Would you trade the 2016 Nets pick for Okafor?

[Who]

Nope. I do not consider J.Okafor a top 5 player in this draft.

Seriously?

Okafor is still a center and has a good future (could give you 20 and 12-15 consistently )

These position player(good ones)  are still considered rare finds new NBA or not

Add Okafor to the lineup right now and think about how much chaos that would cause the opposing teams (inside outside hell).  Kid is not perfect and more like an Al Jefferson than a Tim Duncan. But still , it would practically take this lineup to another level

Okafor, KO, Mickeyup front  trio would be sick!

I would be in heaven if we add Simmons but a piece like Okafor is a more essential piece.

Yes, I think he is like Al Jefferson too.

Some of those other guys in the 3-6 range may not turn out to be as good as Big Al but I'd rather take a chance on them because, if they do fulfill their talent, they can be two-way players which I do not believe J.Okafor ever will be.

[Moranis]

(making the playoffs was SOOOOOOO WORTH IT).
Ingram-Turner combo

I don't understand people who raise hell about getting this or that young player... but when it comes to developing said players, we hear talk about how making the playoffs "was so worth it".

News flash: the only way to sort out who's a paper tiger and who's the real deal is to play games that matter. Otherwise you're the Philadelphia 76ers who have been "developing" players for half a decade now.

last part definitely not true.

[Tr1boy]

Right now? No. If it lands outside the top 2 in May? Yes.

You see, why would then 76ers make the deal? Unless they are a big fan of brown/bender/dunn?

The unknown magic of the lottery (like powerball potential winning prize sucking you in to buy a tix) raises the value of the pick more than the actual value itself

Plus the added value or promise Sully is in your possession, when in reality its not as easy locking him up to play for you next season

Let the 76ers deal with the excitement/hell. While Okafor is demanding the double teams to help us trample teams.  With Okafor I sincerely believe we  have a chance to get past the Cavs.  Mozgov can't guard him

[Ilikesports17]

Right now? No. If it lands outside the top 2 in May? Yes.

You see, why would then 76ers make the deal? Unless they are a big fan of brown/bender/dunn?

The unknown magic of the lottery (like powerball potential winning prize sucking you in to buy a tix) raises the value of the pick more than the actual value itself

Plus the added value or promise Sully is in your possession, when in reality its not as easy locking him up to play for you next season

Let the 76ers deal with the excitement/hell. While Okafor is demanding the double teams to help us trample teams.  With Okafor I sincerely believe we  have a chance to get past the Cavs.  Mozgov can't guard him

All 3 fit better than okafor.

[Who]

Let the 76ers deal with the excitement/hell. While Okafor is demanding the double teams to help us trample teams.  With Okafor I sincerely believe we  have a chance to get past the Cavs.  Mozgov can't guard him

Why can't Mozgov guard J.Okafor?

I would have expected Mozgov to do a good job on Okafor. Okafor is very comfortable when he can physically bully players but take that away from him and you reduce his options considerably which Mozgov has the strength to do. I've seen Okafor struggle against guys with more size / length than him in the past. Again, Mozgov at 7-2 can do that. Mozgov has enough quickness to stay with Okafor.

Mosgov is a very good low post defender against power players in the post. I think he can struggle against quickness. Like say a face up big like Chris Bosh or Anthony Davis. And I think Mozgov can lose his focus and get lost on off-the-ball defensive rotations. But I've been impressed with his one-on-one low post defense in the past. I would expect Mozgov to do well against Okafor and bother Okafor's finishing around the rim due to his (Mozgov's) superior size.

[Who]

I don't think J.Okafor can replicate what Sully does for us defensively.

Okafor has more length and is a better shot-blocker but Sully is quicker and much more mobile in the PnR than Okafor is. I think Sully's defensive pluses and minuses will out-weigh Okafor's pluses and minuses defensively.

[LarBrd33]

Man... I'm thrilled with how bad Brooklyn has been.  Thanks to injuries, the worst-case scenario of Brooklyn making the playoffs is long gone.   At this point, it's basically a lock to end up in the lottery. 

But between this thread and the Jabari Parker thread, I really feel like people are still severely overrating that Brooklyn pick.

