Philadelphia 76ers Should Not Trade Jahlil Okafor

The Philadelphia 76ers have a logjam at center, but trading Jahlil Okafor won’t solve any problems.

We’ve all heard the talks of the Philadelphia 76ers trading centers, and it has split the fanbase between trading Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor.

Opinions are opinions, and everyone has a say on who to trade or not to trade. Jahlil Okafor should not be traded. This is not instigating that Noel should be traded, rather that the Philadelphia 76ers should allow Okafor more time to develop.

Jahlil Okafor’s basic rookie stat line read 17.5 points per game, 7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. Okafor also shot 50.8% from the field. Okafor’s true shooting percentage was 53.6% and his player efficiency rating was an above average 17.1. The stat line isn’t where the questions about Okafor’s game comes from, rather the defensive side of the ball.

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If Okafor’s stature were telling, the belief would be he’d be a dominant rim protector. Okafor struggles on switches and help defense, mostly due to his lack of quickness and even a lack of effort. His defensive rating was an atrocious 110, but that stat should be taken with a grain of salt as it could be influenced by team defense, which the Philadelphia 76ers struggled immensely with.

Okafor’s defensive issues aren’t unfixable, as many are led to believe. In many instances, the problem with Okafor’s defense is timing and quickness, which could be fixed with another year of offseason development with the team’s renowned staff. His low-post defense was decent, but he expectedly had more trouble guarding as the opposition brought him from further away from the basket. His help defense was non-evident, and most of the time he was just a half-step too slow from challenging the shot more effectively.

The Philadelphia 76ers tried to solve this by playing Noel on stretch forwards, but Noel struggled as well. It also took away Noel from the rim and restricted him from protecting the rim, which is where he’s most impactful. Okafor’s defensive struggles did not allow for a fluid transition for the Okafor-Noel pairing.

The lack of fit is why many are expecting a trade, but Jahlil Okafor brings the team their only consistent scorer. Okafor’s game is often called outdated, as he’s looked at as a low post scorer. While that is partially true, calling Okafor one-dimensional is a fallacy. He came out and surprised the league by hitting mid-range jump shots right off the bat. The development in his offensive game after just one season should be telling that Okafor will continue to develop his game. Low-post play isn’t dead, but for Okafor to be more effective in today’s game he must be quicker down low.

At one point in the season, Okafor’s scoring dominance was so evident that teams double-teamed the rookie center right as he caught the ball in the post. He draws the defense towards him and opens up space for shooters. If the Philadelphia 76ers surround him with better perimeter talent, Okafor’s impact down low will be more evident.

At the end of the 2014-15 season, Nerlens Noel was the center of trade talks after his blossoming last half season. It seems like many who wanted him gone last season are now ready to keep him and ship Okafor in his favor. Why is Okafor getting the shorter leash? The Philadelphia 76ers seemingly boast about their developmental program, but are always willing to give away the opportunity for the program to do its work on a top level prospect.

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Okafor’s deficiencies are fixable, and won’t be career hindering. The patience from the Philadelphia 76ers will be the ultimate factor on whether this team could work with Okafor being the main scorer on offense. Okafor can develop, but he must be given the time to develop, as any top prospect should. Maybe Noel stays this season, but that shouldn’t mean the end of Okafor’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers.