NBA
Jahlil Okafor Getting One More Shot
Jahlil Okafor, once a 3rd overall pick of the 76ers, is now once again finding himself with a new team. This time around it is with Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. The contract is a partially guaranteed contract for next season with a 2019-2020 team option.
The former 2015 Duke standout is finding himself in another murky situation. After having an impressive rookie season by putting up 17.5 points per game, 7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while playing 30 minutes a game. Like most of the 76ers lottery picks over the past few years, Okafor battled injury issues. His first season he played a career high 53 games. From there on it has gone downhill. The year after injuries kept him sidelined and suited up only 50 games that season and last year only suited 2 games for the Sixers. He was part of a mid-season trade to the Nets with Nik Stauskas for Trevor Booker. With the 26 games he played for the Nets he averaged 6.4 points, 3 rebounds, and about half a block a game.
Jahlil had issues trying to play with 76ers franchise star Joel Embiid. Both true centers, but Embiid has a plethora of skills offensively and is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Jahlil is a traditional back to the basket big man with limited mobility both sides of the ball. Hopefully though with the Pelicans he can at least redeem some of the qualities he had that made him such a sought after draftee.
How Can He Succeed In NO?
After losing Demarcus Cousins to the Warriors this offseason, the Pels have been reaching around to fill the giant void that Cousins left behind. Both figuratively and literally. They signed former Lakers young big man Julius Randle that still has potential and now Okafor. The Pelicans still have sharpshooting big Nikola Mirotic, which could maybe help out with spacing when Okafor hits the floor. Anthony Davis is the generational talent that can adapt to personal so it comes to how Jahlil fits in. If Okafor comes into camp in shape, which has been an issue for him, things could maybe change for the better. Become that crucial big man role player that is there to come on the court for instant offense like an Enes Kanter role.
Questions will be floating around until the season starts how Jahlil will fit in. In a competitive Western Conference, New Orleans can’t afford for Okafor to be a bust for them. If that is the case their playoff contention could slowly be vanishing.
