Report: Bulls interested in acquiring Sixers center Jahlil Okafor

Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor  

The Philadelphia 76ers haven't resolved their big man logjam yet and there is no indication as to how long all four centers will remain on the roster. With the trade deadline inching closer, the Bulls are reportedly interested in second-year center and Chicago native Jahlil Okafor, according to CSN Chicago.

The Bulls have been active with the trade deadline approaching, and they've inquired about the availability of Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor, multiple league sources tell CSNChicago.com.

Okafor, a Chicago native in his second season, has fallen victim to both a numbers game in Philadelphia and also a changing game, as he's more of a traditional half-court center who isn't defensively inclined.

After a rookie season that saw him average 17.5 points and seven rebounds in 53 games, Okafor is now the third center on the roster behind Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel. He's also been hampered by some nagging injuries, but has appeared in 33 games, averaging 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in about 23 minutes per game.

The main reason that Okafor could be the odd man out in Philadelphia is because compared to the other centers on their roster, he is the one with the worst defensive skill set. On a team that prides themselves on rim protection and fast paced play, it's tough to envision Okafor really fitting moving forward.

CSNChicago.com mentions that the Bulls might be more interested in a deal than Philadelphia, who may not be too intrigued by any of the young players on Chicago's roster. If the Bulls want to get a deal done before the deadline, getting a third team involved might be the best way to go about it.

So far, there's more interest on the Bulls' side than the 76ers' side, according to sources, but the Bulls are interested in Okafor's services. Because salaries have to match and Okafor is on a rookie-scale deal, one wonders how it can work if the 76ers aren't enamored with some of the Bulls' young players who've yet to fully blossom.

Okafor will likely start for the third straight game on Saturday when the Sixers travel to Miami for a match-up with the Heat.

 

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