The palm trees were supposed to be casting their gentle shade upon his brow, the waves providing sweet lullabies and the girls should have assembled in single file. That is of course had Jahlil Okafor been drafted by his preferred destination the Los Angeles Lakers, a team with a storied history of dominant centers ruling the paint for basketball generations. However, when Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak selected D’Angelo Russell with the second pick in the 2015 draft, he elected to fall in line with the team building pattern du-jour, casting aside previously valued post play for positionless basketball and pace and space. Where it another time, even as recent as five years past, Okafor would have been the no-brainer option, but professional basketball changes more than Kendrick Perkins pivot foot. Now Okafor finds himself in the city of brotherly love, where he seems a little less than enthused to be, after all will it even be safe for him to play there?
There were rumors prior to draft night that Okafor’s agent had advised the 76ers against drafting his client, typically a repugnant suggestion that would garner little sympathy. This is no typical scenario, this is the Philadelphia 76ers, not basketball purgatory but basketball Hades. The 76ers have little to no interest in fielding a competitive team and make no illusion of their intentions. They are stockpiling picks and drafting the best player available year after year, which has left them with three cornerstone players that all play the same position. One that has become a marginalized position at that. Flash forward to a media junket, where the 76ers newest players pose awkwardly with the teams new jerseys and give local journalists an opportunity to lay their scrutinizing eyes upon them. A casual, meaningless affair that rarely leaves attendees with any question or cause for concern. Until…
Why’d he go and do that? Now body language isn’t everything and at times can belie an individuals true heart felt intentions. But, come on Jahlil! How is anyone supposed to see that and think you have any desire to play for the 76ers? Maybe he doesn’t, maybe that is the exact purpose for such deliberate histrionics. Is it difficult to fathom a person of influence to Okafor, I don’t know… Say his agent, quietly suggesting that he give a subtle cue to 76ers gm Sam Hinkie that Philadelphia’s Center logjam could be dissolved by trading the 6’10 Duke product?
Who knows? We weren’t there, maybe there was a hungry, shivering puppy at Okafor’s feet and was merely offering shelter as quickly as possible. Or he’s just not happy with his situation and is looking for a way out. Right now it’s raining centers in Philly and there are more than a few teams in the NBA whose front courts could use watering.
