Jahlil Okafor admitted relief after making his home debut with the Nets in Wednesday’s win over the Timberwolves. However, both he and the Nets are still in the beginning stages of their relationship, getting familiar with how both sides operate, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.
“It works on both parties, of me having to adjust to the team and the team having to adjust to me,” Okafor said. “I’m open to it and so are they.”
Okafor has played sparingly this season, both for the Sixers and the Nets since he was traded. Brooklyn indicated that Okafor would start playing regularly after he improved his conditioning, a byproduct of appearing in just two games in Philadelphia. The 22-year-old is set to hit free agency at the end of the season and a strong finish to the 2017/18 could go a long way to helping Okafor revive his career.
“Our guys have got to learn how to play with him,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “It’s the chemistry with the group he’s going to be out there with.”
Check out other news out of the NBA’s New York teams below:
- Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson rarely dealt with losing as a high school and college player but his tenure in Brooklyn has been a different story, Kerber of the New York Post writes in a separate story. However, even with the Nets hovering around the worst record in the NBA during his time in Brooklyn, Hollis-Jefferson said he understands the level of competition in the NBA does not compare with high school or college. “When you get to the NBA, it’s pretty much everyone’s talented, everyone is here because they can do something good so it comes down to the little things,” he said.
- After making some critical comments of his three stints with the Heat, Knicks forward Michael Beasley cleared the air with his former coach, Erik Spoelstra, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Beasley left Friday’s game with an ankle injury but met up with Spoelstra after the game. Both Spoelstra and Beasley wished each other well in their press comments.