Marc Stein: I have heard that Boston have not abandoned all interest in Jahlil Okafor. I certainly don’t think that the priority for them, the priority is getting Jimmy Butler or Paul George, but I still think you got to keep your eyes on the Celtics with Okafor.
More on Jahlil Okafor Trade?
Adrian Wojnarowski: If (the 76ers) can’t get a deal for Okafor done before the deadline, I’m told that it’s possible they’ll start - there are still teams still checking on Noel, re-engaging on him. What complicates it for Noel is that he’s a restricted free agent, and teams want to know ‘what is it going to cost to us to re-sign him’. And it’s going to be a big number”.
Chris Mannix: (The Sixers) still value Okafor as a third overall pick. That’s their prerogative, but the teams I’ve talked to do not value him as a third overall pick.
Appearing on NBA TV Tuesday night, NBA.com’s David Aldridge said Okafor “will get moved by Thursday.” Aldridge, who said the Sixers have “a lot of offers to sift through,” mentioned the Pacers and Kings as potential landing spots. Following the DeMarcus Cousins trade, Sacramento is left with Kosta Koufos and Willie Cauley-Stein, who aren't offensive bigs. Koufos is averaging 6.1 points in 57 games this season, while Cauley-Stein is scoring 5.8 per game in his second NBA season. “[The Kings] can offer more minutes and more opportunities for [Okafor] now,” Aldridge said.
Jeff Goodman: Pacers and Sixers have had talks about Okafor, sources told ESPN.
Ramona Shelburne: Indiana seems to be one of the more active teams right now as they try to get Paul George some help. One name Jeff Goodman, Chris Haynes and I have all heard they're pursuing: Jahlil Okafor.
Pacers wing Paul George is the other big name that has often been linked to the Celtics. But a league source said the Pacers still have given no indication that they would consider dealing the All-Star. The 76ers, meanwhile, have been quite transparent about their intentions to trade their second-year big man, Jahlil Okafor, but the source said Okafor is not on the Celtics’ radar.
Tom Moore: Two #NBA sources saying similar things: Nothing brewing with #sixers and Celtics 2 days b4 trade deadline.
"Okafor is kind of still there," Stein said on ESPN Radio. "He's been so out there that you tend to think Philadelphia will find something in the next three days where they move him. I've heard that Boston has still given that some consideration. Chicago's another team that's been said to have shown some Okafor interest."
"You can rest assured Philly's going to spend the next three-plus days trying to find a trade home for Jahlil Okafor because once the prospect of a trade has gone that far it's kind of hard to pretend it didn't happen," Stein said. "But at this point, as we stand, Philadelphia doesn't have an Okafor deal. And obviously another (option in) New Orleans, now that's not going to happen."
Ramona Shelburne: Deal for Okafor was very close, per source. But Philly and NOLA could never agree on protections for the picks included.
David Aldridge: The 76ers pulled Jahlil Okafor from their lineup last week b/c a deal w/Portland for the center was close to happening, per league sources.
“There’s a bunch of trade rumors,” Okafor said on Friday. “New Orleans. Chicago. Ten different teams. So, I said it before, I just have to do whatever I can control. The rumors are going to continue to come out. As far as I know, I am still a Sixer and happy to be a Sixer. I am going to keep working hard every day.”
According to a source, part of the issue the Pelicans have had in finding a new center has been the insistence on protecting the pick they send out. That would not be an issue if the Pelicans make the playoffs, a realistic possibility given that they are only 2.5 games out of the eighth seed. But they’re part of a horde of six teams with a chance at that spot.
There could be darkhorse teams involved in the pursuit of Okafor. A source said that the Mavericks had previously inquired about Okafor, and could revisit those talks as the deadline nears.
