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Okafor Oddly Rejoins Sixers, Plays In Boston

By George Kondoleon

Feb 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) defends against Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk (41) in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 116-108. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) defends against Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk (41) in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 116-108. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sixers have been dangling Jahlil Okafor in front of teams for the past week. Still the big man rejoined the team in Boston after being left behind from Charlotte.

The Jahlil Okafor drama is turning into the team’s soured story. The Sixers were seemingly in deep talks with multiple teams to ship the second year big. So much so that the team left him behind when the team traveled to Charlotte. That was his second missed game since trade talks heated up.

This sparked talk that a trade was on the horizon. To leave a player off the team trip usually means a deal is coming. Or so we thought. Turns out a story by The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor revealed that Bryan Colangelo left Okafor behind as a ploy to increase trade interest. O’Connor says “shelving of Okafor was likely meant to flush out the best offers around the league, sources speculate”, and that the Nuggets and Blazers were never realistic trade partners.

This was just one story where Colangelo was painted in suspicious light. John Gonzalez, also of the Ringer, was told that Colangelo is as unavailable to the media as Sam Hinkie was, which led to his firing. The Okafor scenario has been just one of the many mishandlings from the Sixers front office this season.

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As Wednesday came around, Okafor rejoined the team in Boston. A situation that seemed straining just to an outside viewer, let alone a young player who has been through a mess of challenges in his short NBA career. Okafor, as stoic as always, logged just over 17 minutes in the game.

He went 2 for 5 from the field, a trend that has been surprisingly ongoing this season. He logged four points, four rebounds, and three blocks. Okafor has struggled to make a huge impact, but at times can prove to be a decent bench option. Still, a move needs to be made for the Sixers and Okafor to move forward.

The Boston game had a strange feeling to it. A player who was seemingly close to being gone just suddenly rejoined. Colangelo may have been overplaying his cards, and in the end it only hurts his low trade leverage. Opposing GMs may be skeptical in dealing with the Sixers GM, who has been mistrusting with injury news all season.

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Do other teams think the young center is secretly damaged goods, or that he just doesn’t have a future in today’s NBA? Either way, the Sixers have fumbled the trade situation thus far, leading Okafor to reappear in Boston with his future in even more question than before.