Okafor and the 'ers?

I understand that every GM wants to acquire as much as he can for every asset that he might want to move, and that such action is part of the NBA as a business.

HOWEVER, the 'ers may actually be backing up in their rise from the ashes of the Eastern Conf. by showing the rest of the league how they are treating Jahlil Okafor.
Positive PR with players can only help a team in the long run. We have seen this many times with the Cs over the years, and even before Coach Stevens came on board.

Eventually good players will want to come to a team or re-sign with their team because not only are they paid well but they are also treated well. Philadelphia is certainly not treating Okafor very well at all in my opinion. Here is a third pick in the draft who has been very patient with his situation and is still not playing even when they do not dress Embiid. He just sits and sits while the rest of the league (and, very this much includes players in the league) watches this guy rot on the bench.

He may not be the ideal center that all teams are looking for only three years after he was drafted, but he is still 6'11, 265 and is still only 22 or 23 years old. He could be the case of teaching a "young dog some new tricks" for some team.

If the stupid 'ers are not going to give him any playing time they should at least give him a chance to earn some minutes with another team. This guy's career may depend
on this season and what he may be able to salvage out of the 60 games left in it. Right now they have no thoughts of playing him, and are only setting him up for more failure.

I cannot wait until the 'ers want a free agent and that free agent walks away from their phone call because of how they have treated Okafor. Bad public relations, even one time, can look bad for a long period of time in any business.

Go, 'ers?

Sixers are still holding out for a draft pick. In the meantime brown refuses to play him which only serves to diminish his market value.

dboss

Agree Wide. The way the 76ers have handled this is unprofessional if not downright disgraceful.

Damaging market value will only come back to bite them in the ass. What a waste of a high pick.


KJ

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-76ers-asking-price-jahlil-183918276.html



Report: 76ers’ asking price for Jahlil Okafor has dropped from two first-rounders to a second-rounder




Dan Feldman 4 hours ago









The 76ers have been shopping Jahlil Okafor for a year and a half.
All the while, his value has declined and his frustration has grown.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:

 
Colangelo’s asking price has steadily dropped for Okafor, from two first-round picks to a first and a solid player to where it stands now, a second-round pick, league sources said.

 
Colangelo is holding out the possibility that Okafor’s $5 million salary could be packaged as part of a bigger deal before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, even if he can’t find a singular move involving Okafor, league sources said.

76ers president Bryan Colangelo torpedoed Okafor’s value by declining his fourth-year option. Teams are mostly better off waiting to sign him in unrestricted free agency this summer rather than trading for him now. Nobody is offering a second-rounder, as proven by Okafor not being traded yet.

But Colangelo is right: Okafor’s value-neutral expiring contract could be useful in facilitating a larger trade before the deadline. It’s not worth buying him out now and closing that door. Philadelphia could always buy out Okafor after the deadline if no deal emerges.

The question, though: How much time did Colangelo waste seeking multiple first-rounders before getting stuck where he is now? We don’t know precisely what was offered and when, but Okafor believes the 76ers passed on viable trades. That’s part of what contributes to the bad blood.



bob


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dboss wrote:Sixers are still holding out for a draft pick.  In the meantime brown refuses to play him which only serves to diminish his market value.

dboss

I'd say we give 'em a third round pick.

Geesh, just send them our second in 2018 and Miami's second in 2020 and get it over with.

Let our coaching staff work with him for the year and maybe he'll want to stay some place that wants him after this year.

kdp,

Doesn't trading anything for Okafor force the Cs to use Hayward's injury "bonus" money to pay Okafor? If he were bought out, he could be signed for the vet minimum I think.

If trading for him uses the DPE, he may not be worth trading for as he is basically a rental and project type player all in one that would prohibit the Cs from being able to do as much at or after the trade deadline.

wideclyde wrote:kdp,

Doesn't trading anything for Okafor force the Cs to use Hayward's injury "bonus" money to pay Okafor?  If he were bought out, he could be signed for the vet minimum I think.

If trading for him uses the DPE, he may not be worth trading for as he is basically a rental and project type player all in one that would prohibit the Cs from being able to do as much at or after the trade deadline.

yes and yes.

we would use the Hayward injury money to do it.

he would be a one year rental possibly.

the biggest question for me, is would the Celtics have his bird rights in this trade?

