16 Mar 2016 15:09:03
Sixers trade okafor

Boston trades: smart and Brookyln pick

Boston so now fully staffed with young above average guys at every spot and have a bench that's very good as well. Okafor has about as much upside as anyone and on the cheap right now. He give Boston wat they lack. And interior superstar scoring big. Not much defense yet but with the strong wings on Boston and the fact that nearly all big men improve defensively over the years Boston will be a force for years to come.

Thomas, Bradley, crowder, sullinger, okafor

Back ups:
Rozier, turner, Boston pick, Amir Johnson, olynyk.

Sixers give up a lot in Oakfor and if they didn't have Embiid and Noel and saric they would never consider trading okafor. But since this not only clears a log jam of bigs it also give the Sixers a chance to get two starters in the guard spots, This is a deal they must tkae. Sixers get Murray in the draft at the four spot and start to look like a complete team.

Smart, Murray, Ingram or Simmons, Noel, Embiid.

Saric as sixth man and still two late first rounders with Covington and ish off bench.

1.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 15:37:45
Okafor has NO where near that value. I don't think I would give the pick straight up for okafor. But even if they somehow did, to then expect smart as well? Come on.

Especially after you say they can get him on the cheap? What in the world did you value him at before his horrific defense and season ending knee injury?!?

2.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 16:14:50
B ball guru

He hasn't been horrific by any stretch. I can tell you the Sixers have the worst guards in the league and maybe league history. Especially defensively. It's a constant battle to defend your own man and everyone else's as well if your the center or pf. It's a problem Boston doesn't have.

Okafor is putting up some of the best rookie big men numbers of all time on offense. And the knee injury is so minor and smells so much like bs that it had to come from the Sixers. They love to tank and sit there players. I wouldn't even be surprised if they had this planned for months to give okafor a small sample of the NBA for 60 games and then rest him the rest of the year. That wat this organization does. Bs.

As for Boston. A runors was already out during the deadline they wanted to package the Brookyln pick a and a few other pieces to get Okafor. I'm saying it would take smart who is a career back up in Boston behind Bradley and the Brookyln pick which is almost unusable by Boston. What are they going to get with the fourth pick?

Bender? You have no holes at any spot other then center and this draft has no centers. I think Boston should make it a top priority to trade that pick for a center smith star potnetial. And okafor is one of the few you can afford. Cousins could not be had for the Brookyln pick a fun smart. Hortford could be had but he's so old. I don't think he's an impact player. There's just not a trade that I see available to Boston that makes sense aside from Oakfor.

3.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 16:28:40
Too much for Okafor. Brooklyn and Rozier and maybe a few 2nds are about what it could take.

4.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 16:41:41
Well I wouldn't say that Horford is "SO OLD" he is turning 31 maybe 32 this year and he is still playing at a high level. He most certainly is an impact player still. So I see the Celtics using that pick for a shoot since we lack them and Young and Hunter haven't really panned out or been given a shot. So unless they get a higher pick which is just as likely as it is to get the 4th pick then I don't see why trading him plus one of the top on the ball defenders for a center that is slow and brings the pace the Celtics like to play down.

5.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 17:15:56
The land shark.

Don't mention 2nd rounders on this site. They are just useless for me in any trade.

I can see your willingness to give up rodier but it wouldn't be enough. He hasn't performed at all. And like I said. Oakfor is a much better talent this you can get at four in this draft and he plays the exact position that Boston needs to fill. it's. A combo that works really well for them.

6.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 17:17:37
And Larry. Hortford is only going to be 30 next season. but he's lost a step. Still a good player but if you told me okafor or hortford the choice is obvious at this point in their careers. Okafor is a guy Boston can build with. Hortford is a guy that will receive a max deal and then your stuck with his decline for the next four years.

7.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 18:05:29
I would still probably stick with Horford at this point. He is capable at guarding 4s and 5s, can extend his offense out to the perimeter, and he fits very well with this squad.

Yes I agree that the age frame isn't what they would like but they have other pieces and will be here for the long haul. Plus Boston hasn't been known to be in a total rebuild where all they want is young pieces to build around. The fans want success immediately and I don't think Okafor would do that better than Horford.

8.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 18:19:58
Larry.

I can see your point. I just know once Oakfor finally gets away from the Sixers he's going to be a star. If Boston stole him away rather that draft another back up player it could be the biggest steal of the decade.

9.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 18:37:11
Everyone forgetting didn't he have that fight in Boston.

10.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 19:09:41
Tre,
I think your offer is fair value. But I think the Celtics keep that pick and go after a center in free agency. I think they only have about $55M in salaries? That gives them about $35M to go get Whiteside, Howard, Jefferson, etc.
if they strike out, they still have a ton of assets to try and trade for a center such as Okafor.

11.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 19:17:39
Tre, I agree with you. I'm a huge Duke fan so I watched a lot of him last year there and I know he has grown a lot. And I can see him as a poor mans Tim Duncan with the way he plays and the offensive style he has. But I just don't see that being what the Celtics want. They have molded their team to be a fast paced defensive team and he doesn't fit that mold.

