Now completely out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rotation, former top-five pick Jahlil Okafor is not a happy camper. He just recently opened up about his situation in Philly, pretty much requesting that the team move him (more on that here).
Long interested in the former No. 3 pick, the Boston Celtics might still want to add Okafor. But the team is not willing to part with a first-round pick in return.
“The Celtics have long held interest in Okafor, but as more of a project than an immediate contributor. Boston is also not willing to part with a first-round pick for Okafor,” Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported over the weekend.
This doesn’t necessarily align with Philadelphia’s thinking on the situation. Since Okafor aired his grievances publicly, reports have surfaced that the Sixers want an asset in return.
Okafor, 21, has played in just one game this season. It was an outing against Toronto back in October that saw him put up 10 points. Since then, the Duke product has been completely out of the Sixers’ rotation.
Philadelphia also declined the option on the final year of Okafor’s rookie contract. Now set to become a free agent next summer, that complicates things further.
According to Washburn, the big man is in the best shape of his career. Though, there is certainly a question as to whether Okafor is a fit in today’s NBA. He never incorporated a perimeter game into his offensive skill-set, which leads some to believe that the youngster is extremely limited in what he can bring to the table.
As for the Celtics, they have valued draft picks at a higher clip than most teams around the NBA. The team also feels that Okafor is more of a long-term project. Seen as favorites in the Eastern Conference this season, it makes little sense for Danny Ainge and Co. to give up a first for a project player.