It's looking more-and-more likely that at the very least, the Suns will finish with a worst record.  So even if Brooklyn fails to go on a mini run and stays in the 4th worst spot, you're looking at the following odds:

#1 pick - 11.9%
#2 pick - 12.6%
#3 pick - 13.3%
#4 pick - 9.9%
#5 pick - 35.1%
#6 pick - 16%

We're still learning things about this draft so perhaps someone like Dragan Bender will be a superstar someday.  Maybe more "can't miss" prospects will be revealed.  But I've also heard plenty negativity recently... that Ben Simmons can't shoot and has inflated stats due to playing on a mediocre program against mediocre competition... that Brandon Ingram is a few years away from being anything... that this draft might be pretty terrible outside those two guys.

So then we're talking about a guy like Okafor.

I got news for you... a year ago (I checked Draftexpress archived from Feb 15th 2015), Okafor was considered the consensus #1 pick on mock drafts. 

So now midway through a rookie season the 20 year old is averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks with 49% shooting and 68% from the line...   and some people think the pick is more valuable?   Seriously? 

If things hold as-is, we're looking at an 88.1% chance that we do NOT get Ben Simmons... and who knows how we'll even look at Ben Simmons a year from now.

I think it's fair to expect Okafor to be a 20/10 guy long term.  Not sure about his defense, but his floor still seems to be Al Jefferson.   He's already almost a 20/10 guy as a rookie on a dysfunctional team. 

Say we land someone like Jaylen Brown with the 5th pick (our most likely draft position) and he puts up a Hezonja-esque 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steals.  How much will that asset be worth then compared to Okafor?

It's not even a guarantee that Ben SImmons will have a better career than Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor... and yet people here still insist that Brooklyn pick is more valuable than either of those guys.   I don't agree.

SIde note:  It's hilarious that people here will suggest someone like 26 year old Jae Crowder has untapped star potential in the 5th year of his career, but then look at a 20 year old prospect 46 games into a pretty decent rookie season and act like he's a fully-formed player. 

[Who]

I know others feel differently, but I am really not a big fan of Okafor. I get that he puts up big numbers, but everything I have read has shown them to be a better team when he is not playing. I also do think there is some validity that the NBA is moving away from plodding centers that can't stretch the floor. I also found it pretty interesting that all analysis of this years rookie class I have seen ranked him somewhere below 5th. Is everyone wrong or trying to be provocative?


Also, who else is a plodding center on a successful team (or any team). Cousins can actually go out and hit the 3 and seems to be capable of guarding away from the rim. Drummond is certainly a good counter example, but I would like to see the Pistons have more team success before I hold him up as a good example. Players like Jordan and Drummond and Whiteside are all way more athletic than Okafor and, with the exception of Whiteside, much better defenders. Someone like Bogut even is a very very good passer which offsets his slow foot speed (not to mention worlds better on defensive). I can't really think of a single player that has the same weakness as Okafor that plays a key role on a successful team in the NBA.

Yeah, I am in the same boat.

I think J.Okafor will be a very good offensive player in time. I do think Okafor is a good passer out of the low post. Like most rookie big men, he is struggling with NBA level double teams and he will adjust to that with more experience. I would like to see him work more on his high post passing because those elbow touches are important for him. He needs to move around a lot inside 15-17 feet to be effective. Not so good if he is stagnant in the low post. Not a dominant enough low post scorer for that. Needs motion. I also think Okafor will develop a short to midrange jumper over the next few years. He has a little bit of touch that can be developed and like Big Al, I'll expect Okafor will add it to his arsenal as he gets older.

It's the lack of mobility and athleticism that bother me the most about Okafor. He is too much of a liability as a defender & rebounder because of it. I do not see Okafor ever becoming a top tier center due to that. A second tier talent (at best).

[Eddie20]

Man... I'm thrilled with how bad Brooklyn has been.  Thanks to injuries, the worst-case scenario of Brooklyn making the playoffs is long gone.   At this point, it's basically a lock to end up in the lottery. 

But between this thread and the Jabari Parker thread, I really feel like people are still severely overrating that Brooklyn pick.

