jahlil okafor – NBA Blog – NBA Basketball Blog

Pacers sign Jahlil Okafor to 10-day contract

The Indiana Pacers announced Tuesday the team signed center Jahlil Okafor to a 10-day contract.

Per the Indianapolis Star, “the 29-year-old Okafor has spent this season with the Indiana Mad Ants — the Pacers’ G League team — as he’s tried to make an NBA comeback. The No. 3 pick in the 2015 draft and an All-American and national champion at Duke has played with the 76ers, Nets, Pelicans and Pistons but hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season. Since then, he’s played professionally in China, Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico. However, he tore his Achilles tendon in 2022 and had to work his way back to health while trying to catch the eye of an NBA team. It’s finally happened thanks to a dominant season in the G League.”

Okafor will wear number 15 for the Pacers.

Atlanta Hawks waive Jahlil Okafor

The Atlanta Hawks today waived center Jahlil Okafor.

Signed by the Hawks on September 22, 2021, Okafor appeared in two preseason contests with Atlanta. He was on a non-guaranteed contract.

Drafted 3rd overall in the 2015 NBA draft, the 6-foot-10, 270-pound center is just 25 years old, yet has an uncertain future in pro basketball. At this point early in his career, he needs to latch on with any team that might give him minutes and prove that he belongs in the NBA.

Hawks sign Johnny Hamilton, A.J. Lawson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jahlil Okafor

The Atlanta Hawks have signed Johnny Hamilton, A.J. Lawson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jahlil Okafor.

It’s assumed that these deals are non-guaranteed contracts that merely bring the players to Hawks training camp.

Hamilton, a 7’0 center, played in 13 games last season with Fenerbahce in Turkey before being loaned to Mornar Bar (Montenegro) for the remainder of the season. He finished his college career at UT-Arlington in 2017-18 after two seasons at Jacksonville College and two at Virginia Tech. As a graduate student at UTA, Hamilton averaged 11.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in 23.4 minutes (.629 FG%, .664 FT%) in 34 contests (31 starts). Hamilton has also spent time with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League and Darussafaka in Turkey.

Lawson, a 6’6 guard who participated for the Hawks in the 2021 NBA Summer League, played three seasons at South Carolina. As a junior in 2020-21, he averaged 16.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.2 assists in 31.3 minutes, earning second team All-SEC honors. Over his three-year career at USC, the 6’6 guard put in 14.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 30.0 minutes in 81 contests (80 starts). The native of Brampton, Ontario has competed for Canada’s men’s national under-19 team.

Luwawu-Cabarrot, a 6’7 guard/forward, played in 58 games (seven starts) for the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 6.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.1 minutes. He has appeared in 276 career contests (42 starts) in five seasons with Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn, putting up 6.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 16.6 minutes. The native of Cannes, France has also played in 11 career postseason contests with averages of 6.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14.2 minutes. He was originally selected by the 76ers in the first round (24th overall) of the 2016 NBA Draft. He also has played internationally with Antibes (France) and Mega Leks (Serbia). Luwawu-Cabarrot won a silver medal as part of the French Olympic team last month. His name is pronounced TEAM-oh-tay loo-WA-woo cab-uh-RO.

Okafor, a 6’11 center, played in 27 games (two starts) for the Detroit Pistons last season and averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.9 minutes (.618 FG%, .708 FT%). In 247 career regular season contests (116 starts) with Philadelphia, New Orleans, Brooklyn and Detroit, he has compiled 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes (.542 FG%, .676 FT%). He was an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection in 2016. The third overall pick by the 76ers in 2015, Okafor helped Duke to a 35-4 mark and the 2015 national championship, averaging 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 blocks, finishing second in the nation in FG% (.664). He was a consensus First Team All-American and ACC Player of the Year following his freshman season.

Nets waive Jahlil Okafor

The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on center Jahlil Okafor.

Okafor (6’10”, 270) was acquired by the Nets in a trade with the Detroit Pistons on September 4. He’s seen action in 247 games (116 starts) in six seasons with Detroit (2020-21), New Orleans (2018-20), Brooklyn (2017-18) and Philadelphia (2015-17), posting averages of 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.

Pistons trade Sekou Doumbouya, Jahlil Okafor to Nets for DeAndre Jordan, draft picks

The Brooklyn Nets have acquired forward Sekou Doumbouya and center Jahlil Okafor from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for center DeAndre Jordan, second round draft picks in 2022, 2024 (via Washington), 2025 (via Golden State) and 2027 and cash considerations.

“We appreciate everything DeAndre has contributed to our organization over the past two seasons both on and off the court and wish him and his family the best moving forward,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks.

