’ rotation and may never be a full-time starter if he remains in Philadelphia. The team also signed Amir Johnson over the summer and got a promising second season out of Richaun Holmes, so there may not be many minutes left for Okafor if he stys.

The Sixers were reportedly engaged in Okafor trade talks with the Pelicans and Bulls before the February deadline to clear up their logjam at center. However, those deals fell through and they wound up sending Nerlens Noel to the Mavericks instead.

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