Jahlil Okafor (Photo : Getty Images Sport)
The NBA trade rumors continue and a team looking forward to next season like the Philadelphia 76ers is bound to make a move.
It has already been a subject of debate around the City of Brotherly Love. The Sixers have two young centers active and one set to return. In a time when most NBA teams are fielding rosters that have one big man and four players who shoot the three, the Sixers roster must be made over.
With the pressure to fast-track the process looming over GM Sam Hinkie, one of the bigs must be exchanged for a perimeter guy, preferably a point guard. This is why it was speculated by team site The Sixer Sense that Jahlil Okafor may have played his last day in Philly. Okafor is injured and will miss the rest of the season.
"With just nine victories, the team is desperate to improve the overall quality of the team next season. Part of that upgrade will take place when the team welcomes Dario Saric and Joel Embiid to the active roster next season," TSS writer Ben Stuter stated. "Despite playing for a bad team, the rookie center from Duke University had a tremendously productive rookie season."
Okafor has been a pleasant surprise for the Sixers overall, despite some off-court issues. Why should he be the one traded?
"With the team focusing center Nerlens Noel on rim protecting duties and with the season ending soon, the other active center, Jahlil Okafor, is stuck in rehabilitation limbo," Stuter mentioned.
There is still no idea what type of player Joel Embiid will play and any of the moves the Sixers might make rests on that variable. But the projection for Embiid is a post player, often compared to Hakeem Olajuwon. That would be too much of a stress and we are not aware of how the Sixers are developing him, but if he is a post player and his injuries hamper his athleticism, Noel would be the better fit.
Besides, trading Okafor could get juicy returns. ESPN analyst Scoop Jackson was a guest at ESPN LA Radio Show opined that the Lakers need to replace Roy Hibbert. He suggested that Philadelphia will indeed make the move to replace one of their centers.
Jackson chose Okafor because of his offensive capabilities and low post skills. But his controversial take was that he would trade D'Angelo Russell for Okafor. His basis: Jordan Clarkson is the "real deal" at point guard as he made the All-Rookie team.
Announcers Marcellus Wiley and Andy Kamenetzky noted that if the Lakers traded Russell "the way he is playing now" there would be riots in the city. They argued that Clarkson should be the one to go.