It's looking more-and-more likely that at the very least, the Suns will finish with a worst record.  So even if Brooklyn fails to go on a mini run and stays in the 4th worst spot, you're looking at the following odds:

#1 pick - 11.9%
#2 pick - 12.6%
#3 pick - 13.3%
#4 pick - 9.9%
#5 pick - 35.1%
#6 pick - 16%

We're still learning things about this draft so perhaps someone like Dragan Bender will be a superstar someday.  Maybe more "can't miss" prospects will be revealed.  But I've also heard plenty negativity recently... that Ben Simmons can't shoot and has inflated stats due to playing on a mediocre program against mediocre competition... that Brandon Ingram is a few years away from being anything... that this draft might be pretty terrible outside those two guys.

So then we're talking about a guy like Okafor.

I got news for you... a year ago (I checked Draftexpress archived from Feb 15th 2015), Okafor was considered the consensus #1 pick on mock drafts. 

So now midway through a rookie season the 20 year old is averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks with 49% shooting and 68% from the line...   and some people think the pick is more valuable?   Seriously? 

If things hold as-is, we're looking at an 88.1% chance that we do NOT get Ben Simmons... and who knows how we'll even look at Ben Simmons a year from now.

I think it's fair to expect Okafor to be a 20/10 guy long term.  Not sure about his defense, but his floor still seems to be Al Jefferson.   He's already almost a 20/10 guy as a rookie on a dysfunctional team. 

Say we land someone like Jaylen Brown with the 5th pick (our most likely draft position) and he puts up a Hezonja-esque 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steals.  How much will that asset be worth then compared to Okafor?

It's not even a guarantee that Ben SImmons will have a better career than Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor... and yet people here still insist that Brooklyn pick is more valuable than either of those guys.   I don't agree.

SIde note:  It's hilarious that people here will suggest someone like 26 year old Jae Crowder has untapped star potential in the 5th year of his career, but then look at a 20 year old prospect 46 games into a pretty decent rookie season and act like he's a fully-formed player.

* Brooklyn sucked before "injuries" hit.

* Okafor could be a classic numbers on a bad team guy. If he were on a winning team/with viable options around him then his numbers will suffer.

* Crowder is 25 and continues to improve as a player. Jimmy Butler is 26 and continues to get better every year. This his 4th season, not 5th.

[Donoghus]

The BKN pick (pre-lottery) is not totally unmovable but you're gonna have to give me something back better than Jahlil Okafor for that value & especially if the Celtics are throwing in additional filler.

Moving the BKN (pre-lottery) with filler for Cousins is one thing to consider but for a much more flawed player like Okafor? No way.  Who's already pointed out the kid's weaknesses. 

[LarBrd33]

Man... I'm thrilled with how bad Brooklyn has been.  Thanks to injuries, the worst-case scenario of Brooklyn making the playoffs is long gone.   At this point, it's basically a lock to end up in the lottery. 

But between this thread and the Jabari Parker thread, I really feel like people are still severely overrating that Brooklyn pick.

It's looking more-and-more likely that at the very least, the Suns will finish with a worst record.  So even if Brooklyn fails to go on a mini run and stays in the 4th worst spot, you're looking at the following odds:

#1 pick - 11.9%
#2 pick - 12.6%
#3 pick - 13.3%
#4 pick - 9.9%
#5 pick - 35.1%
#6 pick - 16%

We're still learning things about this draft so perhaps someone like Dragan Bender will be a superstar someday.  Maybe more "can't miss" prospects will be revealed.  But I've also heard plenty negativity recently... that Ben Simmons can't shoot and has inflated stats due to playing on a mediocre program against mediocre competition... that Brandon Ingram is a few years away from being anything... that this draft might be pretty terrible outside those two guys.

So then we're talking about a guy like Okafor.

I got news for you... a year ago (I checked Draftexpress archived from Feb 15th 2015), Okafor was considered the consensus #1 pick on mock drafts. 

So now midway through a rookie season the 20 year old is averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks with 49% shooting and 68% from the line...   and some people think the pick is more valuable?   Seriously? 

