Jahlil Okafor (Photo : Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns could explore a trade involving Jahlil Okafor and Brandon Knight, in a deal which would address both team's roster needs.
It could only be a matter of time before the 76ers finally address their crowded frontcourt, which boils down to trading either Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
"The Sixers have had periodic trade talks this summer involving [Nerlens] Noel and [Jahlil] Okafor and plan eventually to move one of them, league sources said. Philadelphia doesn't believe the two players' talents are complementary," Wojnarowski wrote.
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While NBA analysts believe Noel is the likely odd man out in Philadelphia, it would be difficult to find a trade partner for the 22-year-old, who has yet to play this season due to a knee injury. That leaves Okafor as the potential trade chip if the 76ers decides to make a move early in the season.
It is unclear whether the 76ers would push for flipping one of their young big men into a reliable point guard, but consider the team's current roster, it is a move worth considering. According to Adam Fromal of Bleacher Report, the 76ers could ponder about a potential trade with the Suns that would see Philly sending Okafor and a pair of second-round picks to Phoenix for Brandon Knight.
"The Phoenix Suns, for example, could give up on Alex Len and Tyson Chandler, throwing Brandon Knight to the Sixers as scoring guard relief while salivating over the prospect of pairing Okafor with the athletic defense of Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss," Fromal wrote.
Adding Okafor would give the Suns a loaded frontcourt of their own, but the Duke product's offensive skills would make him a top option for Phoenix, who lacks a versatile scorer inside the paint. Okafor, who averages 10.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season, isn't known for his defense, but Bender and Chriss' effectiveness on that end should cover up any of the 20-year-old center's flaws.
For the 76ers, bringing in Knight would give them a bona fide playmaker who can run the point. Knight, who is posting an average of 11.1 points and 3.1 assists a game, has been relegated to the bench, with Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker taking over the team's starting backcourt. The Suns also have a plethora of backup guards in Leandro Barbosa, Archie Goodwin and Tyler Ulis, forcing Knight to play a career-low 25.0 minutes per game.
Marc Stein reported in the past few months that the Suns were pondering about trading either Bledsoe or Knight, which obviously did not come to fruition. But as the season goes on, it is possible the Suns would consider such move, especially if it would net them a young and talented big man like Okafor in return.
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