The Miami Heat are in the process of rebuilding their roster after two-thirds of their original big three, which was composed of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, left the team. Ever since the Cleveland Cavaliers re-claimed King James, the Hassan Whiteside squad has gone downhill. Moreover, the exit of Dwyane Wade to the Chicago Bulls just cemented the decline. However, it looks like Pat Riley refuses to go down without a fight as a Jahlil Okafor trade is expected to be announced this offseason.
Hassan Whiteside is anticipated to broaden his skills this offseason in an effort to fill in the void left by Dwyane Wade and the one Chris Bosh is expected to leave. Hence, the Miami Heat is looking into ways to make his task easier since a supporting lineup appears to be slow in assembling. Fans believe that a Jahlil Okafor trade could be the answer.
The Duke alum has been known to be one of the most promising stars in his batch. Picked third by the Philadelphia 76ers last season, Jahlil Okafor only came in behind Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves and D'Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers. This makes him one of the most valuable young stars in the league today.
Unfortunately for Jahlil Okafor, the Philadelphia 76ers appear to be unimpressed with his skills. Competing for the starter role versus Nerlens Noel and the recovering Joel Embiid, the second-year star appears to be trailing behind. Will this finally push the Sixers to give in to a Jahlil Okafor trade?
"Despite being the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, he's almost everything the 76ers don't want from that position as they enter the next stage of their rebuild," disclosed Scott Rafferty of Hardwood Paroxysm.
He added, "[N]o player in the NBA slowed their average pace down more than Okafor last season. With Ben Simmons operating at his best as an up tempo point forward and Joel Embiid being the prototype for modern day centers, Okafor enters next season as the odd man out."
With the recovery of Joel Embiid back on track, NBA trade rumors are once again getting louder for Jahlil Okafor. It has been no secret that the Sixers want to get rid of at least one of its centers. Fans feel that Nerlens Noel might be a more solid choice than the Duke star. Meanwhile, the franchise appears to be looking into making either Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons the face of the team soon.
At this point, a Jahlil Okafor trade has yet to be confirmed. The Philadelphia 76ers have been open to trade talks this offseason and it remains to be seen if the Miami Heat will be a partner in the negotiating table.
