Jahlil Okafor (Photo : Mitchell Leff | Getty Images Sport)
The recent incident involving Jahlil Okafor reflects badly on the Philadelphia 76ers.
There should be no excuses for Jahlil Okafor's behavior but it must be pointed out that he is only 19 years old and the level of frustration in the Philadelphia 76ers is reaching unprecedented depths.
This is an example of why maturity should also count as well as talent and it might be used as an argument to heighten the age limit for the draft. Okafor was not known as a troublemaker-in fact he is a winner at every level.
As Yahoo pointed out, Okafor has not won a sanctioned basketball game since April 5, when he led the Duke Blue Devils to the NCAA Championship. Prior to that, he also won a championship in high school. They cite that the absence of veteran leadership and continuous flux of players in the roster is a "flawed system."
It could be argued that Okafor is a professional athlete being paid millions, so he should not complain. He knew how the draft works and unlike college where he could select a winning team, he's more likely to end up on a bottom-feeder in the NBA.
Besides, the league is filled with state champions and MVPs. Carmelo Anthony, for one, was a champion at every level, his Oak Hill Academy beating LeBron James' high school and he also won the championship as a one-and-done in Syracuse yet12 years in the league and he has not won a title. Okafor just finished his first month.
The Sixers have been hounded by trade rumors as their two main assets do not work well together. There was speculation about him and Nerlens Noel, but with this incident, perhaps it's Okafor who would benefit from a change of scenery.
This was tackled in a Real GM thread which even had a poll on who the Sixers should trade, Okafor or Noel. The non-Sixers fans voted to trade Noel but interestingly, the Sixers fans wanted Okafor out-even if he is their best player statistically.
If Okafor would be traded, where should he go? It's an easy match-the Boston Celtics have been in the hunt for a future franchise big man and Okafor would definitely fit that bill. The Celtics are also committed to winning in spite of their accumulated assets, and Brad Stevens would be a great coach for the former Duke standout.
Not to mention the Celtics have the assets that the Sixers are always coveting: draft picks. Of course, the Brooklyn Nets first rounder is off the table, but the Celtics have the Dallas Mavericks' top 7 protected pick. They could offer that along with multiple second round picks and even Jared Sullinger or Kelly Olynyk.
