Adrian Fedkiw
Unloading Jahlil Okafor is becoming harder and harder over each passing day.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier Saturday that Okafor was nearly sent to the Boston Celtics for Amir Johnson in a sign-and-trade. Obviously those talks fell through as Johnson was later signed to a one-year, $11 million deal with the Sixers.
If Okafor makes it to the season with the Sixers, I’m not sure where he fits into the equation. The Sixers are going to want to play the “pace-and-space” brand of basketball and Okafor can neither run the floor or step out and hit a shot from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Richaun Holmes and Johnson all fit the style of play better than Okafor. It’d be great if he’d be able to see 20 minutes a night, showcase what he can do, and maybe just maybe, Jah will be worth at least something by the trade deadline.
He needs to be on a team that plays a lot of halfcourt basketball and likes to slow the pace down.
The Sixers will certainly not be that.
Here were my thoughts on the report.