NBA Trade Rumors 2016: Jordan Clarkson Heads To Philadelphia 76ers?
Jahlil Okafor and Jordan Clarkson have been having solid years for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively, but these did not translate to wins, which is probably the reason why their names are dragged into the NBA trade rumors 2016.
According to ESPN, Jahlil Okafor is averaging about 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game and would have been the runaway Rookie of the Year, if not for the no. 1 draft pick, Karl-Anthony Towns.
Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers. But the team is languishing at a record of 8-30, just four wins above the bottom cellar 76ers.
Another reason why Jahlil Okafor's name is being dragged into the NBA trade rumors this 2016 was the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers hired Mike D'Antoni-famous for his small-ball philosophy-as the assistant coach.
And Mike D'Antoni's interview with Sports Illustrated doesn't really bode well for Jahlil Okafor.
"If you look at the stats around the league, a post-up is not a very good shot. [Laughs] It just isn't," he said. "Now again, in our business and leagues, a lot of times you say something and people take that as 100%: You're always going to have post-ups and you're always going to have 15-foot shots. They have not become the best shots. The best shots are layups and foul shots and three-point shots."
An article from Yibada pointed out that Jordan Clarkson and no. 2 pick D'Angelo Russell play redundant positions, which might be why the Filipino-American was mentioned around in the 2016 NBA trade rumors.
"The Sixers would want Russell more, as they targeted him in the draft," it said. "Clarkson is playing better and the Lakers acknowledge that his trade value is at its peak, but Clarkson is due to become a restricted free agent and likely to have a big payday."
