Okafor's DNPs - NBADraft.net

This topic contains 16 replies, has 11 voices, and was last updated by OhCanada- 9 years, 5 months ago.

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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 1:49am #65497

binet
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2 consecutive DNPs, 3 DNPs in the last 4 games I believe, playing less than Noel each time, and a DNP with both Embiid and Noel at 5 fouls against Boston.
Philadelphia is playing way better so that could be a competitive decision with Brett Brown finally realizing Okafor is not his second best center but I am starting to believe that just means he is getting traded.
With a lot of players being on the trade market only as of January 15, I guess it’s very possible a trade is going to happen then.
The cut of Hollis Thompson weirdly happens at the same moment, and it had no real interests (PHI lower than cap floor, meaning cutting a minimum salary should not help financially, especially a guy whose contract expires at the end of the season; 10-D contracts opened the following day, and they have already Bayless inactive for the season plus Simmons out some amount to justify a roster spot for those, no need to cut anybody to acquire a reserve PG or tryout some D-league guys…).
What teams can be interested in Jah? He is a project/bet at this point for a rebuilding team I suppose. I personally can see his trade be some part of a blockbuster deal with Boston targeting a superstar (Butler? Cousins ?) and Philly needed to absorb the contract of Tyler Zeller (not tradable before January 15), thus Okafor part of the package the rebuilding team gets. What would Philly get then? I am thinking 2018 BKN pick (2017 too good, lower pick not good enough because of salary dump) but there might be other targets depending on the third team.

Hollis Thompson departure means also that Philly is either reaching the salary floor (or close to it) or acquiring multiple players while sending only Jah out.

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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 1:56am #1090470

Arc12345
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I’d like to see him land in ATL after some type of blockbuster deal. But unlikely. We know Millsap is on the way out, and Sacramento has stated they have interest.
Maybe a 3 team deal between Sac, Philly, and ATL or Sac, Philly, and Boston.
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 2:33am #1090471

Hitster
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I’d noticed that too, plus it coupled with an upturn in results. Okafor has gone from a starter to a pine surfer!
I agree that this is probably just a tactical decision by Brett Brown and that Noel is a better like for like bench replacement for Embeast whilst Ersan and Saric compliment each other nicely.
As regards salary could Philly do a Nick Collinson with Ersan and give his salary a boost this year as he is under cap. They can easily extend him if they wanted to and personally I think they should as he brings experience to a young frontcourt and it allows Saric to be developed as an excellent 6th man.
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 3:24am #1090472

Hype Machine
Who would have predicted that a no-defense, lane clogging bigman would have no place in the league?
As long as the NBA lets guards and wings dance around the perimeter without any physicality on defense, oldschool bigmen like Okafor are a relic from the past.
Neg me now…then go look at the top 10 in MVP voting after the season and there wont be a bigman to be seen.
The NBA has lost the competitive balance between backcourt and frontcourt players.
Its a bigmans sport and always had been. Time for refs to stop fouling out bigs and give them a rule change that restores fairness for players like Okafor who now find themselves on the fringe of the league.
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- Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 7:27am #1090476
  
  XYRYX
  Participant
  honestly first decent post from you in a while and i agree. Just played a round of 2k and stoped after being beaten like 5 times cause everyone is hitting 3s from everywhere and you just do nothing about it.
  Curry and co ruined this game cause everybody is only a perimeter guy dancing around and shooting from everywhere. I know the real league is not this extreme but look at all the guards now flourishing. When you can draw like 8 fts per game and shoot at will there is no reason you go for 25 ppg cause how to stop this without clogging the paint to get the rebounds or leave the shooters open and you will be hammers with 30 or 40 3pt fg attempts. Bigs like Kanter, Monroe or Oak can’t stop their own mirror cause what can they do now? Who is actoally good defending big now? Kat isn’t as good as advertised on d, same with Davis and this guys are actually mobile enough to switch onto a guard or wing.
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 7:23am #1090475

theballerway
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hope that they let the kid go soon. I think he will be fine with a new team infact probably thrive. If he can learn position defence even and grab 2/3 more boards your looking at a serious weapon. Maybe not compared to Embiid but last I checked there aren’t (m)any like Embiid.
The sixers are literally wasting his talent and its a shame tbh just because hes still young
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- Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:23am #1090479
  
  binet
  Participant
  At this point he is showing so many flaws and inability to learn and improve, or not as fast as you wish that I am starting to question his talent.
  You have good points though. This team is not for him and never was, the fans wanted Embiid to be their guy from the beginning, Brett Brown wanted Embiid from the beginning, this was not a situation for him to grow confortably, especially when you had the competition with Nerlens. A change of hair could do wonders for him mentally, be somewhere where they believe in his talent and with a conditionning coach that resolves his obesity and a defensive coach teaches differently from Brett, especially the rebound (all the centers and PFs in this team are not great defensive rebounders despite the tools, Dario seems to be the only one improving in that area, and a lot is due to his physical adaptation. At some point I think Brown emphasizes less on that point)
  
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:22am #1090478

Chewy
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Oak didn’t want Philly. Philly didn’t want Oak. It was a match made in hell. I believe Oakafor can be someone you can build around. I think he can be one of the top 2 scoring options on a playoff bound team in a couple of years. I think he can develop a reliable jumpshot similiar to Marc Gasol or Al Jefferson.
I do not think he is outdated. I still think he can be a great all star caliber NBA player (which I agree, is less potential that Embiid, so I get why Oak is the odd man out). I’d like to see what package 76ers are willing to offer up for Jimmy Butler to bring Jahlil back to Chi.

