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Philadelphia 76ers: 4 potential landing spots for Jahlil Okafor trade
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
With his immediate playing future up in the air, here are the top potential landing spots for the Philadelphia 76ers' Jahlil Okafor.
Even though they won't publicly admit it, the marriage between Jahlil Okafor and the Philadelphia 76ers has run its race.
First of all, Okafor suffered the dreaded Did Not Play – Coach's Decision during a February home win against the Miami Heat. Following the game, head coach Brett Brown addressed the issue:
"There were trade rumors that were happening before the game. I was aware of those. In those situations, I felt that it was best to not complicate things and not play Jahlil. We talked about it together before the game and I explained to him that this was going to happen for this reason. That's why I made the decision."
These rumors did not materialize of course, and Okafor completed the remainder of the season with the Sixers. But unfortunately for Okafor and the team, his season was cut short due to a persistent knee issue. Overall, Okafor played in 53 games, following up from just 50 in his rookie campaign.
Following this season, the Sixers' president of basketball operations, Bryan Colangelo, further addressed the questions surrounding Okafor's future in Philadelphia:
"If a deal comes along that makes sense for both of us, then we'll go ahead and make the deal. But we're not in a race to make any decisions. We're taking a very measured toward path success and building an organization."
The emergence of a potential megastar in Joel Embiid has been the central cause of Okafor's demise in Philadelphia. Okafor went from averaging 17.5 points in 30.0 minutes per game in his rookie season to posting 11.8 points in just 22.7 minutes per game this season.
A real throwback player, the 6-foot-11 Okafor has also become marginalized due to his deficiencies on the defensive end. Combined with his inability to stretch the floor on the offensive end, Okafor presents somewhat of a quandary to prospective teams.
But as a former No. 3 overall pick, and still just 21, Okafor still has plenty to offer given the right situation. Here is a list of the most likely landing spots for a potential Okafor trade.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
4. Memphis Grizzlies
Despite yet another trip to the postseason, the Memphis Grizzlies are a strong chance of experiencing somewhat of a changing of the guard this offseason. Zach Randolph, in many ways the heart and soul of the team, will soon turn 36 and hits unrestricted free agency this summer.
Randolph completed yet another productive season, averaging 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game, primarily off the bench. The Grizzlies need to decide if they wish to continue down the same path with their tried-and-tested roster, or to branch out slightly and inject some youth and freshness into their squad.
Having completed the second season of a two-year, $20 million deal, Randolph is bound to receive numerous offers on the open market this season. In addition to Randolph, veterans Vince Carter ((40), and Tony Allen (35) are also out of contract. With the Grizzlies already on the books for $95.1 million worth of salaries for the 2017-18 season, the time could be right to change things up in their frontcourt.
Enter Okafor. Despite center Marc Gasol competing in his third All-Star game this season, the aging process and the risk of injury is ever-increasing at age 32. Gasol was sidelined for the final 30 games of the 2015-16 season after suffering a navicular bone fracture in his right foot.
Bringing in Okafor could be a terrific move on a number of levels. Firstly at just 21, Okafor has his whole career ahead of him. He could fit in seamlessly in taking on the minutes vacated by Randolph, while at a lesser hit to the salary cap. Furthermore, the mentoring Gasol could provide with Okafor over the coming years could represent a complete win-win for both the player and the franchise.
In return, the Sixers have stated repeatedly that they are after shooters this offseason. The Grizzlies' Troy Daniels ranked among the elite three-point shooters in the league this season. Per-36 minutes, Daniels ranked first in three-point attempts (10.8 per game) and second in three-pointers made (4.2 per game). Overall, he connected at 38.9 percent from behind three, averaging 8.2 points in 17.7 minutes per game.
Check below for the highlights of Daniels' career-high 31-point performance this season, which included 6-of-12 from behind three.
Daniels, 25, has bounced around the league since going undrafted coming out of Virginia Commonwealth, with the Grizzlies representing his fifth team in four seasons. The "pace and space" mantra preached by coach Brown would fit ideally with Daniels' skill set.
If the Grizzlies were able to include a future first-round selection to sweeten the deal, this could represent a real win-win for both Okafor and the Sixers.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
3. Phoenix Suns
Following another subpar season, the Phoenix Suns will certainly looking be looking at being an active player in free agency and the trade period this summer. Having landed the No. 4 overall pick in this year's loaded draft, the Suns are certainly going to land at least one big-time talent.
If they were to broaden their horizons, calling the Sixers regarding Okafor would be well worth their while. Former No. 5 overall pick Alex Len is a restricted free agent and has yet to cement himself as a long-term piece of the rebuild over his four seasons in the league.
The other center on the Suns' roster, Tyson Chandler, started in all but one of his 47 games for the season, missing games through either injury or the Suns simply shutting him down for the remainder of the season to enhance their lottery-ball odds. Although Chandler has two years and $26.6 million remaining on his contract, he will be 35 come the start of next season.
With an excellent backcourt consisting of point guard Eric Bledsoe and rising star Devin Booker, adding Okafor provides the Suns with a terrific nucleus to build around.
In terms of compensation for the Sixers, the Suns' 2018 first round pick (top-seven protected) would be the first part of the package. The other part of the deal would consist of veteran forward Jared Dudley. A career 39.7 percent three-point shooter, Dudley's ability to hit from downtown, combined with his veteran locker room leadership, would make for invaluable additions to a young Sixers' roster.
Dudley recently highlighted what he can offer a young team, like he has done in his most recent stops:
"They play better when I'm on the floor because I'm not looking for my shot, I'm looking to make the right play. I did that with Milwaukee and by four or five months later, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and these other guys started becoming more vocal and I didn't need to do that."
Check below for highlights of Dudley's best game from this season – 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists against the Golden State Warriors.
