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Why The Philadelphia 76ers Should Avoid Trading Jahlil Okafor

By Dan Schultz

Oct 30, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (left) and center Jahlil Okafor (right) watch from the bench during the final minutes of a game against the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center. The Utah Jazz won 99-71. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (left) and center Jahlil Okafor (right) watch from the bench during the final minutes of a game against the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center. The Utah Jazz won 99-71. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers should not trade Jahlil Okafor. Instead, they should explore trade options for one of their other big men.

For the first time in almost four years, the Philadelphia 76ers are close to finding some semblance of clarity for the future. Asides from the unfortunate departure of Sam Hinkie as general manager, their offseason has been absolutely fantastic.

They drafted Ben Simmons with the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, they brought over the versatile Dario Saric, and they added veterans to the locker room with the signings of Gerald Henderson and Jerryd Bayless.

But there’s still one big piece of the puzzle that needs to be put into place before they call it a summer.

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    • Out of their three big men, who should be dealt in order to create the room required to start two of them?

    Some are saying it should be Joel Embiid, stating that he has yet to play a game in two years, and that his weird behavior off the court screams “Andrew Bynum Part 2.” Others claim it should be Nerlens Noel, who has proven to be a capable defender, but his offense (or lack thereof) continues to concern fans.

    Currently though, it appears the organization is looking to move Jahlil Okafor, who had a terrific rookie season for them last year, showing off a polished low post game that should only get better over the years.

    The latest rumor ties Okafor to the Boston Celtics, who were said to be after him leading up to the draft. The Sixers’ needs are clear – they need young guards in the worst way. Bayless and Henderson are temporary band-aids, and not horrible players by any stretch, but certainly not guys you want to see starting for a long time if you are a Sixers fan.

    Sadly for the Celtics, the only guard who would match what the Sixers are looking for is Isaiah Thomas, who the C’s would probably not trade at this time given how great he has been for them. Plus, the Sixers really should stay far away from trading with the Celtics anyways, given that they are in the same division and these kinds of big deals are incredibly risky.

    It is surprising that Okafor appears to be the odd man out here. Sure, his defense needs a ton of work, but he’s 20 years old!

    He proved last year that he has some phenomenal moves in the post, and with the right coaching, he could develop into an effective two-way player and a potential 20-10 guy for a long, long time. Some even compare his game in the paint to that of Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon:

    They have to at least give Embiid a chance this year and see how he does, given how amazing he was during his time at Kansas. Granted, that was two years ago, but the Sixers have to see what they have with him first.

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    With Noel, they know they are essentially getting a younger version of Tyson Chandler. But can he work on his inside game and become a consistent midrange shooter too? It’s not impossible, and like both Okafor and Embiid, he’s still young. But given his skill set, I just don’t think it’s likely he will ever stretch the floor with his shooting ability.

    The Sixers should look to deal Noel, not Okafor, if they can get the right point guard for their team. They might not get as good a haul in return for Noel, but Embiid and Okafor could one day be a dominant frontcourt as long as they stay healthy and continue to develop over time.

    It will be interesting to see what new GM Bryan Colangelo eventually decides to do. It won’t be shocking if he does indeed deal Okafor given all the rumors swirling around right now. This is a crucial decision not just for this upcoming season, but for the overall structure and long-term future the organization has told their fans to be excited about for nearly half a decade.

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    Make no mistake – it’s now or never for Philly. And training camp is right around the corner.