Three potential trade destinations for Sixers forgotten center Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil​ ​Okafor​ ​has​ ​become​ ​somewhat​ ​of​ ​a​ ​forgotten​ ​man​ ​in​ ​Philadelphia.​ ​Actually, he’s​ ​more​ ​of​ ​an​ ​intentionally​ ​neglected​ ​afterthought​ ​at​ ​this​ ​point.​ ​The​ ​former​ ​Duke​ ​star has​ ​logged​ ​in​ ​a​ ​measly​ ​25​ ​minutes​ ​in​ ​14​ ​games​ ​this​ ​season.​ ​Okafor​ ​has​ ​clearly​ ​fallen out​ ​of​ ​favor​ ​in​ ​the​ ​eyes​ ​of​ ​HC​ ​Brett​ ​Brown​ ​and​ ​the​ ​emergence​ ​of​ ​Ben​ ​Simmons​ ​clearly hasn’t​ ​helped​ ​his​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​seeing​ ​the​ ​floor.​ ​At​ ​this​ ​point​ ​the​ ​only​ ​logical​ ​thing​ ​to​ ​do​ ​is try​ ​to​ ​trade​ ​Okafor​ ​while​ ​he​ ​still​ ​has​ ​a​ ​shred​ ​of​ ​the​ ​value​ ​that​ ​made​ ​him​ ​a​ ​Top​ ​5 selection​ ​in​ ​2015.​ ​The​ ​list​ ​has​ ​narrowed​ ​severely​ ​since​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​last​ ​season,​ ​but here​ ​are​ ​three​ ​ideal​ ​trading​ ​partners​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Sixers​ ​and​ ​Jahlil​ ​Okafor:

Boston​ ​Celtics
Although​ ​trading​ ​within​ ​the​ ​division​ ​is​ ​certainly​ ​not​ ​ideal,​ ​the Celtics​ ​have​ ​been​ ​the​ ​team​ ​most​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​acquiring​ ​Jah​ ​and​ ​have​ ​the​ ​trade ammunition​ ​to​ ​pull​ ​it​ ​off.​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​see​ ​a​ ​player​ ​of​ ​equal​ ​value​ ​for​ ​Okafor​ ​the​ ​Sixers​ ​could recoup​ ​from​ ​Boston​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​deal,​ ​so​ ​in​ ​this​ ​case​ ​I’d​ ​be​ ​gunning​ ​for​ ​a​ ​lotto pick.​ ​The​ ​Celtics​ ​possess​ ​nine​ ​first​ ​rounders​ ​over​ ​the​ ​next​ ​three​ ​years​ ​and​ ​any​ ​of​ ​those selections​ ​would​ ​be​ ​fair​ ​compensation​ ​for​ ​a​ ​player​ ​that​ ​hardly​ ​ever​ ​touches​ ​the​ ​floor.

Chicago​ ​Bulls
The​ ​Chicago​ ​Bulls​ ​are​ ​in​ ​year​ ​one​ ​of​ ​their​ ​rebuild​ ​and​ ​could​ ​use all​ ​the​ ​young​ ​talent​ ​they​ ​can​ ​find.​ ​Okafor,​ ​21,​ ​certainly​ ​fits​ ​the​ ​bill​ ​of​ ​a​ ​young​ ​player​ ​who could​ ​grow​ ​with​ ​the​ ​franchise.​ ​The​ ​Bulls’​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Chicago​ ​native​ ​dates​ ​back​ ​to last​ ​season,​ ​and​ ​they​ ​could​ ​be​ ​more​ ​aggressive​ ​in​ ​acquiring​ ​Okafor​ ​now​ ​that​ ​his​ ​value has​ ​dipped​ ​a​ ​bit.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​a​ ​Jahlil​ ​Okafor-Nikola​ ​Mirotic​ ​swap​ ​works​ ​for​ ​both​ ​sides. Chicago​ ​gets​ ​a​ ​young​ ​player​ ​who​ ​could​ ​thrive​ ​in​ ​a​ ​change​ ​of​ ​scenery​ ​and​ ​Philly acquires​ ​a​ ​stretch​ ​four​ ​that​ ​could​ ​be​ ​a​ ​spark​ ​plug​ ​off​ ​the​ ​bench.

Phoenix​ ​Suns
The​ ​Suns​ ​are​ ​another​ ​franchise​ ​in​ ​the​ ​midst​ ​of​ ​a​ ​rebuild​ ​with reported​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​Okafor.​ ​Pairing​ ​Okafor​ ​with​ ​their​ ​young​ ​core​ ​has​ ​to​ ​be​ ​an​ ​enticing scenario​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Phoenix​ ​front​ ​office,​ ​and​ ​one​ ​they’d​ ​be​ ​wise​ ​to​ ​make​ ​if​ ​they​ ​want​ ​to persuade​ ​star​ ​shooting​ ​guard​ ​Devin​ ​Booker​ ​to​ ​commit​ ​to​ ​them​ ​long-term.​ ​A​ ​Jahlil Okafor-Tyson​ ​Chandler​ ​swap​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​sneaky​ ​good​ ​move​ ​for​ ​both​ ​teams.​ ​Chandler, although​ ​still​ ​highly​ ​productive,​ ​is​ ​35​ ​years​ ​old​ ​and​ ​won’t​ ​be​ ​around​ ​when​ ​Phoenix​ ​is ready​ ​to​ ​contend.​ ​Replacing​ ​Chandler​ ​with​ ​a​ ​young,​ ​talented​ ​player​ ​in​ ​Okafor​ ​almost makes​ ​too​ ​much​ ​sense​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rebuilding​ ​franchise.​ ​As​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Sixers,​ ​adding​ ​a​ ​veteran defensive​ ​stud​ ​like​ ​Chandler​ ​would​ ​help​ ​the​ ​team​ ​immensely.​ ​His​ ​leadership​ ​and​ ​work ethic​ ​would​ ​help​ ​the​ ​younger​ ​players​ ​stay​ ​grounded​ ​and​ ​focused​ ​off​ ​the​ ​court,​ ​and​ ​he would​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​guys​ ​aren’t​ ​losing​ ​their​ ​assignments​ ​on​ ​defense.​ ​This​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a huge​ ​win-win​ ​situation​ ​if​ ​the​ ​teams​ ​can​ ​come​ ​to​ ​an​ ​agreement.

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports