It feels safe to say that Jahlil Okafor will never play another game for the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers don’t want him there; they’ve made that plenty clear by taking Okafor more-or-less all the way out of the rotation and declining his fourth-year option.
Okafor has publicly stated that he wants to either be traded or bought out of his contract by the 76ers. According to David Aldridge of TNT, the most likely destinations for Okafor are Chicago or Atlanta:
League sources indicate the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are the most likely destinations for Okafor. But the Sixers are still holding out for at least a Draft pick, and could still opt to keep Okafor either as insurance against further injury to Embiid, or as a potential expiring contract to aggregate as the trade deadline nears.
Chicago has been tied to Okafor in rumors for quite some time; he’s from that area, and the Bulls are reportedly bullish on the young big man. Atlanta makes some sense as well; it’s a young, rebuilding team. Why not take a chance on a young big man who was drafted third overall just two years ago?
The Boston Celtics have also reportedly registered interest in Okafor, but won’t match the price that Philly’s looking for.
