Jahlil Okafor Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Rumors: Calderon, Rondo, Embiid, Karasev

March 19th, 2016 at 8:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jose Calderon would like to return to the Knicks next season, even if it means giving up his role as starting point guard, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. If he comes back, Calderon will earn $7.6MM in the final year of his contract. However, the Knicks have made no secret of their desire to find a new point guard, and it’s possible that Calderon could be traded or even waived through the stretch provision, which would allow the team to open about $5MM in extra cap space for this summer. That would leave the Knicks with less cap flexibility for 2017 and 2018, however. “I’ll figure it out when the season is over,” Calderon said. “There’s still a few games left, still a year left on my contract. I always say you’re one call away. You never know what’s going to happen. We’ll figure it out after the season.”

There’s more news tonight regarding the Knicks and the Atlantic Division:

Interim Knicks coach Kurt Rambis believes Kings point guard Rajon Rondo could be successful in the triangle offense, Berman writes in the same piece, citing an unidentified source. Rondo signed a one-year deal with Sacramento in free agency last offseason and is expected to be highly sought after this summer.
Injured Sixers center Joel Embiid is making a second trip to the Aspetar medical facility in Qatar, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Several team officials accompanied him on this visit, as Embiid undergoes more treatment for his surgically repaired right foot.
The twice-delayed right knee surgery for Sixers rookie center Jahlil Okafor has been scheduled for Tuesday, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports.
The Nets are apparently taking a long look at Sergey Karasev before the season ends, according to NetsDaily. The fourth-year swingman made his first start of the season Thursday and his minutes have been increasing this month. It’s possible that new GM Sean Marks is auditioning Karasev after Brooklyn elected to decline the option for next season on his rookie contract. The option would have eaten up $2,463,754 in cap flexibility this summer, when the Nets are hoping to make a strong push for free agents.

Atlantic Notes: Walton, Durant, Okafor

March 18th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis offered his praise for the job Luke Walton did with the Warriors while coach Steve Kerr was away from the team recovering from back surgery, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. Rambis noted that while Walton didn’t need to change much in order for Golden State to remain successful, the team did embrace Walton’s unselfish style of play, Berman adds. “He just continued to perpetuate what was going on,’’ Rambis said of Walton. “It’s not like he changed anything. He continued to allow the team to play the way they’re playing and [have] been successful with. It’s difficult to coach any team, even a good team. You got to keep them motivated and challenged. Every team that plays Golden State, you’re going to see their best. It’s tough as defending champions to meet that challenge night in and night out. When you think of unselfish play and teamwork, they epitomize it.”

While Rambis appears to be team president Phil Jackson‘s top choice to coach the Knicks next season, Walton is reportedly on the team’s short list of potential candidates. Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Pending unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant downplayed the warm reception he received Wednesday from Celtics fans, who were chanting for the small forward to sign with Boston this summer, Charles Curtis of USA Today relays. “I just didn’t think about it, to be honest,” Durant said. “I was more focused on the team. I was definitely looking forward to this today. So, it’s a lot that was going through my mind that was more important.” Prior to arriving in Boston, Durant noted that he enjoyed visiting the city and praised its family atmosphere.
With Jahlil Okafor‘s rookie season officially over due to injury, questions still remain as to whether or not he and Nerlens Noel can co-exist on the court. When asked to grade the duo, Sixers coach Brett Brown noted that the pairing wasn’t entirely successful, though they did show some improvement as the season wore on, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com relays. “With sometimes the excitement of [an] A, no doubt,” Brown said. “Sometimes the disappointment of [an] F. It’s not anybody’s fault. We all have talked about it and I believe everybody here understands how difficult [it is] taking two [centers] that are 20 and letting them figure out NBA transition defense and matchups and the punishments. And the plus-minus in our defense [with Okafor and Noel playing together] reflects that opinion. It was terrible. We went from terrible to poor over the course of time. We improved in that direction. At times it was good. So it was erratic.“

And-Ones: Faried, Okafor, Crawford, D-League

March 17th, 2016 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried can expect a light workload for the rest of the season, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Faried was held out of tonight’s game with the Hawks because of soreness in his back, and coach Mike Malone suggested that he might face some more DNPs. “Sometimes I feel that I may have to protect him from himself,” Malone said. “I think he wants to be out there, but, you know what? We have 14 games to go, we know what Kenneth is about, we know the high level he’s capable of playing at.” Malone said one benefit of Faried’s absence will be more playing time to evaluate big men Joffrey Lauvergne, Jusuf Nurkic and Nikola Jokic. Faried has three years and more than $38.764MM left on the extension he signed in 2014.