If things hold as-is, we're looking at an 88.1% chance that we do NOT get Ben Simmons... and who knows how we'll even look at Ben Simmons a year from now.

I think it's fair to expect Okafor to be a 20/10 guy long term.  Not sure about his defense, but his floor still seems to be Al Jefferson.   He's already almost a 20/10 guy as a rookie on a dysfunctional team. 

Say we land someone like Jaylen Brown with the 5th pick (our most likely draft position) and he puts up a Hezonja-esque 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steals.  How much will that asset be worth then compared to Okafor?

It's not even a guarantee that Ben SImmons will have a better career than Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor... and yet people here still insist that Brooklyn pick is more valuable than either of those guys.   I don't agree.

SIde note:  It's hilarious that people here will suggest someone like 26 year old Jae Crowder has untapped star potential in the 5th year of his career, but then look at a 20 year old prospect 46 games into a pretty decent rookie season and act like he's a fully-formed player.

I'm just sayin that some of ya'll act like the obnoxious friend you take to Vegas who inexplicably goes on a hot streak and now he's too drunk to know when to walk away from the table and cash in his winnings. 

"A chance at a star prospect like Okafor?  NAaah!!  Let it ride!!... Less than 10% chance at a guy who may or may not be better than him!! WOoOooo!!!"  (Note:  less than 10% chance, because you need to factor in the odds of additional teams falling below Brooklyn by the end of the season)


I'm just saying... February 10th, 2015 versions of you guys would be disgusted with this thread.

Hold up, I just used OSX Time Machine to backdate my digitized brain a whole year.  Here's what the Feb 2015 version of CyberLarB had to say:   "Wait a minute... you're telling me a year from now the consensus #1 pick Jahlil Okafor will be averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks with 50% shooting in only 30 minutes with incredible touch around the rim... but I'll be unwilling to move a projected #5 pick for him?  WHAT?   That either means Okafor had a career ending injury or the 2016 draft is stacked with future hall of famers...   Woah, is that because of that Thon Maker kid I keep hearing about??!"


There's a good chance that February 10th, 2017 versions of you guys are going to be equally disgusted with this thread.

[Tr1boy]

Man... I'm thrilled with how bad Brooklyn has been.  Thanks to injuries, the worst-case scenario of Brooklyn making the playoffs is long gone.   At this point, it's basically a lock to end up in the lottery. 

But between this thread and the Jabari Parker thread, I really feel like people are still severely overrating that Brooklyn pick.

It's looking more-and-more likely that at the very least, the Suns will finish with a worst record.  So even if Brooklyn fails to go on a mini run and stays in the 4th worst spot, you're looking at the following odds:

#1 pick - 11.9%
#2 pick - 12.6%
#3 pick - 13.3%
#4 pick - 9.9%
#5 pick - 35.1%
#6 pick - 16%

We're still learning things about this draft so perhaps someone like Dragan Bender will be a superstar someday.  Maybe more "can't miss" prospects will be revealed.  But I've also heard plenty negativity recently... that Ben Simmons can't shoot and has inflated stats due to playing on a mediocre program against mediocre competition... that Brandon Ingram is a few years away from being anything... that this draft might be pretty terrible outside those two guys.

So then we're talking about a guy like Okafor.

I got news for you... a year ago (I checked Draftexpress archived from Feb 15th 2015), Okafor was considered the consensus #1 pick on mock drafts. 

So now midway through a rookie season the 20 year old is averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks with 49% shooting and 68% from the line...   and some people think the pick is more valuable?   Seriously? 

If things hold as-is, we're looking at an 88.1% chance that we do NOT get Ben Simmons... and who knows how we'll even look at Ben Simmons a year from now.

I think it's fair to expect Okafor to be a 20/10 guy long term.  Not sure about his defense, but his floor still seems to be Al Jefferson.   He's already almost a 20/10 guy as a rookie on a dysfunctional team. 

Say we land someone like Jaylen Brown with the 5th pick (our most likely draft position) and he puts up a Hezonja-esque 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steals.  How much will that asset be worth then compared to Okafor?

It's not even a guarantee that Ben SImmons will have a better career than Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor... and yet people here still insist that Brooklyn pick is more valuable than either of those guys.   I don't agree.