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- Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:33am #1090481
  
  binet
  Participant
  I don’t think Philly is targeting Butler. Especially if the trade is blocked because of a player available January 15 (none in Chicago), if it’s the other way round a 3 team deal with Boston makes a lot of sense:
  -We know Boston actively discussed trade with Chicago for Butler and with the 76ers for their bigs. They know what approximately their BKN picks can net.
  -Any Jimmy Butler trade with Boston at this point should involve the salary dump of Tyler Zeller (only available via trade January 15) unless they are giving up starters which seems unlikely.
  -Okafor is from Chicago and would be welcomed there.
  -Philadelphia could be absorbing the contract of Zeller.
  Something like: Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Jahlil Okafor, 2017 BKN pick heading to Chicago.
  Tyler Zeller, 2018 BKN pick to Philly.
  Jimmy Butler to the Celtics.
  There might be other players involved but the money has to work.
  
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  - Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:56am #1090483
    
    CU.LIONS
    Participant
    I love Butler, and really want him, BUT no way Boston basically gives up 3 top level lottery picks , plus others, just for Butler. I would be shocked if Ainge made that trade.
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    - Posted on: Tue, 01/10/2017 - 5:08am #1090539
      
      binet
      Participant
      I don’t see Butler given up for less than that.
      I also think at this point Jaylen Brown has lost a lot of his value. He is far from contributing enough, even at his age/experience to be a major asset like you imply. Especially considering similar archetype sophomores Johnson and Winslow are not breaking out either, and a lot of the elite wing defenders in the league were selected in the secound round or undrafted.
      I also understand your Celtic fan points and you are probably right the celtics are not ready to give up this much for Butler.
      I still believe it’s possible Okafor is traded and a 3 way deal involving Boston and Tyler Zeller is realistic. Boston has to be searching for a star (Butler, Cousins, Griffin) or superstar (is Anthony Davis on the market if the right offer comes?). In your position for Davis I would be ready to give up pretty much everything but Thomas-Bradley-Horford because I think he is the kind of player that makes you compete with the cavs right now and he is young enough, not the rest of the guys. Davis is not supposedly on the market but I am starting to wonder if it would not be the right move for the Pelicans to trade him and tank this season. Okafor in there is just because Philly should be happy to be the team helping the money work in exchange for a decent return for Okafor from the rebuilding team.
      
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:23am #1090480

The Goat
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Hollis Thompson’s salary would’ve become guaranteed the next day. Not sure there’s much in it other than trying Brett Brown to rotate the bigs to give them decent minutes when they play. Everyone knows they want to trade

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- Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 8:43am #1090482
  
  binet
  Participant
  Does not matter at all when you are so much below the salary floor. You are paying salary floor money anyway whatever happens.
  Roster spots do matter for trades.
  For 10 day contracts you have both Simmons and Bayless injured, thus having up to two available spots. After Simmons returns, you still have one of these spots since Bayless is out for the season.
  
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 10:32am #1090489

Sewok15
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It was nice to see Okafor standing up cheering for his teammates despite not getting a chance to play recently. From all accounts he has really handled this situation well and his positive attitude can only help. With the injury history of the 2 other Philly bigs he might only be a play away from being a starter again.
I would be okay with trading him but you have to get something decent in return…as poor as he is defensively he is a big guy that you can throw the ball to in the post and get easy buckets. This skill isn’t as coveted as it was 10 years ago but some teams still value this.
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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 2:11pm #1090494

Hitster
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I’d have been interested to know how the Oak would have faired if he’d been drafted by Knicks or Lakers. My feeling would be that his lack of defence would have really been picked up by their fans and the pressure would have really been put on him. The flip side could have been being with someone like MWP he’d have been expected to do his stint on D.
Also if a team had The Oak as their starting C who would be an ideal frontcourt partner to compliment him.
I still think he can have a good NBA career, look at Z-Bo who was a halfcourt, no defence type player before you add in the Jailbreaker era, he worked at his game and is still in the NBA at 35. Oak is a better prospect than Z-Bo was and doesn’t have the character issues Z-Bo had back then.

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Posted on: Mon, 01/09/2017 - 7:59pm #1090513

holefillers1
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He is all finesse. Can’t bang. Can’t board. I thought he would be Enes Kanter. I will take Kanter’s rebounding any day over what Jah does. I think he will struggle to find a roll in the league much like Monroe.
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Posted on: Tue, 01/10/2017 - 11:24am #1090564

OhCanada-
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Man I feel bad for Philly fans. When cutting Hollis Thompson comes as a surprise theres something wrong with your team. Should be the last year of this though, stay strong Philly fans.
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Okafor’s DNPs