Welcome Okafor

[BullyKing]

I just think it is stupid to take a guy you expect to move..

Jah nor Joel's stock will high whenever we do decide to move them...because teams will know we have too.

As long as more than one team is interested, it doesn't matter that we need to move them. That will have no impact on value at all.

[BullyKing]

I just think it is stupid to take a guy you expect to move..

Jah nor Joel's stock will high whenever we do decide to move them...because teams will know we have too.

Reminds me of the Jazz's log jam, you look at their team now and it seems like they never got fair value for trading their bigs.

Because they didn't trade them. They let Jefferson and Millsap walk as free agents.

[No-Man]

They wont trade anybody until next year's draft at least, Embiid might not play this year, you will start Noel-Okafor

[ET Da Gawd]

Beast Moooooode, gonna be killin teams downlow, bring embiid off the bench, baby memphis
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ts_u8ShcN4[/youtube]

[ET Da Gawd]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vcBi16KB_A[/youtube]

[F-Stop]

love the Okafor pick.. Now let's see who blinks..

Lawson to the Kings may keep Cousins in Sac so the Lakers may be calling anyway.

Danny Ainge still has assets so Bos is still a candidate...

I'm not saying Okafor has to go just we still have options.

[King_Supreme]

How likely will Honkie all his bigs for his season, then trade Embid; Nerlens, or Oak next year?

[Ben]

They wont trade anybody until next year's draft at least, Embiid might not play this year, you will start Noel-Okafor

What he said. Noel-Okafor will be very good, IMO. I really wanted Russell but Okafor is no slouch. And given that we don't know whether Embiid will ever be healthy, building a distinct frontcourt is not a bad idea.

[ET Da Gawd]

3 bigs, two positions (pf/c) we're sitting on gold...just imagine once we get shooters

[Winejk]

I guess the biggest complaint about drafting Okafor is he doesn't fit and fans are worried about the PG situation. However, with Okafor, you don't need a stellar PG. You just have to be able to dump the ball off to Okafor in the post. That will make the defense react. If Okafor is not double teamed he is going to go to work. If a double team is sent, then Okafor is a great passer out of the post. The playmaking is going to be coming out of the post instead of the top of the key. Granted Covington, Thompson, Canaan and Grant are not household names, but those guys can knock down 3s. We have a ton of 3 point shooting already. Okafor, directly or indirectly, is going to create open looks for these guys. I think it'll be fun or at least different to watch an inside-out attack. The novelty in today's NBA might also be an advantage.

Additionaly, I'd like to see Okafor in Brett Brown's "career best fitness program". Maybe he sheds a little baby fat and becomes quicker and more mobile. I have faith in Brown and his staff to work on improving Okafor's perceived weaknesses - FT shooting and defense. Okafor is 19 years old. There is room for molding and improvement.

[BobThornton]

Look at Kentucky this year....did having many talented bigs hurt them? Hell no. You're insulated against foul trouble. The guys are always fresh. You play the hot hand. You are sitting on assets that most teams are dying for. They will just play less minutes, which isn't the end of the world. Embiid shouldn't be playing big minutes anyway if he even plays this year.

We weren't going to win the title next year. This team is not a finished product. You'll need a finished product in a couple of years when our bigs are mature and crushing people. We have some time.

[BobThornton]

Here's Okafor's scouting report from NBA Draft Expert Sam Vecenie.

"Okafor is likely the best post scorer to enter the NBA draft in the past decade. He has a vast array of polished moves that make him virtually unstoppable on the block, as well as the length to finish over defenses. However, he's a flawed prospect. His defense this season was questionable as Duke had him avoid fouls at all cost, and his ability to move on the perimeter is questionable. Still, he is an elite talent that will likely be an NBA all-star someday."

[BobThornton]

"I don't understand how so many catapulted Karl-Anthony Towns above Okafor in their assessments," said an NBA source. "Not to take anything at all away from Towns, but a defensive center is sort of common in the NBA. I'm not sure how good he'll become offensively. I think that Okafor is going to be an offensive stud and not just because of his scoring. He is smart, can see the floor and is very good at passing out of double-teams. There is just way too much he does well offensively to be disappointed in getting him. And I think he can improve his defense. Of course, the foul shooting is a concern."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20150626_Sixers_select_Jahlil_Okafor_with_No__3_pick_of_NBA_draft.html#BelFlsDFbosO3j6D.99

[No-Man]

Okafor is going to be the ROY hands down, only Russell has a shot, maybe Mudiay.

[Kolkmania]

I guess the biggest complaint about drafting Okafor is he doesn't fit and fans are worried about the PG situation. However, with Okafor, you don't need a stellar PG. You just have to be able to dump the ball off to Okafor in the post. That will make the defense react. If Okafor is not double teamed he is going to go to work. If a double team is sent, then Okafor is a great passer out of the post. The playmaking is going to be coming out of the post instead of the top of the key. Granted Covington, Thompson, Canaan and Grant are not household names, but those guys can knock down 3s. We have a ton of 3 point shooting already. Okafor, directly or indirectly, is going to create open looks for these guys. I think it'll be fun or at least different to watch an inside-out attack. The novelty in today's NBA might also be an advantage.

Additionaly, I'd like to see Okafor in Brett Brown's "career best fitness program". Maybe he sheds a little baby fat and becomes quicker and more mobile. I have faith in Brown and his staff to work on improving Okafor's perceived weaknesses - FT shooting and defense. Okafor is 19 years old. There is room for molding and improvement.

Don't mind the fit at this point. But I do worry about his defensive qualities. He will be exposed to pick & roll situations, not sure if he can manage that. But an exciting offensive prospect for once.

[Negrodamus]

I don't need to be sold on Okafor, but I need to see movement in FA or a trade of one of our big men to know that we are trying to win games. Three straight years of tanking is unnecessary in my book.

Not to mention, we have the Lakers pick! That should be a top ten pick. Even if we try, we're not going to the playoffs. I wouldn't hate it, especially with all these effing 2016 picks, if we made an attempt to be a fringe playoff team.

[Tony Franciosa]

Okafor-Noel 2.0 should be enough to win more than 15 games this year. But I agree that I'd love to see a solid guard or 2 brought in to help these guys along.

if Embiid comes out of the gate healthy and dominant, then I think we have to think about packaging some of these pieces we have to get something done.

[PhillyFever]

Okafor is instantly our number one option on offense which has been our Achilles heel for years now. He is a true low post option to run your offense through, create movement on defense and shots for 3 and D type wings. Coming out of school, he's a better offensive player than Embiid. He's used to being the focal point and having everything run through him and he's won at every level as "the man". I believe we win more games this year with Okafor as the offensive focal point than if we'd selected Russell.

[CoreyGallagher]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/joegigliosports/status/614416390267764736[/tweet]

[Tony Franciosa]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/joegigliosports/status/614416390267764736[/tweet]

A smooth operator operating correctly. E-F-F-E-C-T.