Speculations abound that the Boston Celtics are still looking to pull off a big-time trade even as the first month of free-agency period is coming to an end. The team's snagging of All-Star center Al Horford from Atlanta remains their only significant move this summer so far, and there are rumors that they are currently negotiating with the Philadelphia 76ers for incoming sophomore Jahlil Okafor.
However, CBS Sports indicated that the Celtics are not willing to "give up much" for the 20-year-old 2016 NBA All-Rookie First Teamer as the ballclub is wary of Okafor's notorious off-court incidents last season.
Last summer's third overall pick was involved in two separate street fights in the wee hours of Thanksgiving Day, had a gun pointed at his head in an October altercation in Old City, and was pulled over by police after driving 108 mph over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philly.
The report noted that the Celtics do want to deal for Okafor and had been "in pursuit of him for months," but Danny Ainge and company allegedly wanted it done "for a steal."
Several reports had emerged in the past months that the Sixers are trying to unload Okafor or another one of their big men, Nerlens Noel, as they are set to become frontcourt heavy with the much-awaited debut of Joel Embiid. The arrival of Dario Saric from Europe even makes their frontline rotation more crowded.
There were rumors that Okafor is the odd-man-out in head coach Brett Brown's mind as despite the former Duke standout's superior offensive game, Noel is the better fit for the style of game the team is trying to implement.
This perceived notion that Philadelphia is desperate to trade Okafor set them at a disadvantage in negotiating with Boston at the moment.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey said that Okafor to the Celtics is "not a good deal" for the Sixers because they are not likely to "receive equal value in any trade" because their trade partners know that they "need to dump at least one" of their centers "to balance out the roster".
Since Philly is the one "in need" then potential trade associates would like to take advantage of that and get what they want for a bargain.
Pompey opined that the Sixers "can't afford to make a deal just for the sake of making one", but that is precisely what the team is going to do "unless the Celtics change their minds".
