Jahlil Okafor is perfect for this team.
Jahlil Okafor
2019 Kings 1st unprotected
4
Marcus Smart
Avery Bradley
really? this is surprising to read about okafur since everything i have read indicates he is the epitome of what CBS does not want.
okafur's defense is really bad. he simply stops playing defense when he chooses. he puts very little effort into it. he is notoriously bad at defense. here is a tiny sample, only a 12 second sample, of him at perhaps his worst (he is #8):
https://www.sbnation.com/2017/3/1/14785660/jahlil-okafor-worst-defense-youve-ever-seen-sixers
but even beyond this video clip, he is known as a poor defender.
next, he would undo CBS' space and pace offense. okafur is great near the basket. but, okafur has real trouble making shots beyond a few away from the basket. yes, he can score. but he clogs up the middle and allows the other team's center to stay under the basket, which gets in IT's way. okafur is also not a very good passer from what i read.
here is his shot chart for last season:
http://nbasavant.com/player.php?player_id=1626143
and it is not just me who has serious questions about okafur turning out to be a good nba player. philly tried to trade him earlier, and even stapled a few assets to him to make him more attractive. no takers. he does not have a lot of value since his flaws at least match, if not outweigh, his obvious strengths.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/2/23/14716926/jahlil-okafor-trade-76ers-philadelphia-rumors-nba-stays-colangelo
i think the celtics can, and should, get a player who fits their system better.
Okafor was one of the best prospects coming out of highschool and college. Then he went to a Sixers team who wasn't in the business of winning. It's hard to play for some one who doesn't want to win. For all we know they were told not to play D. Yeah crazy, but these things happen.
The kid has good foot work. There is no reason he can't use that foot work on the defensive end with coach's who actually will work with him and hold him accountable. Changes in environments can do wonders for people.
Now that being said, I wouldn't give up Smart in the deal, and I'd still want the 2019 pick.
interesting idea. do you have any source or backing for it? or is it conjecture? could you provide me with examples of philly telling their players to not play defense? i mean, other players on that team seem to play defense, noel being one case in point.
as for high school stars that don't pan out, it happens and okafur would not be the first, nor the last.
as for changes in environment, yes, sometimes it helps. yet, sometimes it does not. given that okafur also has had off court problems and he has consistently not played to expectations, i would ask for solid indications that he might make this jump.
thus far, nba GMs dont seem to agree with your points or they would have already picked him up for pennies on the dollar.
Okafor can exponentially improve his game by taking more jumpers 15 feet and in. Even if he adds a legit 10foot and in jumper his game would drastically improve and open up everything else for himself and the team. He has the shot and he has the form and motion...IMO it is part mental and partly due to his superior post play and in part to bad coaching.
I would be willing to bet that if Okafor came to the C's he would stop all the hesitating on jumpers...which is drastic. He has a mental hesitation when he should shoot the ball in which he hesitates and fakes and then dribbles into the paint in order to score. IMO this is not being addressed on his current team because he is far superior in the post and is rewarded everytime he scores in the paint.
I am not disagreeing that Okafor has a certain perception around the league or has played consistently....this is the entire point of wanting to trade for him and betting (based on his game and physique) that he can actually play better, especially in our system. I am saying that he is highly undervalued and widely perceived as a "finished product".
Myles Turner, Cliff Alexander, and Kelly Oubre were ranked in the top 3 during high school. Okafor was top 5 but it was not until college began that he was the consensus #1. During the midpoint of the college season Towns( the guy I was talking about for 2 years but due to perceived knee problems was not originally ranked although he won the Gatorade Player of Year in HS) began challenging Okafor and eventually surpassed him. Towns represents the new era of big men(along with Turner)....Okafor's case is helped bc he has a longer wingspan than both Towns and Turner which means he does not just possess sheer size and length is always helpful defensively as long as you can use it.
The guy is a ballplayer and if you watch enough video on him you can understand that he does possess a strong enough ability to improve his shot attempts from 10 feet and even 15 feet and in.
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