Jahlil Okafor says there’s no avoiding trade rumors

Jahlil Okafor drives on Jared Sullinger of the Celtics during the first half of a Jan. 24 game in Philadelphia, Pa. Chris Szagola/AP

By PJ Wright

June 16, 2016

1 minute to read

Jahlil Okafor hears all of the rumors.

New Philadelphia 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo recently admitted to NBA.com that, with the expected return of 2014 No. 3 overall pick Joel Embiid, the team is actively shopping their centers. And reportedly, the Celtics are near the top of the list of suitors.

“I would just simply tell you that there’s been conversations and there’s been a lot of interest expressed in some of the players that we have, but nothing that’s made enough sense to pull the trigger on,” Colangelo said. “We’ve talked about the five position in particular.”

The Boston Herald reported back in February that the Celtics made a run at Okafor with the 2016 Brooklyn Nets pick on the table just before the trade deadline, but the 76ers backed out. The 20-year-old big man says that he tries his best to tune out the rumors — but it’s hard not to listen.

“Well, of course you hear it,” Okafor said. “You hear it because of people texting you and asking you and all of that stuff. There were trade rumors involving me throughout the season. Then, at the All-Star break, there were some more trade rumors. So I talked to my head coach, Brett Brown, and he just told me that as long as I’m in the NBA, that’s going to be part of my life. I try to block it out, but being an NBA player, it’s just something you have to deal with.”

As a rookie this season, Okafor averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 53 contests with the 76ers.