Embiid would like the team to find a way to make to utilize Okafor as opposed to trading him before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. “We got a lot of talent, and I feel we can use everybody if we want to get to where we want to,” the rookie center said. “Obviously the playoffs are right there even if we don’t get the opportunity to make it this year. I think next year is our goal …
Okafor politely answered questions Friday about possibly teaming up with Anthony Davis for the New Orleans Pelicans and playing for his hometown Chicago Bulls. New Orleans and Chicago are two of the teams the Sixers were in advanced trade talks with recently. The second-year veteran was even asked during his media availability for Friday night's Rising Stars Challenge if he looked around New Orleans since it's a possible destination.
Chris Mannix: Jahlil Okafor--DNP-Trade Talks the last two games--checks in for Philly. A bizarre situation begins its next chapter.
Keith Pompey: #Sixers' Brett Brown on how he'll coach Jahlil Okafor: 'I’m looking at him like you are going to be with me 10 years ...
Keith Pompey: #Sixers' Jahlil Okafor on past couple of day. "It was just a weird situation. Like I said, I was just waiting to hear a phone call to say I was going to end up [a certain] city. I just didn’t know what to expect."
Michael Pina: Brett Brown: trade talks involving Okafor are not off
The Feb. 23 trade deadline is a just over week away, and the Sixers still could find a partner for Okafor if one makes sense for both player and team. On Monday, Brown said Okafor would be embraced by the Sixers if a trade does not transpire. “He’ll come back in and he will be welcomed with open arms with teammates that like him and respect him,” Brown said. “They are friends. He’ll come back into a coaching staff that likes him and respects him because we care for him. He still is ours until somebody tells us he isn’t.”
Jessica Camerato: Confirmed Jahlil Okafor has joined the Sixers in Boston for game vs. Celtics tomorrow. He was not with the team in Charlotte Monday.
Okafor didn't play for a second consecutive game because the Sixers were engaged in trade talks involving the second-year center. He didn't make the trip to Charlotte with the team to face the Hornets. "Jahlil Okafor’s situation is transparent," Sixers coach Brett Brown told reporters at the morning shootaround in Charlotte. "He’s in the middle of being discussed in trade scenarios and so I felt that it complicates things to play him. Now this is continuing on and that’s the reason he isn’t here."
Following Wednesday's loss to the Spurs, Okafor said "I have no idea" if he'd be a Sixer after Feb. 23. "I'm a Sixer right now," Okafor said. "I'm going to keep doing what I do, working as hard as I can for this team and this organization. We'll see what happens."
Chicago remains interested in acquiring Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor. It’s unclear at this time if exploring the trade market for a first-round pick in exchange for either Lopez or McDermott is related to the Okafor trade talks.
New Orleans also remains in trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire center Jahlil Okafor. USA Today was first to report those trade talks, which included a swap of Okafor for Alexis Ajinca and a 2018 protected first-round pick, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Jessica Camerato: Brett Brown: "Jahlil Okafor’s situation is transparent. He’s in the middle of being discussed in trade scenarios. I felt it complicates things to play him the last game & now clearly this is continuing on. That’s the reason he isn’t here."
Justin Verrier: Based on what I've heard, the Pelicans continue to have interest in Jahlil Okafor but nothing, as of now, is imminent.
76ers center Jahlil Okafor wasn’t on Sunday’s team flight to Charlotte for Monday night’s game against the Hornets at the Spectrum Center, according to sources. The Sixers have been in contact with the New Orleans Pelicans,the Denver Nuggets and Chicago Bulls in regards to Okafor. There was a report that the Portland Trail Blazers were also a possible trade partner.
Tom Moore: #NBA source: #Sixers 'working on' trying to get a trade completed.
Cole Schwalm: Whose Okafor getting traded to? - Steve Kyler: Unclear. New Orleans and Chicago had expressed deepest interest, but he's not be dealt yet.
Steve Kyler: Safe to say you can now take Portland and Denver out of the Jahlil Okafor discussions - with Nurkic/Mason Plumlee trade
It appears that the Denver Nuggets talks with 76ers in regards to possible acquiring Jahlil Okafor have stalled. The trade deadline isn’t until 3 p.m. on Feb. 23. However, a league source said Sunday morning that the teams were no longer having discussions about the center.
