Jahlil Okafor Tomorrow Trade Still Not Happening. 5 Reasons Bryan Colangelo Taking His Time.

Philadelphia 76ers President Bryan Colangelo arrived looking to deal Jahlil Okafor. So far, nada, but reports keep coming in as though it will happen “TOMORROW”. Well, here are the five most likely reasons no deal has happened yet.

From the moment Bryan Colangelo was named as the supervisor to former president Sam Hinkie, he has been aware of three young centers vying for one starting role on the Philadelphia 76ers roster. He was so aware of the fact, that he made it a point to discuss on various media outlets, assuring that he would resolve that as one of the team’s highest priorities.

Fast forward to a year later, and we are caught in a vicious loop. The Philadelphia 76ers need to move a center, so the team seems desperate.  Desperate teams get low-ball offers.  Low ball offers get rejected.  Rejected deals means no center is moved. No center is moved means the Philadelphia 76ers need to move Jahlil Okafor, or Nerlens Noel.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Keep Talking

But teams are talking. Oh how they are talking. One day its Nerlens Noel. Now it’s Jahlil Okafor.

And so, what’s the real wrench in the gears? We believe a trade is both required and daresay imminent. Other NBA teams are interested.  Ah… but are they?  Let’s examine why the deal that will happen “tomorrow” is locked into a tomorrow that will never come?

Reason I: The First Move Defines His Legacy

First impressions, first steps, first cuts, first sentence. We live in a world defined by firsts.  First kisses are remembered for life.  First love. Baby’s first shoes.

First in western society are memorialized, and define all that comes after.

The first trade of Bryan Colangelo’s tenure will define how history views him. The move of Jerami Grant never really fit into this category. You see, Grant was traded to support the power forward position.  Ben Simmons was unable to join the team, and Richaun Holmes was diverted to center to cover minutes.  Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor were on restrictions, and Nerlens Noel had surgery.

And so, the team traded with Oklahoma City for Ersan Ilyasova and a strongly protected first round pick in 2020.  In the end, Jerami Grant is a strong prospect who was traded for a veteran at a position of need and a pick.

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Not Apples To Apples

But any trade of Jahlil Okafor is a different food group.  Jahlil Okafor was selected with the first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, proved he could score on a poorly constructed roster at the age of 19, and has entered his second NBA season. He is incredibly potent offensively, and the fact remains that he was not expected to contribute defensively to the team so far.

Fans are watching.  Fans who watched the Philadelphia 76ers convert players into draft picks over and over are watching.   Ask for too much, and no deal is made.  Accept too little and history is written in permanent ink.  If Bryan Colangelo is going to err on his first deal, it will to overvalue his center, Jahlil Okafor.

Reason II: He Is Not Certain What He Has

Bryan Colangelo did not draft Jahlil Okafor. Sam Hinkie did.  Bryan Colangelo did not draft Nerlens Noel nor Joel Embiid. Sam Hinkie did that too.  So Bryan Colangelo has no clue what, and more importantly why, he has three starting caliber NBA centers.

If you ask him, he’ll tell you that himself.

But that only proves that he doesn’t understand why Jahlil Okafor was brought to the team.

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Can Only Sell What You Know

You see, it’s tough to sell if you haven’t a good understanding the virtues of what you are trying to sell, nor why you want to part ways.   Jahlil Okafor arrived with question marks about his defense, but no question marks about his offense.  From the moment he arrived, the Philadelphia 76ers have emphasized his role in the offense.

He scores. He scores whether he’s wide open, defended, double teamed or triple teamed.  He is simply a physical presence and he is improving and growing all the time.  But he’s young. He is just 21 in a sport where 22 years old was once the age of rookies. He is an NBA starting caliber center, and he can learn the role of power forward with patience and strong mentoring.

The young man not only could help a team enter the playoffs, but he has the upside of a championship team player someday.

Reason III: Offers Have Not Reached Floor Required

Jahlil Okafor became a Philadelphia 76er with the third pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. Now in his second year, he has already proven that he is an offensive powerhouse in the NBA. As such, the Philadelphia 76ers are likely holding the line on what offers they will take.

