Philadelphia 76ers big man Jahlil Okafor said he’s happy to be a member of the team amid trade rumors surrounding him that puts his future with the team in doubt. Okafor said he has heard trade rumors mentioning his name, but he stressed that currently, he is focused on wearing the Sixers uniform. "The city's been great to me, the coaches have been great to me, and my teammates have been great. So I couldn't be happier,” Okafor told Tom Moore of GateHouse Media.
The Sixers picked Okafor as the No. 3 overall selection in the 2015 Draft out of Duke University but he failed to live up to expectations despite averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 boards in 30.0 minutes per game in 53 outings in his rookie year.
Last season, Okafor’s scoring output dipped to 11.8 points and 4.8 boards while his minutes dropped to 22.7 per game in 50 games. Okafor’s first two seasons were cut short by injuries in his right knee.
Okafor also became a defensive liability for the Sixers, who posted a defensive rating of 109.5 with him on the floor last season and were outscored by 14.5 points per 100 possessions during that span. Okafor can become an unrestricted free agent after this season if the Sixers won’t exercise their club option worth $6.3 million in 2018.
Before February’s trade deadline, the Sixers entered into trade discussions with several teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers, but no deal was made.
Okafor became expendable with the return of Joel Embiid and the emergence of Richaun Holmes as a backup center.
Embiid out to prove that he’s real deal
Embiid, for his part, is out to prove this season that he deserves a long-term deal with the 76ers. Last season, he averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 boards, and 2.5 blocks in 31 games for the Sixers.
He also showed his skill as a three-point shooter, making 36.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last season. Embiid is set to become a restricted free agent in 2018, and he is expected to get a max contract from the Sixers. However, he must prove his durability next season so he can sign a big-money deal.
Nik Stauskas’ days with Sixers now numbered?
With the signing of sharpshooter J.J. Redick to a one-year, $23 million deal, Nik Stauskas' days with the 76ers could be numbered. Stauskas was anticipated to become a key player in the NBA, but so far, he has struggled in his career with the Sacramento Kings and the Sixers. Stauskas began last season with a 44.8 percent clip from three-point range, but his shooting dropped to 28.8 percent in December. Aside from Stauskas, the 76ers have Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Jerryd Bayless, and Justin Anderson as shooters.
