Jahlil Okafor (Photo : Getty Images)
The NBA trade rumors continue for the Philadelphia 76ers as their seemingly simple task of trading one of their centers (Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor) has been pending for almost two months now.
The Sixers were very clear on what they wanted to achieve-another top 6 pick in order to draft Kris Dunn or Jamal Murray, basically a scoring point guard. Okafor was a third overall pick, averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds while making it to the All-Rookie team. There were teams with a clear need at center and a young, talented rookie is on the block.
More than a month after the draft, the Sixers didn't get their young rookie point guard and the team still has Okafor and Noel.
Most of the pundits have maintained that Okafor is a great fit for the Boston Celtics, but Trader Danny may have shown his shrewd side again, as Philly.com reported.
"Word out of Boston is that the Celtics will not give up much for the 6-foot-11, 257-pounder," Keith Pompey reported."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."
Pompey concluded: "The Celtics have a practice of minimizing the risk when acquiring guys who have had what they view as a character flaw."
Now that the seemingly "perfect fit" for the former Duke standout may be brushed off the picture, the best option for Okafor would be to come back home.
Like Dwyane Wade, Okafor is from Chicago. According to The Sixer Sense, in their recent evaluation for Okafor trade options, they noted that rumors of the Bulls taking interest with rookie Denzel Valentine and Doug McDermott.
Writer Bret Stuter noted that rumors started from a speculative piece on The Ringer, but it persisted and multiple sources have picked it up.
Stuter noted that the Derrick Rose rumors started similarly with the early sources being brushed off. Months later, sources like Marc Stein of ESPN confirmed interest and now Rose is in New York.
Nevertheless, at present, it's best to take the rumor with a grain of salt. Still, a haul of McDermott and Valentine is "fair value for Okafor" according to Stuter. It's exactly what they would want to hear.
But there's another trade from left field. The Sixers have a loaded frontline in Okafor, Noel, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Ben Simmons, but if they need a veteran blue collar power forward, Taj Gibson could be the best return.
With Ben Simmons seemingly being groomed as a point forward, it won't be farfetched to see Gibson playing alongside him.
If the Bulls hesitate on trading young talent and shooters, Gibson could be a reasonable price to pay.