Hoops Habit

My guess is the team wants a top five first round pick in the 2017 NBA draft, or it’s equivalent value.   That means a playoff bound team will need to rummage in their pockets for more than a pick.   In fact, the deal may require more than one team.

76ers Different Team Now

The Philadelphia 76ers are no longer a “make us a reasonable offer” sort of team.  Now with their third consecutive win, the team appears to be set for the front court (for this year).  And the team is enjoying this success without either Joel Embiid nor Ben Simmons.

So the Philadelphia 76ers are improving, albeit not to the playoff ready team just yet.  However, the team now must weigh fit, affordability, value, commitment of any player or package offered in exchange for Okafor.  I may not be a Bryan Colangelo believer just yet, but his patience and resolve in holding fast to ensure he gets his minimum price on Jahlil Okafor has earned by respect.

Reason IV: Philadelphia 76ers Are Already Fine Already

Sometimes, the wisest act is to deliberately do nothing. With the Philadelphia 76ers at 21 wins so far this season, the team is already noticeably improved. Why mess with success?

The Philadelphia 76ers have doubled last year’s win total.  In fact the team has already won more games than any of the past three seasons. This season most closely aligns with the 2012-2013 season where the team won 34 lost 48 and had no draft picks, no salary cap space, and were on their way down.

YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:  5 Ways Jahlil Okafor Refined The Process

Now, the team is loaded with picks for the foreseeable future, has plenty of young incredibly talented NBA players on the roster and overseas, and is assembling a winner with little to no help from any outsourced talent.

We Hold

Perhaps the team is okay as is?

Many would say yes.  In fact, the greatest supporters will likely come from the team’s loudest detractors.  If the goal is to “win now”, then the Philadelphia 76ers are indeed learning how to win now, without Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons, with an incredibly young, inexperienced, but passionate high-upsided roster.

As much urgency as fans feel to get a deal done, there is no such urgency in Philadelphia to do so.

Reason V: Jahlil Okafor Insures Team Progress If Joel Embiid Health Falters

The team may have had a change of heart about moving Jahlil Okafor so quickly.  You see, in recent days, we have learned that Joel Embiid is suffering from both a bone bruise and a partially torn meniscus.  The problem is not just the fact that the franchise making star rookie center is banged up, but that the news came from Derek Bodner, and NOT from the team itself.

Bryan Colangelo touted transparency, openness, straight talk and has delivered none of these things so far.  Now, with the prospect of Joel Embiid’s knee in question, are the Philadelphia 76ers dragging their heels to keep Jahlil Okafor around as an insurance policy?

Deja Vu Again?

A Meniscus tear, much like a tear in fabric, can be very minor or major.  Jahlil Okafor suffered a meniscus tear this time last year and was shut down for the season.  Joel Embiid is now suffering from a meniscus tear.  This one, however, is thought to be very minor and will heal on it’s own over time.

But… that knee is still swelling when he hits the court

And so here we are again. A rookie center with a swelling knee that was originally reported to be minor.  Will the team shut down Embiid as it did Okafor a year ago?

Team Needs Certainty

The reality is that the team is standing on uncertainty at the center position, not overcrowding or certainty. Having made no concrete moves yet, the team appears to prepared to part with Nerlens Noel.

The team has played Joel Embiid in just 31 of 55 games so far.  Even when playing, Embiid is only up to 25.4 minutes per game.  The team, in the final stages of trading Jahlil Okafor, may be looking at Richaun Holmes as a starting center in some games next season, or Dario Saric, or Ersan Ilyasova.

Next: Jrue Holiday Should Not be Deal Breaker for Sixers

In the end, the fans may not be able to trust what the team is saying. But it appears the Philadelphia 76ers do not trust themselves.  In the end, trading Jahlil Okafor brings closure to the Sam Hinkie era.  But that may not be something Bryan Colangelo is comfortable doing.