Jahlil Okafor Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Latest On Jahlil Okafor

November 27th, 2017 at 9:52am CST by Luke Adams

Jahlil Okafor is still in limbo in Philadelphia, and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that Okafor’s camp continues to push the Sixers for a buyout, while president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo remains focused on finding a trade involving the former third overall pick.

According to Wojnarowski, Colangelo’s asking price for Okafor has “steadily dropped.” The Sixers had initially been seeking a pair of first-round picks when the young center first went on the block, but would likely settle for a second-round pick and an expiring deal at this point. As Wojnarowski details, Colangelo also hasn’t given up on the possibility of Okafor’s contract being rolled into a larger deal, so Philadelphia may be inclined to hang onto him until the February 8 trade deadline.

For his part, Okafor has been patient as the Sixers try to find him a more suitable NBA home, but he admitted to Wojnarowski that he hopes the team will make a move sooner rather than later.

“I would like for them to just send me somewhere where I can get an opportunity,” Okafor said. “I’ve done everything they’ve asked of me and I would just like to get an opportunity to play with a trade or a buyout. I just hope something happens quickly.

“This is my third year in the NBA, and I know it’s a business,” Okafor continued. “I don’t know if it’s fair or not, but in talking to other people in the NBA, talking to retired players, one thing I’ve heard them say is that what’s going on with me isn’t right and they’ve never seen anything like this before. … I know it’s business, but in my eyes, I don’t know if it’s good business.”

Per Wojnarowski, more than half of the NBA’s 30 teams indicated to ESPN that they’d have interest in rolling the dice on Okafor as a long-term project. None of those clubs seem inclined to give up a draft asset to do so though, preferring to wait until he becomes a free agent. That’s currently set to happen in the summer of 2018, since the Sixers declined Okafor’s fourth-year option. However, the soon-to-be 22-year-old and agent Bill Duffy would like to see it happen sooner.

“I’m hopeful that Bryan will do what has always brought him and the players in his organization success and be flexible as Jahlil has handled himself the right way,” Duffy said. “There’s been a focus on trading Jah for the past nine months, but nothing has come to fruition. At this point, it’s time to exercise that flexibility because I don’t think anything in the marketplace is going to change. His contract is still going to expire in June, and teams are still going to hold onto their assets.

“We are simply requesting the organization be willing to proceed reasonably and allow Jah to get on with his career,” Duffy added. “The Sixers are positioned well for the present and the future, and we only want the same for Jahlil.”

Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Okafor, Embiid

November 23rd, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by Austin Kent

The Raptors reinvented their offense after a memorable offseason press conference in which president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri suggested that change would be coming. As Scott Cacciola of the New York Times, the team’s plan to change it’s mindset without actually changing its roster has actually worked.

With a desire to adapt to the ever-changing NBA landscape, the Raptors charged assistant coach Nick Nurse with the task of modernizing the team’s offense, ushering them from an era of one-and-one play into a new one that rewards ball movement and three-point shooting.

Prior to joining the Raptors, Nurse served as the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a G League team that paced the league in three-point attempts during his time there. Already this season, he’s convinced every Raptor, with the exception of Jakob Poeltl, to hoist a three.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are making the most out of second-year forward Pascal Siakam‘s rare motor, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “That’s something that’s kind of small but it’s huge, because a lot of guys can’t run like him and don’t want to run like him and don’t have the desire to run like him, and he does,” head coach Dwane Casey says. “And he focuses on it. He thinks about it. He knows that’s how he can score, is outrun people down the floor.“
It wasn’t long ago when Jahlil Okafor led the Sixers in scoring. These days the 21-year-old center can’t even get on the court. The trend seems eerily similar to the Nerlens Noel situation from last season, Sarah Todd of The Inquirer writes.
Despite only operating at 81% capacity, Sixers center Joel Embiid believes he’s the NBA’s best defensive player, Keith Pompey of The Inquirer writes. “Not to be cocky, but I think I’m the best defensive player in the league right now,” Embiid said. “I’m still getting better. My blocks are a little down [compared to last season]. I’m a better rebounder this year.“

Sixers Notes: Fultz, Okafor, Embiid

November 11th, 2017 at 8:31am CST by marksuleymanov

Markelle Fultz‘s NBA career has endured an inauspicious start as this year’s first overall pick has endured shooting difficulties stemming from a balky shoulder. The Washington product appeared in four games with the 76ers before he was sidelined indefinitely with a muscle imbalance in his right shoulder. As the Sixers are currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 6-5 record, so rushing Fultz back is not a smart idea, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

Murphy outlined three reasons why the Sixers are in a good position without their prized selection. The team is currently a projected playoff team, playing Fultz while he figures out his jumper is counterproductive, and Philadelphia is thriving with their current perimeter shooters, including J.J. Redick and Robert Covington.

