Sixers and Pelicans Talking About Sending Jahlil Okafor to Pelicans
By Josh Wilson
In NBA trade rumors, the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans are talking about the possibility of sending Jahlil Okafor to New Orleans.
NBA trade rumors season is officially here, and we got our first Philadelphia 76ers-related Woj bomb dropped on us on Monday shortly before 5pm. This trade rumor comes with just under 20 days to go until the NBA trade deadline, the ideal date that the Sixers will have moved a big man by.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly engaged in talks to move Jahlil Okafor to New Orleans.
Okafor was named as the starter for Monday night’s game just hours before the trade rumor surfaced. The story was first reported by Sam Amick, and reinforced by Adrian Wojnarowski, an NBA rumor genius.
Sixers & Pelicans in talks about sending Jahlil Okafor to New Orleans. Philly pushing for NO 1st rounder. Story coming at @USATODAYsports
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) February 6, 2017
Philadelphia and New Orleans engaging in talks focused on a trade for 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2017
The goal coming into trade season was for the Sixers to move a big. They have had Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and Richaun Holmes all season long, and it’s simply not working for the Sixers. There’s an urgency to move Okafor or Noel because they both are players that were drafted with lottery picks that Hinkie stock-piled, so fans certainly want to see the team get some value in return for them.
more rumors: Lakers a Possible Trade Target for Sixers
Fair Market Value?
As far as what a good value would be, it’s incredibly unclear. The Sixers might not be able to get even close to what they want as an ideal value, and at this point, need to be careful with any offer and consider whether or not a better offer would even ever be available.
While it seems like these are just the beginning of talks between the two teams, a report from Keith Smith makes things seem more imminent.
Source confirms @sam_amick report that PHI & NOP are engaged in talks to send Jahlil Okafor to NO. Sticking point is draft pick compensation
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 6, 2017
Source: Pick protection is the hold up in Okafor trade to NO. NOP wants to lottery protect, while PHI wants to take it down to top 5-10.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 6, 2017
Source: Latest update is that if NOP gives up a lottery protected 1st, they want PHI to eat one of Asik/Ajinca.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 6, 2017
Smith’s reports seem to indicate that the only hold up at this point is the protection of a pick.
The Sixers taking on Asik or Ajinca wouldn’t be a big deal if the Sixers could maneuver something where they waive Chasson Randle, then take on one of the two Pelicans players, waive them to claim their salary to their payroll, and then re-sign Randle. We’ve seen the Sixers do similar things in the past, but at last year’s trade deadline, that’s actually how the team lost JaKarr Sampson to the Denver Nuggets.
UPDATE
Smith later reported that a deal is close, and could be done today.
Source: PHI/NOP trade is close. Deal is expected to include Ajinca & a protected 1st to PHI and Okafor to NOP. Could be done today.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 6, 2017
Bryan Colangelo preached “value” for making a trade, and if the pick includes a lottery protected first and Ajinca for Okafor, that is certainly not value. Smith has indicated that the hold-up on a trade is that the Pelicans want to lottery protect the pick, while the Sixers want to protect the pick somewhere in the 5-10 range, which would more or less give them a first-round redo on a draft pick.