The Philadelphia 76ers have been involved in plenty of NBA rumors with different teams, and it looks like Jahlil Okafor will be moved Sunday or Monday.
The Philadelphia 76ers won over the Miami Heat on Saturday night, snapping the Heat’s 13-game win streak. The Sixers did this without Joel Embiid due to injury, and more notably, without Jahlil Okafor due to impending trade talks. This is the first time that we know the team has sat a player this season because they were rumored in a trade.
The Sixers have been involved in trade talks regarding Okafor since this month opened, with the first two teams being confirmed as the New Orleans Pelicans and the Chicago Bulls. Now, it looks like there’s more teams, but as we thought, the Pelicans are reportedly the team that is a front-runner to get Okafor.
What was different about the rumored trade talks on Saturday is that this was sonmething openly discussed by the Sixers — including head coach Brett Brown, as well as players — in the locker room. Previously, the team would brush stuff like this off as just rumors. Now, the Sixers are talking about it, and going as far as naming Okafor as the player.
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Okafor was gone before the media could enter the locker room on Saturday.
The Pelicans seem to want to make a playoff push, and have hopes that Okafor can help them do that.
Keith Smith, who has been strong on the reporting front regarding the Sixers situation, says that the team is expected to trade Okafor on Sunday, “or so.” Smith’s source says that the team can’t go back after pulling him from the lineup, and that the Pelicans are the leading contender.
Source: Expect Okafor trade to be completed in the next day or so. Can't go back after pulling him from lineup today. NOP leading contender.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 12, 2017
Smith also said that the, “situation would be awkward if Okafor is still on team by,” Monday after they openly said they pulled him for Saturday night’s game because of trade talks.
PHI next plays on Monday. Situation will be awkward if Okafor is still on team by then after pulling him from the lineup tonight.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 12, 2017
While it would certainly be awkward, I don’t think it’s completely unrealistic to expect the Sixers to have Okafor on their roster on Monday. There’s a few reasons for that.
For one, the Sixers have made it clear they’re willing to wait way too long for a good deal. If they think they can get one or two more pieces out of the Pelicans — or whoever ends up taking Okafor — they will wait a few days for it, especially with the trade deadline not being until February 23rd.
If Okafor is still on the team on Monday, there’s a chance the team could just not bring him to Charlotte for their game against the Hornets. They won’t plan on playing him, and that would eliminate at least some of the awkwardness. It would also prevent Okafor from getting asked questions about the rumors. Although Okafor has handled his situation like a professional so far, it has to be tough for him to go through this, with even his coach openly talking about him getting traded to the media.
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It seems as if everyone is against Okafor, but I wish him the best wherever he ends up. We can expect a trade to be likely on Sunday or early Monday, but I wouldn’t be floored if the talks went into Tuesday or Wednesday.