SIde note:  It's hilarious that people here will suggest someone like 26 year old Jae Crowder has untapped star potential in the 5th year of his career, but then look at a 20 year old prospect 46 games into a pretty decent rookie season and act like he's a fully-formed player.

I'm just sayin that some of ya'll act like the obnoxious friend you take to Vegas who inexplicably goes on a hot streak and now he's too drunk to know when to walk away from the table and cash in his winnings. 

"A chance at a star prospect like Okafor?  NAaah!!  Let it ride!!... Less than 10% chance at a guy who may or may not be better than him!! WOoOooo!!!"  (Note:  less than 10% chance, because you need to factor in the odds of additional teams falling below Brooklyn by the end of the season)


I'm just saying... February 10th, 2015 versions of you guys would be disgusted with this thread.

Hold up, I just used OSX Time Machine to backdate my digitized brain a whole year.  Here's what the Feb 2015 version of CyberLarB had to say:   "Wait a minute... you're telling me a year from now the consensus #1 pick Jahlil Okafor will be averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks with 50% shooting in only 30 minutes with incredible touch around the rim... but I'll be unwilling to move a projected #5 pick for him?  WHAT?   That either means Okafor had a career ending injury or the 2016 draft is stacked with future hall of famers...   Woah, is that because of that Thon Maker kid I keep hearing about??!"


There's a good chance that February 10th, 2017 versions of you guys are going to be equally disgusted with this thread.

Lol. So true

No worries at least I have my powerball ticket right?? =D

[LarBrd33]

Man... I'm thrilled with how bad Brooklyn has been.  Thanks to injuries, the worst-case scenario of Brooklyn making the playoffs is long gone.   At this point, it's basically a lock to end up in the lottery. 

But between this thread and the Jabari Parker thread, I really feel like people are still severely overrating that Brooklyn pick.

It's looking more-and-more likely that at the very least, the Suns will finish with a worst record.  So even if Brooklyn fails to go on a mini run and stays in the 4th worst spot, you're looking at the following odds:

#1 pick - 11.9%
#2 pick - 12.6%
#3 pick - 13.3%
#4 pick - 9.9%
#5 pick - 35.1%
#6 pick - 16%

We're still learning things about this draft so perhaps someone like Dragan Bender will be a superstar someday.  Maybe more "can't miss" prospects will be revealed.  But I've also heard plenty negativity recently... that Ben Simmons can't shoot and has inflated stats due to playing on a mediocre program against mediocre competition... that Brandon Ingram is a few years away from being anything... that this draft might be pretty terrible outside those two guys.

So then we're talking about a guy like Okafor.

I got news for you... a year ago (I checked Draftexpress archived from Feb 15th 2015), Okafor was considered the consensus #1 pick on mock drafts. 

So now midway through a rookie season the 20 year old is averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks with 49% shooting and 68% from the line...   and some people think the pick is more valuable?   Seriously? 

If things hold as-is, we're looking at an 88.1% chance that we do NOT get Ben Simmons... and who knows how we'll even look at Ben Simmons a year from now.

I think it's fair to expect Okafor to be a 20/10 guy long term.  Not sure about his defense, but his floor still seems to be Al Jefferson.   He's already almost a 20/10 guy as a rookie on a dysfunctional team. 

Say we land someone like Jaylen Brown with the 5th pick (our most likely draft position) and he puts up a Hezonja-esque 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steals.  How much will that asset be worth then compared to Okafor?

It's not even a guarantee that Ben SImmons will have a better career than Jabari Parker or Jahlil Okafor... and yet people here still insist that Brooklyn pick is more valuable than either of those guys.   I don't agree.

SIde note:  It's hilarious that people here will suggest someone like 26 year old Jae Crowder has untapped star potential in the 5th year of his career, but then look at a 20 year old prospect 46 games into a pretty decent rookie season and act like he's a fully-formed player.

I'm just sayin that some of ya'll act like the obnoxious friend you take to Vegas who inexplicably goes on a hot streak and now he's too drunk to know when to walk away from the table and cash in his winnings. 

