NBA Draft Rumors: Spurs May Acquire Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel Via Trade with 76ers
Father time has finally caught up with San Antonio Spurs after getting knocked off from the series by a promising young OKC Thunder roster led by Kevin Durant. If rumors prove accurate, San Antonio may try to acquire either Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel via trade agreement with Philadelphia 76ers.
In the regular season, the Spurs made a landmark 67 wins in its franchise history which still fell short in overcoming the Thunder armed with talented young players like Durant and Russell Westbrook. Questions are looming over how the Spurs will rebuild their roster dominated by aging players although they could still be formidable title contender next season. But they need younger steam than mature veterans if they wish to keep up with other powerhouses in the league.
As per ESPN report, the Sixers have already indicated that Okafor and Noel will be up for trade to make way for their upcoming top NBA draft pick. The team is still trying to figure out whether LSU's Ben Simmons or Duke's Brandon Ingram is perfect fit after nabbing the overall top pick in the lottery- the first since their 1996 drafting of Allen Iverson.
In comparison between the two players, Okafor is quite remarkable at scoring points while Noel plays defense particularly in terms of blocking shots and doing rebounds. But with a low post scorer like LaMarcus Aldridge, Noel would make a better add-on to the San Antonio roster. If the team could successfully negotiate a reasonable trade with 76ers, they will have better chances at signing in Mike Conley in the offseason, Sports Rageous reported.
Meanwhile, another brewing possibility is trading Okafor with the Lakers. It can be recalled that in last year's draft, Okafor would have been selected by the Lakers had the team not refocused their attention to D'Angelo Russel. As per Game N Guide report, the Los Angeles-based franchise was quite impressed with the 6-foot-11 center but the front office is likely to decide first on what to do with their overall second pick before deciding on a possible Okafor trade with 76ers.
