Nick Piccone
After a trade looked imminent this weekend, the Sixers decided to hold Jahlil Okafor out of Saturday night’s game against the Miami Heat. Then, they told him to stay home as they traveled to Charlotte for Monday night’s game just in case a trade was to occur.
And tonight in Boston, Okafor will re-join the team.
What a weird scenario.
Okafor probably thinks there’s no way he’s a Philadelphia 76er after next week’s trade deadline. The deadline is next Thursday, right after the All-Star break, and I think everyone would be surprised – Okafor himself, the Sixers’ front office, and the fans – if he’s still a part of this basketball team on Friday. But would the Sixers keeping Okafor home instead of joining them on the road just to not trade him look as unfair to anyone else as it does to me?
How can Okafor come back and play for this team if he’s not traded? It’s pretty crazy to think about. I can’t remember a similar scenario happening off the top of my head. I’m sure there are trade rumors all the time, and players ultimately have to play while thinking whether those rumors are true or not, but this time, the Sixers have publicly admitted that they want to move Okafor.
It should be an interesting week for the Sixers. Brett Brown apparently loves being open and honest with Okafor, who is open and honest to him in return, but this is just … weird.
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