"A chance at a star prospect like Okafor?  NAaah!!  Let it ride!!... Less than 10% chance at a guy who may or may not be better than him!! WOoOooo!!!"  (Note:  less than 10% chance, because you need to factor in the odds of additional teams falling below Brooklyn by the end of the season)


I'm just saying... February 10th, 2015 versions of you guys would be disgusted with this thread.

Hold up, I just used OSX Time Machine to backdate my digitized brain a whole year.  Here's what the Feb 2015 version of CyberLarB had to say:   "Wait a minute... you're telling me a year from now the consensus #1 pick Jahlil Okafor will be averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds, 1.2 blocks with 50% shooting in only 30 minutes with incredible touch around the rim... but I'll be unwilling to move a projected #5 pick for him?  WHAT?   That either means Okafor had a career ending injury or the 2016 draft is stacked with future hall of famers...   Woah, is that because of that Thon Maker kid I keep hearing about??!"


There's a good chance that February 10th, 2017 versions of you guys are going to be equally disgusted with this thread.

Lol. So true

No worries at least I have my powerball ticket right?? =D

Obviously, it's wonderful that Brooklyn's playoff hopes were dashed by an injury-riddled season.  There's a small chance we end up with the top pick.  There's a chance Ben Simmons ends up far better than Okafor.   It's something to hope for. 

But the comparative trade value of that pick is pretty overrated still.   I still think Marcus Smart is a more valuable asset than the Feb 2016 Brooklyn pick.  Maybe that's the homer in me, though.   HOw many of you guys would trade Smart right now for the Suns 2016 1st?  Actually, that's a good question.  I'll start a thread.

[Big333223]

Without even getting into the question of whether or not its a deal worth doing, I would ask, Why do we want Okafor? He's not going to help the team win this season so any deal that brought Okafor to Boston would be made with future success in mind. If that's the case, then waiting until the summer, when we know exactly what the Brooklyn pick will be, seems the smarter option. 

If the pick winds up in the top 2, then there's no way I'd trade it for Okafor. Outside of that, I'd listen to offers. But honestly, I'd be more interested in Noel than Okafor anyway.

[TheFlex]

Right now? No. If it lands outside the top 2 in May? Yes.

You see, why would then 76ers make the deal? Unless they are a big fan of brown/bender/dunn?

The unknown magic of the lottery (like powerball potential winning prize sucking you in to buy a tix) raises the value of the pick more than the actual value itself

Plus the added value or promise Sully is in your possession, when in reality its not as easy locking him up to play for you next season

Let the 76ers deal with the excitement/hell. While Okafor is demanding the double teams to help us trample teams.  With Okafor I sincerely believe we  have a chance to get past the Cavs.  Mozgov can't guard him

The Celtics have no need to accelerate the process by landing a current player and squandering pick's upside. We don't need to please a Kevin Durant or an Al Horford and go deep in the playoffs. The fans are fine making the playoffs and seeing what happens.

It is most likely that the pick lands around the 5th slot, and if we wanted Okafor in that case, we'd almost definitely have to add at least one more significant sweetener. That's true, and a fair counterpoint. But in the still very plausible scenario (BKN lands 4th, 37.8% of landing in the top 3) in which the pick leaps into the top 3, or even #1 (just under 12%), it would be unforgivable to have given up on the pick early for no reason (again, no personnel or fan pressure on the Celts).

Even if you don't love Simmons, Ingram or Bender, it's naive to think that those players wouldn't have more trade value than last year's #3 pick who has since: reached the peak of his defensive woes, had some off-the-court trouble, and played for a historically bad team who has two other prized PF/C prospects (thus giving his team little leverage in a bidding war, because teams know they'll eventually have to move one of Okafor/Noel/Embiid).

Okafor has been a stud, and I think the Big Al comps are a little unfair, unless one is talking about Okafor's floor. Very few centers -- if any -- move with the fluidity and ball control from the high post, low post and baseline at his size and age. But despite all of his offensive success, it has been a season of defilement for Okafor in many other areas. He'll have to answer a number of questions through an offseason of hard work and a sophomore season of positive improvement. Because of that, I don't think the Sixers will look to move him before the deadline or over the summer.