Should the Celtics Trade for Jahlil Okafor?

Jahlil Okafor may be on the market once again, can the Boston Celtics finish the deal this time?

The Boston herald made it known around the trade deadline that the Boston Celtics nearly pulled off a blockbuster trade to send the former third overall selection out of Duke to them. However, the Philadelphia 76ers ended up backing out and keeping the 20-year old Jahlil Okafor. They’re now starting to regret it as Okafor is out for the remainder of the season with a torn meniscus and he and Nerlens Noel were never able to find their chemistry together.

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Philadelphia is also expected to finally have Joel Embiid step on the court next season after he missed his first two NBA seasons due to injuries. With Noel seemingly being their guy and the 76ers wanting to see if Embiid and Noel are a better fit together, draft day could be the perfect time for Boston to strike up a deal for the young big man.

The details of the possible deal between these two teams were never made clear, besides the Brooklyn Nets‘ pick and other assets were involved. Pulling off a draft day trade would seemingly mean sending the Brooklyn and possibly Dallas Mavericks‘ picks to the 76ers and other assets. It seems like a lot, however, there is no traditional big man in this draft who is as NBA ready as Okafor is. Dragan Bender, who is widely considered the best center in the draft, will probably need a couple of years to get accumulated to the NBA speed, and it’s always a risk to draft international players that high.

With Boston being as deep as they are, and owning $55 million in cap space this off-season, trading a first round pick or two doesn’t only seem smart but also very likely. Boston would still have their own pick, which they could use on a shooter or a developmental big man project.

Terry Rozier‘s play over the past month has started to make Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley look more expendable, making one of them likely part of a trade. It’s obvious that Rozier still needs to develop his game more, however, the potential to be a solid rotational player for the Celtics is there. For instance, Rozier hasn’t shown the ability to consistently knock down shots in the NBA, yet, however, it’s not like Smart or Bradley shoot lights out either.

While both Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley are great defensive players, they both own very team-friendly contracts and are players who Philadelphia would love to build around. They’re also not irreplaceable as Boston would still have the option to go out and get another veteran guard in free agency.

Okafor has had his problems on and off the court. Getting into multiple bar fights, owning a fake ID, and speeding way over the speed limit is never things you want to see out of a young player. Neither is the inability to guard in one-on-one scenarios, owning a dreadful 110 defensive rating this season. His 6’11” body is still able to help contribute to his 1.2 blocks per game though, showing he is able to use his size to his advantage.

Feb 28, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA;Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) dunks against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

His offensive foot work is some of the best we’ve seen in a young big man though, and he has also proven to be a dominant scorer and rebounder in his rookie season. Averaging 17.5 points, seven rebounds, and 2.3 offensive rebounds per game on 50.8 percent shooting will win you Rookie of the Year most seasons. He is the dominant inside presence on offense that Boston is looking for. Okafor is the type of player who runs the floor well like Boston wants to, but also can help slow down the game.

He also shoots over 70 percent of his shots from inside 10 feet and at an effective rate as well; shooting 67.5 percent from three feet and closer and 46.3 percent from 3-10 feet away. Boston has been looking for that post-up player that they can feed inside when their shots aren’t going in and that is Okafor’s offensive game in a nutshell. He’s someone who isn’t afraid to take a mid-range jumper but would rather battle in the paint using post-moves.

Either way, the potential is there for Jahlil Okafor. Brett Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers head coach, told Philly.com, “At times, I see Carlos Boozer. At times, I see Karl Malone. At times, you see a legitimate back-to-the basket post threat.” Being compared to a hall-of-famer at 20-years old always baffled me in most cases, but it’s true in this case. Okafor has shown the ability to be as dominant as anyone down low, consistency will bring him to the next level.

A Jahlil Okafor signing would also add a lot of intrigue to fellow free-agents. While improving the roster, Boston would also improve their cap space if they were to trade Bradley or another veteran, not that they need any more cap room. But, playing alongside a young, inside presence like Okafor could help land a star free agent like Al Horford.

It would allow a fellow big man signing to play away from the basket as a stretch-four. It would also make the smallest roster in the league increasingly taller as they could potentially be starting two players 6’10” or taller next season. Okafor would also benefit from playing next to a veteran big man who has been in the league for a while and knows all the ins and outs, as Philadelphia is compiled of all younger players.

The Celtics don’t have a great track record of landing stars in free agency, however, they’re expecting this off-season to be different. Danny Ainge has consistently gone the route of trading to get better and that’s why the Celtics are in the position they’re in now.

When it comes down to it, it depends on where the Brooklyn Nets pick lands. If it’s a top-two selection then it would be idiotic to pass up that opportunity. However, Okafor has become one of the most productive rookies on the offensive side of the ball and there’s no doubt that the Celtics would improve his defense and cover up some of his defensive flaws. They’d be hard-pressed to find a big man in this draft have a rookie season like Okafor had.

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Okafor may be coming off a meniscus tear but he doesn’t rely on cutting to the basket or explosive plays like guards do, meaning he should bounce back fine. If the asking price is right then Boston is in the position to make a move. They have enough cap space to go out and try to replace anything they trade away and owning three first round picks with the team they currently have seems pointless. Besides, Philadelphia loves stock-piling picks and seem more than willing to move Jahlil Okafor once they know about Embiid’s health.