There’s more news tonight from the basketball world:

The delay in Jahlil Okafor‘s knee surgery is no cause for concern, Sixers coach Brett Brown tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Okafor is waiting to undergo arthroscopic surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee. The operation was originally scheduled for Wednesday, and then today, but it hasn’t been performed yet. “There’s no sort of conspiracy theories going on,” Brown said. “It’s more just trying to get a collaborative effort. It happened with Joel [Embiid] and, I think, with Nerlens [Noel].”
The effort to get an NBA team back in Seattle received support from Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford, who wrote a piece promoting the idea for Sports Illustrated’s The Cauldron.
The Thunder recalled forward Mitch McGary from their Oklahoma City Blue affiliate in the D-League, the organization announced via press release. McGary is averaging 15.1 points and 9.2 rebounds in 21 games with the OKC Blue.
The Spurs assigned forward Jonathon Simmons to their D-League team in Austin. This is his second D-League trip of the season. Simmons has appeared in 48 games with San Antonio, averaging 5.6 points and 1.7 rebounds per night.

Sixers Rumors: Okafor, Noel, Draft, Brown

March 13th, 2016 at 9:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The pairing of big men Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor earned a C grade from Sixers coach Brett Brown, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Okafor had a troubled rookie season off the court despite being the team’s leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. He was suspended for two games in December after being part of two street fights in Boston and was cited for driving more than 100 mph in Philadelphia. Okafor’s season ended prematurely with a meniscus tear in his right knee. Questions have lingered about how well he and Noel fit together, with rumors that the Sixers were gauging interest in Okafor at the trade deadline. “With sometimes the excitement of [an] A, no doubt,” Brown said in explaining his C grade. “Sometimes the disappointment of [an] F. It’s not anybody’s fault. We all have talked about it and I believe everybody here understands how difficult [it is] taking two [centers] that are 20 and letting them figure out NBA transition defense and matchups and the punishments.”

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

The Sixers shouldn’t feel any pressure to take a point guard early in the draft, contends Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine. Sitting on top of our reverse standings, Philadelphia expects to have a prime selection with its own choice and will receive the Lakers’ pick if it falls outside the top three. Bodner isn’t convinced that prospects such as Kris Dunn of Providence or Jamal Murray of Kentucky are the answer in the range of the Lakers’ pick. The Sixers are likely to get the Thunder’s and Heat’s picks as well, which is where they could nab someone like French prospect Timothe Luwawu.
Brown deserves more time to try to build a winner, argues Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The columnist will likely get his wish, as Brown signed a two-year extension in December despite a poor won-loss record. He recently summed up his coaching situation. “There is just no margin of error for us. None,” said Brown. “If you missed a switch, you lose. If you miss a box out, you could lose. If you miss two box outs and two switches, you lose by eight. There’s just no margin for error. We just don’t have the roster to absorb multiple errors.”
Having a parcel of draft picks is no guarantee of success, Cooney warns in a separate story. He also notes that most players have to become veterans before they’re ready to win big.

Atlantic Notes: Wroten, Okafor, Rondo, Powell

March 10th, 2016 at 9:29am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks apparently held reservations in the recent past about Tony Wroten‘s gambling style of defense, but sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post they see him as a good defender who’s aggressive in the passing lanes. Wroten, who remains unsigned, is reportedly unlikely to see action for the Knicks this season even if he and the team do finalize a reported two-year agreement, but interim coach Kurt Rambis sees merit in adding him, as Berman relays.

“If he’s not healthy to play, we can evaluate him over summer,” Rambis said. “We see potential in him. Now we have his rights. He’s a penetrating guard. He was somebody who can really break down defenses and attack the basket, but I haven’t seen him play in a while. [There are] a lot of management reasons to do something like that, that still holds value to the team, even if he’s not actively playing the rest of the year. It’s a management and medical decision right now.”

See more on the Knicks and other teams from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers coach Brett Brown didn’t rule out the idea that Jahlil Okafor will miss the rest of the season because of lingering soreness in his right knee, though he strongly cautioned that no such decision has been made, as Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. The No. 3 overall pick from last year’s draft underwent a CAT scan Tuesday and hasn’t played since February 28th.
Carmelo Anthony sees soon-to-be free agent Rajon Rondo as an ideal fit for the triangle offense, but Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News argues that Rondo would be a poor free agent choice for the Knicks, citing his lack of shooting, questions about whether he’s truly an elite player and frequent involvement in controversy.
Norman Powell has proven a steal at the No. 46 pick last year, contends Mike Ganter of The National Post. Minutes have been inconsistent for the Raptors small forward, but he’s nonetheless getting some significant playing time and making a contribution to the Eastern Conference’s second-place team, as Ganter details.

Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Knicks, Nets

February 21st, 2016 at 5:37pm CST by Will Joseph

The Sixers assured Jahlil Okafor prior to the deadline that the center was a significant part of their future even though his name was attached to trade rumors, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. The Sixers listened to offers involving Okafor, according to reports, but needed an overwhelming deal to move him. The Celtics were rumored to be interested in Okafor, but league sources told Pompey that a deal was never in place.

“Rumors have been coming out about me all year,” Okafor said. “It’s just rumors. People here, I talked to them [beforehand]. We are all good where we are at right now. The rumors keep coming out. I know what’s going on here.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:

Nets interim coach Tony Brown believes the decision to part ways with Andrea Bargnani in what is believed to be a buyout deal was best for both parties, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets.
The Knicks, who did not improve their point guard situation before Thursday’s deadline, hope rookie Jerian Grant, who has been inconsistent, can improve his play, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. Grant is averaging 4.7 points and 2.4 assists per game.
With Kelly Olynyk dealing with a right shoulder injury and David Lee gone, there is a decent chance Celtics rookie Jordan Mickey will receive some playing time sooner rather than later, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com details. Mickey has spent the majority of this season in the D-League.
The vibe around the Nets is a lot more positive recently after Brooklyn hired Sean Marks as its new GM and moved into a new training facility, Lewis writes. “Definitely. It’s almost like it’s a new situation,” Joe Johnson said. “We have this great practice facility. We’ve got everything pretty much at our disposal. Guys come back with a great attitude since the break. You just want to try to finish strong and try to develop some type of chemistry with players that we have here. Just keep improving as a team, individually and see what happens.’’ Marks will spend the second half of the season evaluating the entire organization, per Lewis, and it will be interesting to see what becomes of Brown if Brooklyn continues its positive trend.

Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Marks, Frazier

February 20th, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Celtics came close to pulling off a significant trade involving the Nets‘ 2016 first round pick prior to Thursday’s trade deadline, but the other team pulled out at the last minute, team executive Danny Ainge relayed in a radio appearance on the “Toucher & Rich” show (h/t Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com). “We were very close,” Ainge said. “One story I can probably share with you is – I can’t tell you the team or the name – but it was very close. It was something we had been deliberating on for two days straight. The other team was doing that. And we were wrapping ourselves around a big package to do a deal. And at the very last minute, they just said they did not want to do it. They just backed out. So, it was a deal that was talked about, thought about. And that was probably the closest that we came. We were willing to do one deal, and it just didn’t happen. Both teams weren’t ready to go. And it was a really, tough close deal. And it was certainly not a no-brainer. There was risk on both sides’ part. But at the end of the day, both teams were not ready to do it.”

Though Ainge declined to name both the player and the team he was referring to in the radio spot, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald hears that the talks centered around Sixers rookie center Jahlil Okafor. While fans of both Boston and Philadelphia are left to ponder what might have been if that trade had been consummated, here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

New GM Sean Marks‘ contract with the Nets is a four-year deal that will pay him in excess of $9MM over that span, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
The Knicks considered signing point guard Tim Frazier, whom the Blazers waived Thursday, but New York instead decided on D-League shooting guard Jimmer Fredette, whom they plan to ink to a 10-day deal, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal relays (via Twitter).
The Sixers parted ways with JaKarr Sampson on Thursday, but the second-year player had all good things to say about his former team despite being waived, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, having earlier reported that the Sixers want to re-sign him if he clears waivers. “I don’t have anything negative to say about Philly,” Sampson said. “I feel like a lot of people in my situation might have something negative to say about Philly, like a ‘why-me’ type of thing. But I don’t have anything negative to say about the organization. I love those guys. They showed me a lot of love since I’ve been there. The fan base and everything … are great people. Even though we were losing, they still showed us love because we played hard.”

Sixers ‘Gauging Interest’ in Jahlil Okafor

February 18th, 2016 at 7:06am CST by Arthur Hill

THURSDAY, 7:06am: The Sixers have listened to offers but they’re not inclined to trade Okafor or Nerlens Noel barring an overwhelming offer, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

9:56pm: Philadelphia would insist on receiving a player at a different position of equal talent to Okafor if a trade is to happen, a source told Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

9:25pm: The Heat could be a possible trading partner, Moore writes in a full story, citing a report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the team expressed interest in Okafor earlier this season. A source tells Moore that coach Brett Brown has encountered difficulty in trying to blend Okafor and Noel, who are both natural back-to-the-basket big men. “I can’t really control what’s going to happen,” Okafor said today about trade rumors. Two sources also told Moore that teams interested in making deals with the Sixers are now contacting Colangelo, rather than GM Sam Hinkie.

