NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Rumors Surrounding Jahlil Okafor, Boston Celtics
Since the NBA draft, it’s felt like a matter of when, not if, Jahlil Okafor ends up with the Boston Celtics.
The Philadelphia 76ers have a ton of big men. By contrast, even with the splash signing of All-Star Al Horford, Boston doesn’t have a major presence on the post.
So a deal makes sense.
Okafor even addressed the constant talk with NBA TV's Jared Greenberg at the Las Vegas Summer League:
If the fit is perfect, what’s the holdup? Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has a ton of future assets at his disposal, after all.
Maybe things aren't as obvious as they seem. The latest rumblings around the potential pairing seem contradictory.
Let’s look at both sides.
Boston not willing to give up much?
According to Keith Pompey of Philly.com, Boston might not be as infatuated with the former No. 3 overall pick as the public seems to think:
"Word out of Boston is that the Celtics will not give up much for the 6-foot-11, 257-pounder.
They have concerns about his playing in the city after being involved in two street fights there in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning. Nor do they like the fact that the center saw a gun pointed at his head in Old City and that he was stopped for going 108 mph over the Ben Franklin Bridge.
"
Okafor averaged 17.5 points per game during his rookie campaign, second among neophytes to Karl-Anthony Towns’ 18.3 points per contest. His 7.0 rebounds per outing ranked behind only Towns' 10.5 and Kristaps Porzingis' 7.3. He's also healthy, per Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com:
But Boston's concerns are legitimate.
In December, Okafor was suspended for two games after TMZ uncovered video footage (warning: NSFW) of the former Duke star involved in two different street fights.
Both fights coincidentally took place in Boston.
Okafor was still a 19-year-old at the time of the brawls. He’s a kid, and mistakes happen when you’re young. But the Celtics are wise to be cautious.
“The Celtics have a practice of minimizing the risk when acquiring guys who have had what they view as a character flaw,” Pompey wrote.
He went on to compare the situation to the eccentric Delonte West, whom Ainge reportedly “loved” but would not overpay.
Pompey concluded by reporting that while Boston likes Okafor, the team will not give the Sixers “equal value.”
Boston more likely to trade for Okafor than a superstar
CSNNE.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely, who released his article four days prior to Pompey’s Friday report, painted Boston’s pursuit of Okafor in a different light.
Blakely reported Boston is more likely to make a move for the 20-year-old center than Russell Westbrook or Blake Griffin, both of whom are bona fide superstars who could be there for the taking.
Additionally, potential trade partners such as the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers are holding tight, and the Okafor rumors don’t seem to be giving Boston any leverage.
According to Blakely, 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.”
It will take a king’s ransom to land Westbrook or Griffin, and rightfully so. Okafor won’t bring the franchise-altering star power that those two would, but he’d come at a cheaper price—especially because Philly doesn’t seem to have a spot for him, with Joel Embiid (foot) on the mend.
An NBA scout echoed this to Blakely:
"From the moment Philly drafted Ben [Simmons], everyone around the league knew that they would have to trade a big, either Okafor or Nerlens [Noel]. Okafor is the better scorer; it’s not even close really. But Nerlens has that ability to run the floor and can protect the rim. Those two qualities . . . you can’t have enough guys in the frontcourt who call those two skills, strengths. That’s why Okafor is the more expendable player.
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This leads us to why a deal hasn’t happened already.
Okafor is the odd man out in Philadelphia—but the Celtics know this. That’s why the team doesn't seem to be willing to give up a lot for him.
Despite the apparent standoff, one of the sides is likely to break sooner than later, though. Expect Okafor to be rocking green and white next year.
