Written by Chris Barnewell at CBS Sports.com
Jahlil Okafor has been odd fit with the 76ers ever since he was drafted. Not only because of the multiple bigs that were already on the roster, but also because of his style of play. Okafor is best as a traditional back-to-the-basket big. He can face his man and also play in the pick-and-roll, but teams in the NBA are starting to phase out the style of play that made him a highly-coveted lottery pick out of college. It’s something that teams need to take into account when it comes to the offensive side of the ball and it just doesn’t work in Philadelphia
That’s why Okafor needs to go somewhere that won’t have expectations for him. He can just be himself, play his game and finally get some real chances as an NBA player. According to David Aldridge, two spots where he can get that are the Bulls and Hawks. Via NBA.com:
“League sources indicate the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are the most likely destinations for Okafor. But the Sixers are still holding out for at least a Draft pick, and could still opt to keep Okafor either as insurance against further injury to Embiid, or as a potential expiring contract to aggregate as the trade deadline nears.”
Philadelphia has had a hard time creating trade value for Okafor. When they declined his option it made teams that might want him have no reason to give up anything of value. If they really want Okafor then they can just sign him to a contract in the summer. However, in the case of the Bulls and Hawks, trading for Okafor right now is a risk they may be willing to take. Both teams are in the midst of a rebuild and a young player like Okafor would be able to freely make mistakes and grow on those teams.
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