Jahlil Okafor is an absolute beast. The Philadelphia 76ers might be in the middle of challenging the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets for worst start in NBA history, but Okafor is already averaging 18 points and eight rebounds per game. Okafor could have gone No. 1 in this year's NBA Draft, but instead fell to third, where the 76ers snatched him up. Now sitting at 0-18, and after legal troubles for the rookie, they need to trade the center as soon as possible to better both the team and player.
Okafor has made it very clear from the beginning that he is not interested in playing for this team. At his introductory press confrence, he threw his jersey down as soon as he could. Whether or not he meant it as a disrespectful act, the other rookies both folded their jerseys and placed them on the table, whereas Okafor just threw his down in a heap.
Since that press conference, Okafor has had two run-ins with the police. According to reports, Okafor was first pulled over by police for driving 108 mph in a 45 mph speed zone. Okafor got just a ticket, and actually kept it secret for a few weeks. These reports came out after an incident in Boston in which Okafor allegedly fought men who were heckling the team outside of a bar, but some reports say it stemmed from ladies stopping Okafor and a friend's advances on them. After the incident in Boston, it was reported that another altercation involving Okafor and a heckler in Philadelphia resulted in a gun being pointed at Okafor and teammates outside of a club. This is just 18 games into Okafor's career.
Okafor very clearly has no interest in playing for the 76ers, and he is getting himself in trouble due to it. Were the team .500, there wouldn't be nearly as many hecklers, and those hecklers might possibly be starting these incidents which are leaving a black eye on Okafor's very good rookie season. While he is a can't miss prospect, he is too much trouble for the rebuilding 76ers, and the value he can get in a trade far outweighs the value he can bring to this team right now.
The 76ers would need a king's ransom to unload Okafor, but a high profile team could entice them. If they could get multiple first round picks as well as a starter, likely at one of the guard positions currently held by T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas, they should unload Okafor. He is not providing enough to warrant the team putting up with his off-court actions, and a change in scenery would improve his career. For both sides, a trade would be the best option.