I am unclear as I have read places that have said either way on that. but IF the Celtics had his bird rights after this year, I would make the deal.

Okafor has NBA talent, lets all be clear. he lost 20# this off-season to be able to play better in the wider NBA game today (like Smart did ). To me that shows a guy willing to do the work needed.

Now I am not saying that he would be the second coming of the Chief of anything, Okafor has his limitations for sure, BUT I think IF we had his bird rights after this season he could become a rotational player here for a long time. Even a possible Starting Center down the road, with the proper coaching and hard work.

I am not sure Danny will find a better option later this year for that injured player exception.

here is something I found on Okafor's birds rights for next season. not sure how accurate it is though.



2. These players no longer hold Bird Rights with their respective teams once their contracts expire (whether they stay with them or are traded). That means if the Celtics trade for a player like Okafor, they will not be able to offer him more than a $6.3 million salary for next season (the amount Okafor was set to make during 2018-19 on his rookie deal before it was declined). That's not a big deal for a lot of these guys (who could be playing for roster spots next year and won't cost much either way) but does matter if a player has a breakout season over the rest of this season. Unless a team has salary cap space, it won't be able to offer a sizable raise to any of these players. If anything, it just reduces the trade value of all of these guys on their current deals, which was pretty low already.



IF...again a big IF, that piece is correct, then Danny could offer OPkafor a deal up to $6.3M next year. Money he is unlikely to get offered anywhere else, unless he become our starting center this year during our run to the championship.

If Okafor can be had for a second round pick, Danny should do it. I bet his downfall is mostly to do with Philadelphia. Same with Noel. They may not be great players and are definite busts for their pick location, but they aren't better than Olynyk who was wanted by Miami?

Okafor is the kind of guy who could put the C's over the hump. I want to go for it this year.

Baynes and Smart are up in the air for contracts. Danny needs to go for it immediately. He got Kyrie. Tatum, Brown and Smart are legit. Horford has become a legit all-star big but is no longer a spring chicken. The future must become now.

This team is very close in talent and system as GS. Danny finally made it to the end of the salary cap. He is at the end of the last rebuilding chapter. Rentals don't have to be looked at as a negative. They could change into keepers. They could help us win it all this year then leave. Not everyone stays. No way is Golden State keeping together their dynasty indefinitely.

I think our 2nd round pick went to OKC. I believe it's protected for picks 31 through 55. Same deal with 2019 with our 2nd that went to Memphis.

We only have first round picks to trade for 2018 and 2019. 2019 we could have as many as 3 first rounders, I think, so you could try and trade one of those rather than a second.

The thing is, if you could get Okafor for as little as a second, why give up a first?

It looks like we would need a three team deal where we give up a player for a second round pick. Not impossible, and there are a few players we could part with without hurting ourselves. I just don't know if they have any real value to get us a second round pick.

Worth exploring. Okafor still has value. He's not going to be a bust and is no dinosaur IMO. We may have seen a good case for the big man not being dead with Detroit last night. I'd pursue Okafor. I'd go as far as to say I think he would end up starting for us very quickly.

I don't see the value of a #28-#30 pick assuming the C's have become a top three team. It seems the odds for that slot area usually only generates a scrub with guaranteed money.

The Celtics don't need any more young guys/projects. Maybe Nader, Yabusele, Bird and others have value, but perhaps not.

I've seen enough Fab Melo, RJ Hunter and James Young to know those late 1st picks are worse than buying scratch tickets.

I think Rozier was #16. Olynyk was #13. We need guys like them but not when they are raw. Better to grab a guy like Okafor who could fill a unique role and grow as a player for Boston. It worked with Evan Turner. LeBron gobbled up Jeff Green. He's not a great player, but I'd take him over Gerald Green. We are competing for titles now, not prospects. Tatum, Brown, Semi and Rozier is enough raw talent for molding.

The Celtics are good, but they will need reinforcements. Those are my opinions. If we are supposed to feel great about Marcus Morris, then I'd rather have Okafor. I'd trade Morris for him.

I don't need to get him for free. I would do what it takes to make the deal.

But maybe Danny and Brad don't want a guy like him, so we might as well discuss trading for Rondo.

This kid was in street clothes last night against the Cs and the 'ers only dressed 11 players.