NBA Trade Rumors: 76ers ‘Gauging Interest’ In Jahlil Okafor Before Deadline

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of a lengthy rebuild with no end in sight, and what they will do before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET NBA trade deadline is anybody’s guess. But apparently they’re putting feelers out for one of their young franchise cornerstones.

The 76ers are “gauging interest” in rookie center Jahlil Okafor, Tom Moore of Calkins Media reported Thursday, citing a league source.

Okafor, whom Philly selected No. 4 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, is a tremendous talent. He should remain part of the 76ers’ long-term plans, even though he’s made some mistakes off the court.

The former Duke star is averaging 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s tied with No. 1 pick and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns for the rookie lead in scoring.

Given the uncertainty of center Joel Embiid’s health, Philly should do all it can to build its frontcourt around Okafor. Embiid, the No. 3 pick in the 2014 draft, still hasn’t played an NBA game because of numerous injuries.