NBA Rumors: Buzz on Jahlil Okafor Trade, Greg Monroe and More

While it often seems like most NBA rumors involving free agents and trades crop up simply to tease and excite fans—only to be quickly dispelled or fade away, never to be heard from again—others are more persistent. They can linger for days, weeks, even months, and in the end may lead to an actual move or two.

Chatter involving the Boston Celtics, flush with young, athletic players and future draft picks, has persisted for much of the 2016 offseason. After a satisfying fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season, accomplished with a lone All-Star in diminutive point guard Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics are primed to take greater steps toward contending this season.

While they've been linked to illustrious names like Blake Griffin and Russell Westbrook, CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely reported that the established stars may be out of reach, and the Philadelphia 76ers' Jahlil Okafor might be the trade Celtics fans will actually see come to fruition.

"The consensus among league executives spoken to by CSNNE.com is that the most likely trade for Boston will be one in which they wind up with Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor," Blakely wrote.

Blakely added that "league sources claim both have kept the door ajar to getting a deal done between now and the start of training camp."

The No. 3 pick of the 2015 draft, Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 53 games as a rookie. He boasts a fine array of post moves and has a decent shooting stroke but is little help on defense, with a 110 defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.com.

The 76ers certainly need to carve out some room in the frontcourt so that their young big men can get the minutes they need to develop. The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks noted that between Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and Okafor, the latter might be the one who least fits with Philly:

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In all likelihood, Okafor is the odd man out. Not only does Embiid have the most upside, but also no team would give up much for a guy who hasn’t played competitive basketball in two years. And while Noel would probably fetch the most in a trade, his athleticism and defensive potential is a much better fit with the rest of the roster. Okafor is exactly the opposite of the type of big man you want around Simmons, who needs to be protected on defense and is best operating in a spread floor with a pick-and-roll partner who can play above the rim. Playing Okafor and Simmons together would be a disaster, as neither is capable of shooting from distance or protecting the paint.

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Even though Philly is heading into its first post-Process season, it doesn't mean the team can't keep hoarding more picks if it's the sensible move to make.

Trading for Okafor might not be the home run move that launches Boston into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference right away, but this team is well-positioned for the long run and doesn't need to contend right away. He showed an impressive ability to create his own shots as a rookie, and he could do even more on offense by playing with a smart passing guard like Thomas.

Speaking of persistent rumors, ESPN.com's Marc Stein noted on Tuesday that the Milwaukee Bucks' Greg Monroe and the Sacramento Kings' Rudy Gay are potentially still on the trading block: 

Earlier in July, Stein reported that the Chicago Bulls engaged in "exploratory discussions" with the Kings regarding Gay, but that the moves for Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo likely ended that conversation.

The Kings are likely going to have to sell low on Gay if they want to move him at all. Gay's offensive production took a dip in his second year with the Kings, from 21.1 points and 3.7 assists per game in 2014-15 to 17.2 and 1.7, respectively, last season.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

The UConn alum turns 30 in August and is owed $27 million over the next two seasons, though the second is a player option, per Spotrac. Those salary figures aren't quite so bad in light of the rising salary-cap numbers, but it doesn't help matters much, especially if a potential trade partner is worried about Gay bolting after one season.

As for Monroe, his numbers have remained fairly steady over the course of his six NBA seasons, but his style of play doesn't mesh well with the type of athletic, run-and-gun team the Bucks are building around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

Monroe doesn't create space on offense, with 86.6 of his field-goal attempts coming from 10 feet or closer to the basket, per Basketball-Reference.com. Miles Plumlee also shoots close to the basket, but he at least excels in the pick-and-roll and moves around the floor better than Monroe.

"I know when I get a good screen for him (Antetokounmpo), he can just see over everybody," Plumlee said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Charles F. Gardner. "It's the easiest play we have, I think. Every time I can set a ball screen for Giannis, it's two points for me."

Monroe is also something of a liability on defense, with a 106 defensive rating last season, per Basketball-Reference.com.

He is a strong rebounder and does well with the ball in the low post. He may be better off contributing as a veteran on a contending team, rather than as the center of a young Bucks team looking to play a faster, more agile brand of basketball.