I do agree that he will be a star if/ when he leaves Philly but I just don't think Boston would be the best place for him at this time. And I think that free agency is the first option the Celtics take into filling that center whole.

12.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 19:21:48
I don't see how you think they are making up his knee surgery. Dude was having issues for a while and ultimately, just decided to go under.

Marcus smart is a career back up? Behind bradley? First, they play different positions. And second, he is in his second year and he is the backup pg playing 27 minutes a game. Far cry from what you are making it seem like.

To say okafor is putting up historical numbers is misleading. The statistic that is "record breaking" revolves around his usage. AKA its actually a bad thing. It means, the ball goes down to him, and ends there. All the things everyone knocks Melo for. same deal.

Its interesting to evaluate the team without okafor. The offense is better and more efficient, the defense is supremely better. Is Okafor worthless? Not even close. But I see him basically being a greg monroe or a vucevic. Decent starters who get too much credit for flashy numbers, but they are just empty box score stuffers.

The celtics are third in the east with smart as the backup pg playing near starter minutes. the sixers are the worst team in the league and one of the worst all time, with okafor leading the team.

Obviously it isn't all them, but to claim that okafor has this unbelievable star ability and its the sixers holding him down, i think that's a stretch. You even said it, the celtics buy low. by giving up the 4th pick and smart?!? Okafor hasn't won anything, he is terrible at defense, has had a year filled with off court drama and now a season ending injury (even if you think they are just having surgery to tank? ) . If the celtics gave the 4th straight up for okafor. that makes sense, anything more makes no sense. given both okafors value currently and the celtics stinginess with trades.

13.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 19:45:54
B ball guru.

I think they are over blowing a minor knee injury because they A. Don't want to win and B wanted to ease Oakfor I tot the NBA.

Smart is a career backup because either Bradley or thonas play his spot. How can he break into that averaging 9 ppg in 27 minutes? Aka defensive back up

Okafors numbers are historic for a rookie because he shoot the ball at such a. High percentage and does it without an assist being given. He has one of the lowest assist on basket percentages in the league. Around 30 percent of his scores are assisted on. Again terrible Sixers team. So while the play ends with okafor it usually ends in a basket and him doing it all by himself.

The fourth pick this year is at the very best jaylen brown. A guard/ small forward. Where will he play? Is he another career back up for the Celtics? It makes no sense for them to keep that pick. They only have one major hole and it is at center. So they need to trade the pick to get a star quality guy.

A guy you can just dump the ball into and get instant offense. . Aka okafor who scores at a fifty percent clip without anyone getting an assist. doing got by himself. Boston is a defensive team. But won't be able to score in the playoffs. They need a consistent easy basket a center provides. Okafor should be number one or two on their available list of guys behind only cousins who will cost a ton more.

14.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 20:39:28
If you don't see high value in anyone that will be picked 4 but are so high on Okafor why are you wanting to trade him so bad?

Smart won't be a career back up and even so he might be more valuable that way as he can't shoot very well and wants to fire away from 3 often.

The whole not having an assist on his scoring plays is probably the worst stat you could have come up with. No team in the NBA wants to slow the game down like that and have a center that doesn't pass well and is only a back to the basket guy.

Okafor needs to expand his game and his range to be successful in this league or like BBALL GURU said he will just be a stat stuffer like Monroe who is becoming extinct in this league.

Don't get me wrong Okafor is a good player but he would have been better had he come into the league when it was a slow, inside, bigs league. Not a fast, shooting, guards league.

15.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 22:15:50
You can't really value the Brooklyn pick because it could be number 1 or even number 10. So let's wait till we find the order of draft to talk about the Brooklyn pick.

16.) 16 Mar 2016
16 Mar 2016 23:15:16
Yeah, all around agreement. The unassisted stat is AWFUL. For all those that talk about how Melo is a black hole, where the balls goes in and doesn't come out. that's Okafor. That stat wasnt supposed to promote how good he is, it more shows how poorly the team runs when he is in. It is just a dump down low and no flow to the game.

As for the scoring, i fail to see the argument there. Is ricky rubio a career back up because he scores 10 a game? Hell, rondo doesn't even score more than 11. The celtics are a team play team. Not an individual scorer. They spread the ball around, everyone contributes. So to say the celtics want a player like okafor, where you just dump it down low and either he scores or its over. not a strong argument. The celtics send feelers to everyone. that's the point. They just kick every can to see what the interest is and if they can get a good deal.

The sixers, as you said, have the worst guards potentially ever. So they are absolutely in no position of strength to bargain to get a high prospect pg AND a top 5 pick for the position they have a logjam in, and the player who puts up stat stuffer numbers but when you look just slightly beyond the surface, you realize, he isn't doing good for the team. He would ruin the chemistry the celtics have. And seeing as they are 3rd in the East, don't think they are in a rush to destroy that.

