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Can Jahlil Okafor find success outside the Philadelphia 76ers?

By Christopher Kline

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 31: The fight between Joel Embiid #21 and Jahlil Okafor #41 during the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 31, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 31: The fight between Joel Embiid #21 and Jahlil Okafor #41 during the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 31, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matteo Marchi/Getty Images) /
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Will the former Philadelphia 76ers lottery pick ever find success in the NBA?

The Philadelphia 76ers‘ offseason is hitting a lull, with most consequential moves already made. Jerryd Bayless may be on his way out at some point, but the roster seems set for the time being.

Free agency isn’t over, though. There are plenty of teams looking to round out their roster while low-level talents search for training camp invites. One of the New Orleans Pelicans’ most recent signings featured a familiar name for Sixers fans — Jahlil Okafor.

The No. 3 overall pick in 2015, Okafor has been the butt of many jokes since bursting onto the scene his rookie year. The former Duke standout was one of Sam Hinkie’s few blunders, struggling to keep up with a changing NBA. The pick immediately after him, of course, was Kristaps Porzingis.

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After averaging 17.5 points per game his rookie year, that number dropped to 11.8 in year two. Last season, he only made two appearances with the Sixers before being dealt to the Brooklyn Nets. In 26 games with Brooklyn, he averaged just 6.4 points in 12.6 minutes per game.

The Nets were a rebuilding team taking a flier on a former lottery pick. That normally means playing time, but Okafor couldn’t carve out much of a role. The Nets weren’t tanking for a lottery pick, but there was no reason to avoid playing Okafor. He just wasn’t good enough to see the floor.

Now Okafor heads into training camp looking to secure the Pelicans’ final roster spot on a partially-guaranteed deal. New Orleans was close to trading for Okafor over a year ago, so there is some prior history there. Some would claim the Pelicans need more depth at the five spot given Anthony Davis’ injury history.

The question is simple: can Okafor find success in an NBA that has, to date, rendered his skill set ineffective? The answer might be no.

In the ever-evolving NBA, big men need to have certain skills to succeed. We can run down the list.

  1. Is Okafor an elite (or even passable) defensive presence? — No
  2. Can Okafor space the floor reliably? — No
  3. Is Okafor a willing passer/cutter off the ball? — No
  4. Is Okafor an efficient scorer? — No
  5. Does Okafor bring value on the glass? — No

Barring an unforeseen transformation, Okafor is an outdated archetype who isn’t good enough at what he does to play important minutes. He’s an inefficient, isolation-heavy scorer who lacks passing chops and struggles to defend in space.

Even with his improved conditioning (and mid-range shooting!), there just isn’t much of a path toward NBA success for Okafor. The talent is still there. If this were 1995, Okafor’s career arc would look much different.

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But we’re in 2018, and the league doesn’t need centers in Okafor’s mold. He will probably make the Pelicans’ roster on pedigree, but don’t set high expectations for next season. The Pelicans are competing in the Western Conference, and Okafor barely cracked the rotation in Brooklyn.