Philadelphia 76ers: Team Should Hold Onto Jahlil Okafor

With the market ever-so thin at this point in time, the Philadelphia 76ers might need to hold on to center Jahlil Okafor until at least the 2017 NBA Draft.

Wow, the trade deadline simply doesn’t ceases to amaze me. With all the deals made so far, you begin to wonder when Philadelphia 76ers bigman Jahlil Okafor gets dealt. Well, from the looks of it, suitors are lacking. What could this mean for general manager Bryan Colangelo’s approach?

I understand that most people want to just deal Okafor and call it a day. The logjam itself gave me multiple migraines. The idea of finally making a move would immediately relieve that pain. But, it might not work long-term.

More from The Sixer Sense

When you have three starter-caliber bigs, it makes it hard to build a solid roster. With guys like Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor on the roster, a trade seems like a much-needed solution. Now, I get it. You simply can’t play all three of them. The minutes just don’t exist.

However, that does not mean that a trade at this point in time will work. Considering the moves that have already gone down, maybe the return for Jah simply isn’t enough. It might make sense to hold on to him, at least for now.

The Boogie Trade

Well, with the recent DeMarcus Cousins trade now in the books, the center market got a little thinner. Of all the bigs that people expected to be dealt, Boogie did not cross our minds. GM Vlade Divac previously committed to the center out of Kentucky. Obviously, that ended up falling through, as Cousins got dealt soon thereafter to the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Sacramento Kings ended up dealing Cousins and got a mediocre return for him and Omri Casspi. They received Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, and Langston Galloway along with a 2017 first and 2017 second round pick. When you consider that Cousins averages 27.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, you can tell the Kings lost that trade.

Must Read: Bryan Colangelo Not as Foolish as We Think?

Some will point to character issues and say that Cousins lacks maturity. But, with that kind of talent it makes no sense why the Kings got practically nothing for him. An All-Star talent should garner an All-Star-caliber return.

In terms of how this affects Jahlil Okafor, it sets the market rather low. When one of the best centers in the league gets jack squat when dealt, you start to think that holding out works best. Jahlil Okafor is nothing in comparison to DeMarcus Cousins. It makes sense why we could see the Sixers waiting just a little longer.

Previous Potential Suitors

Two teams that had ties to Okafor, the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets, also addressed their center needs. Oddly enough, they traded with one another. Portland received Jusuf Nurkic and a protected 2017 first round pick. Denver received Mason Plumlee and 2018 second round pick.

This sort of move actually worked well for both sides. Portland got a little younger and avoided having to commit big money to Plumlee. Denver ended up finding a better fit next to wunderkind Nikola Jokic. This trade helps both teams in the here and now.

Must Read: Lakers Magic Johnson Two Days To Trade For 76ers Jahlil Okafor

These teams locked up their center problems. Thus, this makes Jahlil Okafor a non-target for those organizations. The Philadelphia 76ers would benefit from waiting a little longer before making a move.

Now, believe it or not, there are teams out there that have expressed interest in Jah. Those teams consist of the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls, and the Indiana Pacers. These teams each have varying levels of interest in Okafor.

Boston and Chicago

First, we have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics seem like the team that has most consistently been in the Okafor sweepstakes. They definitely have the assets to pull a trade off, however, given GM Danny Ainge‘s history, a deal won’t be made that appeals to both parties.

Now, I get that the Celtics have the Nets’ pick and tons of young guys in their farmer system. That part doesn’t bug me. The fact remains that Jah at this point in time doesn’t carry much weight trade-wise. If anything, Ainge would probably offer James Young and a 2020 2nd rounder for Jahlil Okafor. At draft time, the Celtics might end up wanting to deal that Brooklyn first round pick. If that comes to fruition, the Sixers need to act.

Must Read: How Should the Sixers Approach Trade Deadline Week?

Second, we have the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls seem to have the most interest up to this point. Since Jahlil Okafor hails from Chi-Town, it makes sense. Yet, do the Bulls have the pieces to make this deal happen?

Yes, they do. While I don’t think that Chicago would trade Jimmy Butler for him, they do have lots of promising wings. Guys like Doug McDermott and Denzel Valentine definitely interest me. But, would Chicago pull the trigger? Maybe, but at this point I think that Philly should hold out. The Bulls could have another first round pick this year if Sacramento ends up outside of the top ten. If possible, the Sixers should make a move for that.

Indiana

Third, we have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers just recently entered the fray. They reached out to the Sixers front office in regards to Okafor. Now, reaching out only gets you so far. Obviously, just because the Pacers showed interest, doesn’t mean that the Sixers should trade with them. Bare in mind, they don’t have much to offer.

Must Read: The Kings Assets are at Peak Value: The 76ers Should Sell

They don’t want to deal anything of serious value like Paul George or Myles Turner. Indiana doesn’t have many valuable assets outside of those two. I get that maybe an expiring contract and that pick could make sense, but it seems a bit rushed. Maybe come draft time Indiana can offer something slightly better.

Raising Jah’s Value

Thus, it makes for the Philadelphia 76ers to hold off on a potential Jahlil Okafor trade. I understand the desire to rid ourselves of the logjam, but come on, Jah definitely can get a better return than what teams offered. The remaining portion of the season should consist of helping him get that value up.

Now, the biggest fear probably comes from how Jah might hinder the development of other players on the team. But, for the sake of fairness, Okafor didn’t really get many opportunities this year. His game got overshadowed by Joel Embiid, which made him play out of position. Jah needs the remainder of the year to build his value up again.

Next: DeMarcus Cousins Linked to New Orleans; Hurts Jahlil Okafor’s Stock

So, if the Sixers want to get a decent return on Jahlil Okafor, they should wait until the draft. Holding out gives them time to see whether they can find a team come draft day to take him off their hands. Obviously this might work to an extent, and it could even backfire, but trading him now for pennies on the dollar is not the answer. Unless a trade that completely blows Philly out of the water is proposed, then the Sixers should hold on to him. Let Jah prove to the rest of the league why he was picked 3rd overall. He can do it, and the team needs to give him that opportunity.

Philadelphia 76ers Should Hold On to Jahlil Okafor

By Pete Sawan | Feb 22, 2017