17.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 13:23:08
Good discussion.
1. I don't thing the knee hasn't been a problem all year. He banged knees with someone recently. It was expected to be day to day.
2. Better D from the front court would limit his defensive responsibility.
3. The Celts are a good example of how tough it is to get big men in the draft without a top top pick. They've loaded up on smalls and draft picks so this makes sense for both teams. A talented big like OK4 may put them over the top.
4. The Sixers have tons of picks so they are in a position of strength regarding trading for smalls since they can just draft them the way Boston has.
5. Yes, the Celts can get a FA big man. But if I were them I'd try to get Horford AND OK4.
6. bballguru: how many login names are you using?

18.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 14:43:38
Larry.

The only reason the Sixers would even consider trading Oakfor is because they have Embiid and Noel. just too many bigs. Add Simmons and there could even more bigs assuming he can be a sf which he should be.

Smart is a career back up on Boston behind Bradley and Thomas. There is no room for him to start in the group.

His scoring is an embarrassment as well. He purely defensive. 27 minute and scoring less then 9 ppg. He's a prospect but he's no star that Boston thinks he is. But he's tough and defense is valuable off the bench.

19.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 14:46:41
The unassisted stats is not awful at all! It's a star that tells you all you need to know about the Sixers. They have no guards and no one to pass him the ball in the correct spot. He has to do it completely on his own and is successful. If the entire tema shot 50 percent from the floor the Sixers would win. The problem is aside from Oakfor the team is a terrible shooting team. They run up and down the floor like mad men to score the points they do. Notice how the other teams score 130 against them with back ups? It's because the team is so damn quick they give up twice as much as they get.

Sixers are lost right now.

20.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 14:50:12
Oooo and let's me really honest right now okay.

Yes Celtics are number three in the east. But they have zero chance to get to the finals this year. Tell me I'm wrong? They are clearly lacking a star player and a star center in particular. If they get hortford they will be good for a year or so. But if they get Oakfor they could potentially be good for ten years. Okafor will put up 25 and 10 consistently sometime in his career. That's a really nice piece going forward for who ever gets him. Even if he stay on the Sixers.

21.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 14:59:15
1. you don't get a meniscus tear from banging knees. He missed 4 games with a shin contussion because of the banging into a teammate. The sore right knee issue has been bothering him since the preseason, then missing a couple games in december from it. aka, it was season long
2. The center is your defensive anchor. To say just get better guards to mask his deficiencies is fine. But you don't pay premium priced for damaged/ flawed goods.
3. To be fair, the sixers are a good team to realize even with top picks, you don't necessarily get top centers. You currently have one with zero offense, one with zero defense, and one with zero games played among the 3 top 6 picks on the team.
4. Having those picks doesn't mean anything. The celtics couldn't move up like 6 spots last year with 4 1sts. what do you think the sixers can get other than MANY rotational and d-leaguers?
5. If the option is to just sign someone, or give away premium assets, why in the world would they go to Okafor? The sixers have him now, and they will have him for the future. No one is going to pay what the sixers realistically would want for him. He just seems too much like Monroe and Vucevic. All fluff, no wins.
6. Just this one on my computer. Lemme guess philly. enter a discussion and try and insult?

22.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 16:13:54
No insult. There's nothing in my comment above that's even close to an insult. There's no confrontation here.

You're PIZZA. And you're KNICKSALLTHEWAY. And you're BBALLGURU.

A few weeks ago when I connected KNICKSALLTHEWAY to PIZZA, you commented that all I had to do was ask. So I just did exactly as you suggested. You have one user i'd on your computer and another elsewhere. You answered. I"m sorry you're offended by my question.

Thanks.

23.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 16:32:03
Oh, one thing, PIZZA. You make a good point. If the knee really has been sore all year, then that makes his offensive stats even more impressive, its makes him seem tougher, it makes me think he'll be better when the scope cleans things up, and maybe that's why he seems slow on D. Maybe what you see as laziness is really him just toughing out a sore knee.

24.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 16:48:13
he was that awful in college. just look at advanced stats. his team is better offensively (game flows instead of blackhole) and defensively (actually cover people and put effort in) .

does okafor have potential, absolutely. Is he a franchise cornerstone? probably not. 25/ 10 doesn't equate to championship if you neglect defense. don't agree? David lee was over 20 and almost 12 boards a game, with pathetic defense, leading to a pitiful knicks team. Stop making it more than it is. Almost all agree he has a serious flaw in his game. doesn't make him worthless, but surely not worth giving up that much.

I would far prefer having smart and bender or Poeltl instead of jsut having okafor. I believe both bigs are comparable if not potentially better becasue of all around game and still keep the high value propsect pg. that's what i was saying.

25.) 17 Mar 2016
17 Mar 2016 19:25:10
Bball guru

Hahaha ok now I know your crazy. Awful in college? He won the damn championship! He was the best player on that team. Wow! Now I know your just a hater. Okay. Your opinions are no longer taken seriously.