“What it all boils down to is this: through 10 games, the Sixers look like a team that is more than capable of getting by without an additional role player,” Murphy writes. “They also look like a team that could reach a new level with Fultz playing the type of game they envisioned when drafting him. The obvious move is to focus not on getting him back on the court, but on getting his game back to where it was in college.”

Here are some other news tidbits surrounding the seventh-place Sixers:

Despite appearing in just two games this season, Jahlil Okafor has continued to put in hard work as he awaits a resolution on his future, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. After shedding 20 pounds in the offseason, the former third overall pick is now an impending free agent in limbo, but a favorite of coach Brett Brown. “He knows at any moment somebody can say, ‘You’ve been traded to this team.’ You get on a plane and play 25 minutes,” Brown said. “There’s an appropriate fear that you need to have.”
In a separate piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey writes that Joel Embiid — who entered the year with a minutes restriction due to his decorated injury history — is dealing with knee soreness. However, the team is cautiously optimistic about how his body will hold up.

Cavs Notes: James’ Impact, James’ Ambitions, Monroe

November 10th, 2017 at 9:25pm CST by Austin Kent

The impact that LeBron James has on the basketball world goes beyond the court. The superstar has helped a number of teammates land significant paydays, as outlined by Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.

“[James] definitely puts you in position to be successful to showcase what you’re great at and he enhances it on the bigger stage,” teammate Tristan Thompson, one of the chief beneficiaries of James’ impact said. “Eight and eight on a championship team is worth more than eight and eight on a .500 team or a team that doesn’t make the playoffs. Of course, that’s definitely a huge factor.”

Beyond Thompson, Lloyd lists players like J.R. Smith (who is represented by the same agency as James and Thompson) but also Matthew Dellavedova, whose scrappy play under the postseason spotlight landed him a $38MM contract.

“If we didn’t go to the Finals, I don’t get that playoff experience,” Dellavedova said. “I think the effect he has on everybody — he impacts so much that people don’t even think of. I think he has a role in a lot of things. An impact on everything.”

There’s more from the Cavs:

In the same feature at The Athletic, James opens up to Lloyd about the idea of owning an NBA franchise in the future. There’s no guarantee that opportunity comes in Cleveland, however. “To be an owner of any team would be crazy. If this thing opened up and I’m in a position financially, and I’ve got the right team around me, obviously. But who’s to say Dan will [sell]?” James said.
It’ll take some time for Isaiah Thomas to get used to playing with LeBron James and the rest of the Cavaliers but he tells Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com that he’s well-suited to make that transition quicker than most. “Me being older, me knowing the game a little bit more and being a student of the game, I’m going to be able to adjust quicker than somebody else could,” Thomas said.
The Cavs aren’t interested in making a move for Sixers big man Jahlil Okafor but their interest in Greg Monroe would be higher, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com says in a question-and-answer with readers.

Pistons Notes: Bledsoe, Okafor, Van Gundy

November 8th, 2017 at 6:36pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Coach executive Stan Van Gundy is not a fan of the trade that brought Eric Bledsoe into the Pistons‘ division, telling the media today he “would have liked [Bledsoe] to stay in the West because he’s a really good player.”

“Bledsoe’s a hell of a player,” Van Gundy continued (via Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press).“Clearly [the Bucks] wanted another guy to push the ball and run pick-and-rolls, maybe take some pressure off Giannis having to handle the ball all the time.”

SVG adds that while getting Bledsoe helps Milwaukee, the team will feel the absence of Greg Monroe.

“Greg’s a loss,” Van Gundy said. “You don’t get somebody Bledsoe’s level of player without giving something up. I thought Greg last year off the bench as a scorer was huge, huge reason they ended up making the playoffs.”

Van Gundy coached Monroe for one season in Detroit before the big man departed as a free agent in the Summer of 2015.

Here’s more from Detroit:

Could the Pistons be a fit for Jahlil Okafor? Ellis (separate piece) hears that the front office views the former No. 3 overall pick as a developmental project and they are unlikely to be in the market for that kind of player right now.
Avery Bradley is exactly the kind of guard the Pistons have always needed, Sean Deveney of Sporting News contends. In the beginning of Van Gundy’s tenure, he targeted Danny Green in free agency, only to see the defensive-minded shooting guard return to the Spurs. With the addition of Bradley, the Pistons are able finally able to get the mix of top defense and spot-up shooting at the two.
The Pistons started the season wielding one of the league’s deepest rotations, something that was designed through an offseason of adding depth. The plan is allowing the team to play at a high level despite being with Stanley Johnson and Jon Leuer because of various injuries, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes.“We said that going in. I think it’s a roster where everybody’s capable of playing and so now you get tested,” Van Gundy said. “With having two of your top seven guys out, you get tested on that a little bit so we’ll see how it goes.”