With the ability to play both the 3 and 4 spots, Dudley's versatility, ability to stretch the floor and guidance on and off the court certain warrant the remaining two years and $19.5 million of his current deal. Dudley would provide a terrific backup to Dario Saric, while also being able to slide to the 3-spot when necessary.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
2. Milwaukee Bucks
Coming off a 42-40 season and a trip to the postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks will undoubtedly be looking to upgrade their roster in order to rise further up the standings. But one decision that may be out of their control is the future of free agent center Greg Monroe. Having struggled mightily earlier this season, Monroe became a low-post presence, averaging 12.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game over the final 50 games of the season.
Monore made $17.1 million last season, and has a $17.9 million player option for next season. Assuming Monroe opts out, it's unlikely the Bucks would continue with Monroe considering he came off the bench all year, and that further his salary is likely to rise again. Monroe's postseason was also impressive, posting 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Okafor represents a younger and less costly option for the still developing Bucks. While Monroe will be 27 entering next season, Okafor will still be just 21 and making $4.95 million.
A deal comprised of a 2018 first round pick and point guard Matthew Dellavedova should be one the Sixers consider pursuing. A dogged defender and very competent three-point shooter, Dellavedova's skill set would fit in ideally in a reserve role behind incumbent starter Ben Simmons.
This season, Dellavedova averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 assists, shooting 36.7 percent from behind three in 26.1 minutes per game. Dellavedova's existing relationship with coach Brown from their time together with the Australian Olympic team would ensure the transition process for the transaction to be extremely seamless.
One of Dellavedova's most impressive games this season was a 16-point, seven-assist performance against the Houston Rockets. Check below for highlights of this effort:
Dellavaedova just the completed the first year of a four-year, $38 million deal. A member of the 2016 NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, Dellavedova earned the praise of LeBron James following their title win:
"That's a guy who is dedicated, who never cared about guys saying that Delly is not fast enough, Delly is not strong enough, Delly can't shoot it well enough, Delly is not an NBA player.
Well guess what? Delly is a champion. Thank you Delly."
With those plaudits in mind, injecting Dellavedova into the Sixers' second unit would certainly be a step in the right direction.
Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
1. Brooklyn Nets
Thanks to a midseason trade with the Washington Wizards, the Brooklyn Nets own two first round draft selections this year. However, their first selection isn't until pick No. 22 overall in this year's draft. Therefore, acquiring young, high-end talent is going to prove to be a difficult process over this time frame, especially without their 2018 first-rounder to look forward to.
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With this in mind, Okafor ticks many of the boxes that need filling for the Nets moving forward. His age, upside and position are all areas that Brooklyn needs to upgrade its own roster in the coming years. Center Brook Lopez had an impressive season, averaging 20.5 points per game. But at 29 and averaging just 5.4 rebounds per game, this is one area the Nets can consider moving in a different direction.
In fact over the course of Lopez's 75 games played this season, he reached double-figure rebounds just twice, despite averaging 29.6 minutes per game. And although he's no Dennis Rodman, by contrast, Okafor reached double-figure rebounds on 12 occasions in his rookie season, despite playing just 53 games.
In terms of orchestrating a trade, a player that could be of great interest and use for the Sixers is point guard Jeremy Lin. Unfortunately for the Nets, Lin played in just 36 games this season due to recurring hamstring issues. This comes after signing a three-year, $36 million in the offseason.
When Lin did appear on the floor, he certainly made an impression, averaging 14.5 points and 5.1 assists in just 24.5 minutes per game. In terms of a role with the Sixers, having Lin play as the team's sixth man would provide the team with an elite presence off the bench. Furthermore, he has demonstrated the ability to play both on and off the ball, thus enabling coach Brown a great degree of flexibility with his lineups.
When finally healthy, Lin finished the season in terrific fashion, averaging 20.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game over the final five games.
Check below for highlights of his season-high 32 point performance:
Due to not being in the position to offload draft picks, an additional player would need to be included. Third-year guard Sean Kilpatrick played in a career-high 70 games this season, averaging 13.1 points and 4.0 rebounds. In 24 games as a starter, these numbers rose to 15.3 points and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 37.0 percent from three-point range.
Highlights of his career-high 38-point performance this season can be seen here:
And to complete the deal, the Sixers could part ways with 23-year-old shooting guard Nik Stauskas. Having completed his third season, Stauskas has yet to break the 40 percent shooting barrier for a season. However, he is a former No. 8 overall draft selection and still has considerable upside ahead of him.
This deal would help improve the Sixers in the short-term, while providing the Nets with two important pieces to build around for the future.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Decision time
All the players mentioned here would assist the Sixers moving forward in their own unique way. But of course the key for any deal is finding a deal that would be equally beneficial for both sides. On the surface, the Nets deal makes the most sense. The Sixers currently have an incredible young core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric. Furthermore, they hold the No. 3 overall pick in this year's loaded draft.
Offloading a couple of young pieces, albeit highly talented, is far from a death knell. In fact, the players coming back as part of the transaction are exactly what the Sixers need. Lin provides the team with an additional ball handler to take the pressure off of Simmons in his long anticipated rookie campaign. Kilpatrick, meanwhile, provides a solid outside threat and a relentless worker on both ends of the floor.
Considering the age makeup of the Sixers' roster, Lin (28) and Kilpatrick (27) would provide the squad with some terrific balance. Even better, the best years of their career are still ahead of them.
And although a player of the caliber of Okafor doesn't simply grow on trees, the emergence of Embiid has simply made his presence superfluous in Philadelphia. As Colangelo stated just recently:
"Openly, we've discussed scenarios with his agent that we could find something mutually beneficial."
Put simply, a parting of the ways between player and organization will be worthwhile for both parties in both the short and long-term.
