The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to part ways with Jahlil Okafor before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. The only thing missing in the mix right now is which team that will be.
With only a couple of hours left, at least one person is convinced that Jahlil Okafor will be playing for another ballclub soon. NBA reporter David Aldridge is convinced that the Sixers will move on without Okafor and finish the season with him on another team when he gave his take on NBATV.
To prove that his take was not merely a speculation, Aldridge singled out two potential suitors. The teams he suggested are the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers.
The Kings make a lot of sense considering they recently dealt away DeMarcus Cousins. Kings coach Dave Joerger is looking for some big men to fill in the void and Okafor should fit in perfectly. But who will they deal in exchange?
The Kings got three guards in Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, and Langston Galloway. Depending on the numbers, one or two of them could be dealt. Sacrament could likely keep Hield, a young and promising guard who is still wet behind the ears. Hence, Evans and/or Galloway could be offered to the Sixers and satisfy their need for guards or wing players, CBS Local reported.
For the Pacers, the case is a bit different. Indiana is looking for reinforcement to support Paul George, a move that could be more than giving him immediate help. George is reportedly undecided to stay with Indiana long-term and part of the reason could be because the Pacers direction is crooked.
There are other teams in pursuit of Okafor like the Chicago Bulls and the Portland Trail Blazers. The Pelicans were in the mix but obviously out after the Cousins deal. So right now there are four teams linked to the 20-year-old center and there is no telling who will be triumphant.
There is also a scenario where the Sixers could pass on a trade for now. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are injured so they could opt to keep him at least until the end of the season. It goes beyond the call of Aldridge. The Sixers are 13th in the Easter Conference and a playoff spot can only be attainable if they string up wins.
Check out the latest on Jahlil Okafor in the video below.