Community Shootaround: Best Fit For Jahlil Okafor

November 8th, 2017 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

With Eric Bledsoe officially a Milwaukee Buck, one of two major early-season trade candidates is off the market, leaving Sixers center Jahlil Okafor as the other notable player seeking a change of scenery.

Okafor’s less-than-ideal situation in Philadelphia has been well documented, both on Hoops Rumors and elsewhere, but here’s the abridged version: Despite being the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, Okafor has fallen behind Joel Embiid, Richaun Holmes, and Amir Johnson on the Sixers’ depth chart, and rarely sees the court. Philadelphia also turned down the 21-year-old’s option for 2018/19, putting him on track to reach unrestricted free agency next summer.

With no role in Philadelphia, Okafor has confirmed he wants a trade or a buyout. However, the 76ers are in a tough spot. Now that they’ve declined the option on Okafor’s contract for next year, a team that acquires him in a trade can’t offer him more than $6.3MM as a starting salary in 2018.

At this point, Okafor seems unlikely to earn an offer that significant anyway, but what if he enjoys a breakout year after being traded? The better he plays for his new team, the less likely that team is to have the ability to re-sign him at season’s end. As such, clubs are unlikely to surrender much of value for him. Throw in the fact that the Sixers are uninterested in taking on salary for 2018/19 in any trade, and it’s not hard to see why finding a viable deal is tricky.

Still, Okafor was a third overall pick just over two years ago, and had a solid rookie season in 2015/16, averaging 17.5 PPG and 7.0 RPG. He’s not the sort of player Philadelphia wants to just give up for nothing, even if the club doesn’t have room for him its rotation. So buyout conversations aren’t happening right now, as the Sixers continue to explore trade possibilities.

The Celtics are one obvious suitor, with an $8.4MM disabled player exception available to use on Okafor, but the Sixers seem unenthusiastic about sending the big man to a division rival. The Bulls and Hawks have been mentioned as possible landing spots, and it makes sense that rebuilding teams like those would be willing to take a shot on a player with Okafor’s pedigree. The Suns – another rebuilding club – reportedly has some interest in Okafor too. And the Bucks look like an ideal fit — they just traded Greg Monroe, and they’re armed with a $5MM trade exception that is the perfect size for Okafor’s $4,995,120 salary.

What do you think? Which team would be the best fit for Okafor, in terms of his potential for on-court success? Which team would be the best fit for the Sixers as a potential trade partner? Where do you expect Okafor to ultimately end up?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Suns Have Interest In Jahlil Okafor

November 8th, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have shown interest in trade candidate Jahlil Okafor, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski notes within his report on Greg Monroe‘s future in Phoenix.

As Wojnarowski details, Okafor likely isn’t a fit for the Suns at the moment, with Monroe joining Tyson Chandler and Alex Len to create a crowded depth chart at center. However, both Monroe and Chandler are trade candidates, and Len is only on a one-year contract, so it’s not as if Phoenix has its center position set for years to come.

The Suns currently have a full 15-man roster and will need to open up a roster spot by December 6 in order to convert Mike James‘ two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. As such, it’s not clear if the team will have the flexibility to make a play for Okafor. The Sixers are reportedly uninterested in taking on salary for the 2018/19 season, which limits Phoenix’s potential trade options.

Okafor confirmed last week that he’s seeking a trade or buyout from Philadelphia, but the Sixers appear to be in no rush to make a move, recognizing that his value has a chance to increase in the event of an injury, or closer to the trade deadline. The Bulls and Hawks have been cited as possible suitors for the former third overall pick, with the Celtics viewed as a viable option as well. The Bucks could also be an intriguing fit for Okafor after they dealt Monroe.

Trade Notes: Suns, Bucks, Bledsoe, Monroe, Okafor

November 7th, 2017 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Major early-November NBA trades are rare, but the Suns and Bucks are on the verge of completing one, having agreed in principle to a trade that will send Eric Bledsoe to Milwaukee. Greg Monroe is heading to Phoenix as part of that deal, along with the Bucks’ 2018 first-round pick and 2018 second-round pick.

Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter link) expressed some surprised that Tyson Chandler wasn’t involved in the trade, since he’s a good friend of Jason Kidd, who has wanted Chandler on his roster in the past. However, Chandler is earning $13MM and is under contract next year as well, so the Bucks would have had to add another substantial salary to the deal to make that happen.

Meanwhile, Chris Haynes of ESPN observes (via Twitter) that the Suns finalized the agreement just when Bledsoe was about to return to the club’s facility to work out, which was either a fortuitous coincidence or a sign that the team really had no interest in having him around.