Doumbouya (6’8”, 230) has appeared in 94 games (30 starts) across two seasons (2019-21) with the Pistons, recording averages of 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game.

Okafor (6’10”, 270) has seen action in 247 games (116 starts) in six seasons with Detroit (2020-21), New Orleans (2018-20), Brooklyn (2017-18) and Philadelphia (2015-17), posting averages of 10.4 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.

Jordan originally signed as a free agent with Brooklyn on July 6, 2019, and appeared in 113 games (49 starts) in two seasons (2019-21) with the Nets, recording averages of 7.9 points on 71.1 percent shooting from the field, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 blocks in 21.9 minutes per game. In the 2020-21 campaign, Jordan averaged 7.5 points on 76.3 percent shooting from the field, 7.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks in 21.9 minutes per contest across 57 games (43 starts). The 33-year-old has played in 932 games (756 starts) in 13 seasons with Brooklyn, New York (2019), Dallas (2018-19) and the L.A. Clippers (2008-18), posting averages of 9.4 points on 67.4 percent shooting from the field, 10.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.6 blocks in 27.4 minutes per game.

Pistons center Jahlil Okafor undergoes knee surgery

The Detroit Pistons center Jahlil Okafor has undergone surgery to clean the lateral meniscus in his left knee.

Okafor is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.

Per the Detroit News, “Okafor, 25, signed with the Pistons in the offseason as a free agent, looking to become the backup center and to allow rookie [Isaiah] Stewart to grow into the position as he learned.”

Pelicans sign Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor’s quest to find his place in the NBA will continue, now in New Orleans.

The Pelicans signed Okafor, a free agent center, today. According to ESPN.com, “a source told ESPN that Okafor’s deal includes a partial guarantee for the 2018-19 season and a team option for the following season.”

Okafor, 6-11, 275, played last season with the Philadelphia 76ers (two games) and Brooklyn Nets (26 games), averaging 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per contest.

Originally selected with the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Duke University, Okafor has appeared in 131 career regular season games (81 starts) with Philadelphia and Brooklyn, holding career averages of 12.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game.

CBS Sports had this to say about the signing: “The Pelicans’ big men that they’ll certainly be keeping in rotation next season now include Anthony Davis, Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic. Last season, each of those three players averaged over 12 percent of their points on the fast break. For Davis, it was 12.7 percent. For Mirotic, 14.6 percent. And for newcomer Randle, 16.8 percent with the Lakers. The Pelicans as a whole led the league in pace last season, according to NBA Stats, and their pace only increased after DeMarcus Cousins went down just before the All-Star Break. After Cousins’ injury, they led the NBA in percentage of points scored in transition at 17.7 percent.”

Jahlil Okafor trade rumors persist

With the emergence of Sixers center Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor has wound up on the trading block. No guarantee he gets moved, but Okafor has been mentioned in trade rumors for much of the season. Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer with the latest:

76ers center Jahlil Okafor had the same feeling most people had.

The thought was that Okafor was about to be traded once he didn’t play the past two games due on-going trade talks.

“I thought it would be a good chance,” said Okafor, responding to being asked if he thought he was gone. “When I’m not traveling with the team I was expecting something to happen.”

Instead, the second-year center is slated to come off the bench for the Sixers Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics at T.D. Garden. While trade talks continue, the team is not as close to trading the second-year center as it seemed to be in recent days.

Jahlil Okafor undergoes knee surgery

Philadelphia 76ers rookie center Jahlil Okafor, the team’s best building block for the future, underwent a successful arthroscopic procedure today to fix a slight meniscus tear in his right knee. He won’t play again this season.

The team describes the procedure as minor.

Okafor will begin his rehabilitation program tomorrow under the guidance of Sixers Director Of Performance Research & Development Dr. David T. Martin.

The Sixers are a league-worst 9-62 this season. Okafor has been their leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, averaging 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

Jahlil Okafor aiming for Rookie of Year award

Here’s CSN Philly reporting on 76ers rookie Jahlil Okafor, who is certainly a leading contender to win the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year award:

Jahlil Okafor, speaking at the NBA and Panini America’s rookie photo shoot at MSG Training Center on Saturday, shared a few of his goals for the upcoming 2015-16 season.

The Sixers’ big man already has his eyes set on some hardware.

“I’d like to win Rookie of the Year,” he said. “Just want to get better every night for myself and my coaches with the Sixers. Try and win some big games.”

The last Sixer to win the award was Michael Carter-Williams in 2014. If Okafor could pull that off, it would signify the Sixers are inching closer to resembling a respectable NBA team.