Report: Jahlil Okafor, still trying to land contract, works out for four teams in Vegas Kurt HelinNBC Sports July 17, 2018, 10:00 PM GMT Jah...
Kurt HelinNBC Sports
Jahlil Okafor was never going to find a new home early in free agency. Once the big names â€" and second tier, and third tierâ€" names shook out, then some team was expected to step forward with a minimum contract and see if the former No. 3 pick could find a role on their team. Something he could not do with the Nets last year.
He̢۪s still waiting.
Okafor did work out for teams in Las Vegas, to show that he is healthy and can contri bute, reports Sean Deveny of The Sporting News.
According to sources, Okafor, the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, worked out for four teams last Wednesday in Las Vegas, and remains hopeful of signing with a team ahead of training camp next fall.
Okafor averaged 17.5 points per game as a rookie in Philadelphia in 2015-16. He has spent the last few months working out in Miami with trainers David Alexander and Idan Ravin, fueling speculation that he could land with the Heat, especially if Miami finds a trading partner for Hassan Whiteside.
First things first, it̢۪s unlikely the Heat will find someone to take on Whiteside right now, and any team that does is going to want a treasure chest of sweeteners the Heat may not want to surrender.
In addition to the Heat, the Bulls and Pacers have been rumored to have some interest, although both of those should be taken with a serious grain of salt.
How much is any team interested? Enough to even offer a fully guaranteed contract for next season?
Maybe not. Okafor â€" with his old-school, below the rim, back-to-the-basket offensive game, not to mention a serious lack of defense â€" does not fit the direction the NBA is trending with bigs. He may need to accept a non-guaranteed invite to training camp somewhere and prove he deserves a roster spot. Humbling, to be sure, but reality.
At some point, some team will give him a shot. Probably. But Okafor has a lot of work to do to find a role in the modern NBA.
Story ContinuesSource: Google News US Sports | Netizen 24 United States
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