NBA Trade Rumors: Boston Celtics Not Willing To Give Up Much For Jahlil Okafor


Smart general managers in the NBA know not to give up too many assets when a rival executive has their back to the wall. According to CBS Sports, the Boston Celtics are not going to overpay for Jahlil Okafor. They know that the Philadelphia 76ers are trying to move their talented but troubled center.

Al Horford was widely considered the second biggest prize in free agency this summer. He was right behind Kevin Durant, who shocked the NBA by leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. As great of a player that Horford can be, the Boston Celtics are not done wheeling and dealing.

When the Chicago Bulls were not sure of which direction that they wanted to take their franchise, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge attempted his best to trade for Jimmy Butler. Adding one of the best two-way shooting guards to Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford would have enabled the Celtics to contend.

Unfortunately for the Boston Celtics, that did not happen. The Chicago Bulls decided to keep Jimmy Butler instead of going into a rebuilding phase. To help Butler out, the Bulls then signed Rajon Rondo and acquired Dwyane Wade, as reported by ESPN.

With that option out the window, the Boston Celtics then turned their focus towards Jahlil Okafor. During his rookie year in the NBA, the former Duke Blue Devils star showed enough potential where experts felt that he could some day become a center that averages 20 points and 10 rebounds a game.

Jahlil Okafor would have a much higher trade value if not for a couple of off-court incidents last year. He was pulled over for driving at a very excessive speed. The 6-foot-11 center was also involved in a couple of brawls while going out late at night in Boston.

Al Horford [Photo by Kevin C Cox/Getty Images]
Danny Ainge is using those incidents in Boston to his advantage. He is letting the Philadelphia 76ers know of his concerns about Jahlil Okafor playing in a city where he has found trouble in the past. By doing that, Ainge is trying to lower the asking price by the Sixers.

Since his name has been frequently involved in trade talks, Jahlil Okafor is growing frustrated, as reported by Larry Brown Sports. NBA veterans are accustomed to hearing trade rumors. Okafor is not yet old enough to legally buy alcohol, so it is understandable why he is allowing the rumors to get into his head.

The Philadelphia 76ers desperately need to upgrade their back court. The Boston Celtics have some pretty good guards. However, Danny Ainge is not going to give up Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley or Marcus Smart. All three of those guys could easily procure a starting job with the Sixers.

Isaiah Thomas [Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]
With the Brooklyn Nets expected to still be in a rebuilding period for the next couple of seasons, the Boston Celtics are unlikely going to give up either of their first round draft picks from the Nets. Jahlil Okafor was a high draft pick himself, but that is still too high of a price for Danny Ainge.

The Boston Celtics decided to sign Tyler Zeller to a new two-year contract to keep their backup center around. Danny Ainge is letting the Philadelphia 76ers know that they have options if they cannot pull off a trade for Jahlil Okafor.

Much like it is with most trades in the NBA, there is a chess game being played right now between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers over Jahlil Okafor. Danny Ainge is hoping that the Sixers cave in because he would then have someone that can become a franchise center for the Celtics.

[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]

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