8:44pm: The Sixers are “gauging interest” in rookie center Jahlil Okafor before Thursday’s trade deadline, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Okafor was the third overall pick in last year’s draft, but there have been concerns that he and power forward Nerlens Noel aren’t compatible, and Philadelphia’s frontcourt could get more crowded if 2014 draftee Joel Embiid can overcome a recurring foot injury and play next season.

Okafor has emerged as a top contender for Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds in 47 games. But he has experienced a troubled rookie season off the court, getting suspended for two games in December after videos were released showing his involvement in a Boston street fight.

Okafor is on a rookie scale contract and is signed through the 2018/19 season. If the Sixers do move him before the deadline, it will be the most dramatic step yet in the new direction the franchise has taken since Jerry Colangelo joined the front office in early December.

Heat Notes: Dragic, Bosh, Trade Targets

February 17th, 2016 at 9:00am CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat not surprisingly have interest in soon-to-be free agent Mike Conley, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald passes along via Dan Le Batard of ESPN Radio, and Miami is open to hearing offers for Goran Dragic, Jackson writes. However, the Heat are in no hurry to trade their point guard. The Heat like Jeff Teague and Al Horford, but Miami would need to find a third team to involve in a deal to get Atlanta the assets it wants for them, according to Jackson. DeMarcus Cousins and Jahlil Okafor have also held appeal to Miami, at least as of earlier this season, a source who has spoken with the Heat told Jackson. Moreover, the Heat want to further reduce their luxury tax bill and add a shooter, and they’re continuing to try to make the playoffs despite the health scare for Chris Bosh, who has an encouraging prognosis for his long-term health once his latest blood clot issue is resolved, Jackson reports.

See more from Miami:

The most likely course of action regarding Bosh’s health would probably knock him out for three months, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, though agent Henry Thomas told Winderman that it’s too soon to know what will happen.
The Heat probably wouldn’t benefit from missing the playoffs as much as they did last year when they snagged the No. 10 pick and Justise Winslow, making Bosh’s situation potentially devastating for the franchise, contends Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Miami’s first-round pick is again top-10 protected, but lottery and draft-night luck played in the Heat’s favor last year.
Jackson lists Mirza Teletovic, Jerryd Bayless and Wayne Ellington as “options” for the Heat as they look for a shooter, though it’s not entirely clear whether the Heat are indeed interested in them.

Sixers Notes: Colangelo, Saric, Noel, Smith

February 2nd, 2016 at 7:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers don’t expect to be active at this season’s trade deadline, but team executive Jerry Colangelo wouldn’t rule out making a move if the right opportunity came along, Brian Seltzer of NBA.com relays. “In terms of trade, we’re not actively out there looking to make a trade,” said Colangelo. “But, you always have to be open. Things happen usually right around All-Star break. There’s a week or 10 days when there’s a lot of discussion. It may lead to nothing, and I think right now we’re kind of content to say there are too many question marks about certain players, health, and so forth that you have to be very careful. You have to be very selective. Timing’s everything.”

“We had a meeting [Tuesday] morning about the next five years of trade targets, and the next five years of free agency, and what that looks like, and how to put the pieces in place that can give you a chance to make, not just a first move on the chessboard, but the last move,” GM Sam Hinkie added. That’s really critical. I know that sounds sort of far off. Someone like me has to be willing to look around the bend at how we can actually get to where we’re trying to go.”

Here’s more from Philly:

The addition of point guard Ish Smith has improved the play of the team’s outside shooters, a development directly related to Smith’s attacking style of play, Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com writes. “It gives us the opportunity to knock down shots,” Isaiah Canaan said. “With [Smith’s] speed, the defense has to take away his layups or the lob to Nerlens [Noel]. So with everybody running into the paint to lock in on him, it frees us up on our side to knock down shots. We tell him just find us and we’ll make them.“
The team has maintained constant communication with draft-and-stash prospect Dario Saric, who has stated that he intends to join the Sixers next season, tweets Camerato.
Philadelphia is still attempting to successfully blend the talents of big men Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, a process that would be easier if Noel could play power forward more effectively, according to Colangelo, notes Tom Moore of Calkins Media (Twitter links). The executive admitted that the franchise would need to make a decision regarding its big men for the future, Moore relays.