Reports that the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in trading for Philadelphia 76ers’ big man Jahlil Okafor were quickly put to bed.
Whenever the Lakers are mentioned in a trade rumor, there is always going to be a big reaction. Whether it’s a top-tier free agent or one of the Plumlee brothers, Lakers fans will always get riled up over a trade rumor. Last night was no different.
The latest player linked to the Purple and Gold was none other than #FutureLakers Jahlil Okafor. Okafor, who the Lakers passed on in the 2015 NBA Draft, has struggled in his second season with the Sixers. In an effort to clear their crowded frontcourt, Philly has engaged in talks with a number of teams, including the Lakers according to NBA writer Keith Smith.
Teams known to have recently expressed interest in Okafor are Pelicans, Bulls, Blazers and, surprisingly, the Lakers.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 12, 2017
Okafor has been a name linked to the Lakers for quite some time, but never from a reputable source. Typically, it’s some egg on Twitter saying that the Lakers should have drafted Okafor.
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The Lake Show infamously passed on the big man from Duke in the 2015 NBA Draft in favor of D’Angelo Russell and the two have been connected ever since. While Okafor was prospering in Philadelphia, Russell was struggling both on and off the court.
According to some fans, that meant Okafor was the next Tim Duncan and D’Angelo Russell was the next Kwame Brown. A year later, and perceptions of the two players have changed drastically; Okafor’s especially.
It is for that reason that Lakers fans freaked out when they saw the team linked to Okafor, especially if it meant giving up one of the Lakers’ key young players–all who are arguably better than Jahlil. However, that rumored was quickly dismissed from Hoops Hype’s Alex Kennedy.
Source: Jahlil Okafor was informed that the 76ers have had trade talks with the Bulls, Pelicans, Blazers and Nuggets. Discussions ongoing.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 12, 2017
Source: When the 76ers informed Jahlil Okafor about the active trade talks, the Lakers were not mentioned.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 12, 2017
Fans that went to bed before 10 p.m. probably had nightmares of waking up to a notification saying that Jim Buss had traded Brandon Ingram for Jahlil Okafor. Fortunately, we can all rest easy now.
Next: 3 Trade Targets at Power Forward
The trade deadline is on Feb. 23, where the Lake Show will continue to make exploratory calls in hopes of finding a trade that will push the needle without disrupting the growth of their young team.