Here’s more on the Bledsoe trade:

Monroe and his $17MM+ contract appear to be functioning primarily as salary filler to complete this deal, but the Suns have yet to decide whether to keep, trade, or release him, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. If Phoenix buys out Monroe, the big man would be an “obvious candidate” to sign with the Celtics or Thunder, says Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post (Twitter link).
After trading Monroe, the Bucks look like a match made in heaven for Jahlil Okafor, argues Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype.
While Bledsoe didn’t have a strong preference for where he ended up, Milwaukee was at the top of his wish list, according to Gambadoro, who says the point guard is looking forward to playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo (Twitter links).
Because today’s trade is a one-for-one swap in terms of players, the Suns will still have to open up a roster spot within the next month in order to convert Mike James‘ two-way contract to a standard NBA deal, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
The acquisition of Bledsoe doesn’t come without a good deal of risk for the Bucks, given the point guard’s injury history, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

Bulls, Hawks Most Likely Suitors For Okafor?

November 6th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls and Hawks appear to be the most likely landing spots for Jahlil Okafor, according to TNT’s David Aldridge, who cites league sources in his latest report at NBA.com. However, the Sixers continue to hold out for “at least a draft pick,” Aldridge writes.

While it’s not clear if Aldridge is referring to a first-round pick or just a decent second-rounder, his report sounds similar to one from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski last week. Wojnarowski indicated that the 76ers remain committed to acquiring some sort of “asset” in exchange for Okafor, who has asked to be traded or bought out.

The Bulls and Hawks are both very much in rebuilding mode, with just two wins apiece so far this season, so a move to acquire a 21-year-old with Okafor’s pedigree would make sense for either team. However, both clubs figure to maintain a tight hold on their draft picks, and – like Boston – would almost certainly be unwilling to part with a first-rounder for Okafor.

Although the former third overall pick still has plenty of potential, his contract situation makes him a tough sell. Because his fourth-year option was turned down, Okafor will be an unrestricted free agent next July, and the team carrying him as season’s end won’t be able to offer him a contract with a starting salary higher than about $6.3MM, the amount of his declined option. So if Okafor were to be traded now and then enjoyed a breakout year with his new team, that club may not be able to re-sign him.

Okafor would like resolution sooner rather than later, but as Aldridge notes, it’s possible that the Sixers will hang onto him as insurance against a potential Joel Embiid injury, or in order to use him as a salary-matching piece in a deadline deal.

The 76ers don’t want to take on any extra salary in a potential Okafor trade, since they want to have the flexibility to renegotiate Robert Covington‘s contract after November 15 and to retain cap space for next summer, says Aldridge. Philadelphia is also reluctant to buy out Okafor, according to Aldridge, since they believe it would take the division-rival Celtics “about 30 seconds to scarf him up.”

Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Morris, Crabbe, Russell

November 5th, 2017 at 9:07am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics remain interested in Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, but won’t give up a first-round pick to get him, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Boston views the third-year center as more of a project than an immediate contributor and is reluctant to part with a significant asset.

Okafor has been on the market for more than a year, but his fate became obvious when the Sixers decided this week not to pick up his option for 2018/19. Washburn contends Philadelphia has let Okafor’s market value slip by not playing him. He has appeared in just one game this season.

Washburn compliments Okafor for the way he has handled a difficult situation and says the No. 3 pick in the 2015 draft has kept himself in good shape despite the lack of playing time. The Bucks, Cavaliers, Spurs and Nuggets also have interest in Okafor, according to Sam Amico of AmicoHoops, but so far no one is willing to meet the Sixers‘ asking price.

There’s more this morning from the Atlantic Division:

Marcus Morris made an immediate impact Friday in his first game for the Celtics, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. After being slowed by soreness in his left knee, Morris debuted with nine points and four rebounds in a win over the Thunder, and his defense on Carmelo Anthony helped Boston overcome a large deficit.
Allen Crabbe posted his best game since joining the Nets with 25 points Friday against the Lakers, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The fifth-year swingman was acquired from the Trail Blazers in a July trade to boost Brooklyn’s offense, but has started the season in a shooting slump, hitting just 15 of 43 from 3-point range before Friday night. “I think he’s finding his rhythm. He’s going to get better and better,” said coach Kenny Atkinson. “He was struggling because he missed a fair amount of time at training camp. I [don’t] think he was physically at his peak. You’ll see him get better as the season goes on.”
Nets point guard D’Angelo Russell has responded to comments from Lakers president Magic Johnson suggesting he wasn’t a leader during his time in Los Angeles, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I would say it ruffled a few feathers,” said Russell, who spent two seasons in L.A. after being the second pick in the 2015 draft. “But you control what you can control. He’s in a position to say what he wants, so I just try to do what I can do at the end of the day.”