Chicago native Jahlil Okafor doesn’t appear to be in the future plans of the Philadelphia 76ers. Instead, he could end up back in Chicago soon.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer, the 76ers won’t pickup the fourth-year option on the former third overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. That will end Okafor’s tenure with the 76ers after just three years.
The Bulls have been linked to Okafor in the past as the big man reportedly preferred to be traded to Chicago if anywhere. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported before the 2017 trade deadline that the Bulls were pushing for a deal to land Okafor.
It never happened.
As the news broke today that the 76ers won’t be picking up his option, Wojnarowksi says the team could still trade him this season:
Philadelphia had been exploring trade possibilities with Jahlil Okafor until declining option today. He could still be moved this season. https://t.co/ofC5KpG6l8
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 31, 2017
Okafor has had a less than stellar career thus far, averaging 14.7 points and 6 rebounds in his three-years with the 76ers. He’s played in just one game so far in 2017-18.
It will be interesting to see if the Bulls push for a deal to land Okafor before the end of the year or just try to outright sign him in free agency. The Bulls have a ton of cap space and are attempting to rebuild, so taking a flier on 20-year-old center might not be a bad idea.
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