The Sixers appear to be getting closer to moving their third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He did not play in Saturday night’s victory over the Miami at Wells Fargo Center. Teams usually don’t play trade targets when a deal is about to happen for fear that player getting injured. A league source said that nothing was imminent, but that talks were progressing. There's a chance that Okafor will sit out the remaining two games - at Charlotte on Monday and at Boston on Wednesday - prior to the all-star break if need be.
“More information is always available,” coach Brett Brown said of the Okafor trade front following Saturday’s game. “You wake up and something happens. You learn sometimes things don’t happen. So I feel like it’s still fluid. But if you see me not play him, that’s probably going to be the reason.”
Alex Kennedy: Source: Jahlil Okafor was informed that the 76ers have had trade talks with the Bulls, Pelicans, Blazers and Nuggets. Discussions ongoing.
Jessica Camerato: While no deal is imminent for Okafor, talks progressing, more advanced than previous ones with Bulls and Pelicans, according to sources.
Alex Kennedy: Sources confirm that Jahlil Okafor was indeed held out of tonight's game due to trade talks. Brett Brown discussed the rumors with Okafor.
Jake Pavorsky: Hearing that Jahlil Okafor has told teammates he anticipates being traded soon.
Keith Pompey: A league source said nothing was imminent with Jahlil Okafor, but trade talks are progressing on several front
Tom Moore: A second #NBA source: 'Nothing imminent, but talks about (Okafor) have been progressing.' #Sixers
According to Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo, the team is receiving increased interested in both of the big men in recent weeks. "We've got three talented bigs," Colangelo said Thursday on 97.5 The Fanatic. "They all feel that they deserve to be looked at as a potential starter and be paid as a starter. The phones have been ringing. There has been a lot of conversations. There's been some activity. Quite a bit actually in recent weeks. It's not something that's just come up in recent weeks because it's something we've been looking to address since I got here.
76ers coach Brett Brown has much respect for Jahlil Okafor. Brown is especially impressed by the center's attitude amid the uncertainty that hovers over his 6-foot-11, 265-pound frame. Barring a sudden change of plans, it appears that Okafor's days as a Sixer could be about to expire.
"He has been a star," Brown said of Okafor following Monday's 113-96 setback to the Detroit Pistons. Brown's level of respect has a lot to do with how well Okafor has handled his situation. Okafor has remained a good teammate and continued to work hard on his game despite the trade talk. And he continues to hold his head high. "We remind him, 'Go read your resume,' " Brown said. " 'You go have a look at who you are.' And he's got a lot to be proud of on the court."
The 76ers, according to a source, were not as enamored with the Pelicans offer as maybe it seemed. Sources close to the situation are saying the 76ers wanted guard Jrue Holiday in an Okafor deal instead of the draft pick. Both sides are said to be continuing the dialogue, and now that the talks are out in the open, there will be some urgency to either complete the deal or move on.
Keith Pompey: Jahlil Okafor days in the 76ers are numbered. I'm not 100 percent sure if it's going to be the New Orleans Pelicans or if it's going to be the Chicago Bulls. I do know a lot of teams are interested in him.
Okafor, meanwhile, doesn't appear to be the least bit interested in talking about it. To him, rumors mean nothing. “I’m happy where I’m at right now,” Okafor said. “It’s all rumors right now, until it comes true.”
The Sixers have been shopping him and Nerlens Noel, another center, for some time. Okafor is the one the team is more interested in moving, according to sources. It appears the Sixers may not wait until the deadline to part ways with him.
Ersan Ilyasova knows what his teammate is going through. The power forward has been traded four times since June 2015. His advice to Okafor is he can't be emotional about his situation. "Obviously if you do, it's going to [mess up] your head so bad, you are going to forget about basketball," Ilyasova said. "It's a part of the business."
Jeff Zillgitt: One nugget I can add to Jahlil Okafor story: Multiple teams interested in him. 76ers not rushing into deal unless they get what they want.
Justin Verrier: Can confirm reports that Sixers-Pels talk centers around Alexis Ajinca and a 2018 first-round pick, per a source.
Sam Amick: As story states, Pelicans want lottery protection for the 1st rounder that they would give Philly for Jahlil Okafor. http://usat.ly/2kGwrWH
Philadelphia, sources said, is seeking at least one future first-round pick in exchange for Okafor, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2015 draft but has been on the trading block for months -- along with fellow Sixers center Nerlens Noel -- as a result of the Sixers' glut of big men.
The New Orleans Pelicans are trying to bolster their frontcourt and are in advanced talks with the Philadelphia 76ers to acquire big man Jahlil Okafor, according to league sources. Sources told ESPN.com that the teams were still negotiating Monday in an attempt to complete the trade.
Michael Scotto: 76ers & Pelicans discussing a Jahlil Okafor trade for Alexis Ajinca & a 2018 protected 1st rounder, league sources told Basketball Insiders.
Sam Amick: Sixers & Pelicans in talks about sending Jahlil Okafor to New Orleans. Philly pushing for NO 1st rounder. Story coming at @USATODAYsports
Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia and New Orleans engaging in talks focused on a trade for 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, league sources tell @The Vertical.
The Sixers are in deep talks to send forward-center Jahlil Okafor to the Pelicans, a source told @theundefeated. New Orleans could send center Alex Ajinca and a future 1st rounder back.
Jake Fischer: Pelicans source indicated New Orleans was more intrigued by Nerlens Noel back in early January. Interesting they're switching gears now.
Scott Kushner: The #Pelicans were extremely busy over weekend focusing on a trade. Looks like it's for Jahlil Okafor per sources/reports. @Sam Amick 1st
The Bulls have been active with the trade deadline approaching, and they've inquired about the availability of Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, multiple league sources tell CSNChicago.com.
He's on the trading block as the 76ers have surged with the play of Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel manning the middle, and the Bulls are interested, as they don't have much in the way of low-post scoring.
So far, there's more interest on the Bulls' side than the 76ers' side, according to sources, but the Bulls are interested in Okafor's services. Because salaries have to match and Okafor is on a rookie-scale deal, one wonders how it can work if the 76ers aren't enamored with some of the Bulls' young players who've yet to fully blossom. The Bulls could conceivably open up talks to a third team if need be, considering it isn't likely they'd want to part with any future first-round picks as they're still deciding how they are to proceed with franchise direction in the next couple seasons.
Brian Mahoney: Sergio Rodriguez back but McConnell remains starter at PG for 76ers. Brett Brown vague when asked if Okafor would play.
Meanwhile, Okafor didn't play at all vs. the Celtics, as Brown inserted Noel into the rotation and moved Okafor out, at least temporarily. That marked the first time in Okafor's 1½-year pro career he was a "DNP-CD (Did Not Play-Coach's Decision)." Okafor needs to be a starter, but that won't happen with Embiid here. Noel is better than Okafor in a reserve role because of his defensive work. "We are learning," Brown told reporters afterward. "It's difficult to play three 'bigs' in a 48-minute window."
Keith Pompey: Brett Brown on managing the 3 bigs if they all remain in the roster throughout the season: "I think it would be an extreme challenge" pic.twitter.com/cpimRuE3kC
Who are they going to trade, Okafor or Noel? And what's taking them so long? A: There is little question that Okafor has more value right now, simply because he is playing, is a proven scorer and would be a nice fit on most teams. Teams have concerns with Noel because of his injury, having had a procedure Oct. 24 on his left knee, and his inability to improve his game at the offensive end. Which one goes depends on a few things.
Steve Kyler: Was told recently, not much desire to trade Jahlil - Noel is the guy they'll move. Not on the same page at all.
