Boston Celtics trade rumors 2016: Boston eyeing Okafor to beef up roster

Reuters

Even before the 2016 drafts took place, talks were already rife that Jahlil Okafor will be traded by the Philadelphia 76ers but rumors continue even now as it has been reported the 6 foot 11 player may go to the Boston Celtics.

According to Liberty Ballers, after Philly drafted Ben Simmons, it would should come as no surprise that the team will be trading a big player, which will either be Okafor or Nerlens Noels.

"Okafor is the better scorer; it's not even close really. But Nerlens has that ability to run the floor and can protect the rim. Those two qualities . . . you can't have enough guys in the frontcourt who call those two skills, strengths. That's why Okafor is the more expendable player," an NBA scout told CSNNE.com.

The deal could actually benefit both teams as Okafor could be a good match for  Al Horford as their strengths actually complement each other, according to CBS Sports.

The site noted that Okafor has great potential to become a great rebounder and become an All Star player given the right grooming.

On the other hand, Philly is not set to give him up lightly despite the fact that they have a roster overloaded with post players.

However, according to Philly.com, Boston is hedging on agreeing to Sixers president Bryan Colangelo's terms because Okafor figured in two streetfights recently and is concerned about what this says about the player.

This means that while they are interested in acquiring Okafor, Boston is not keen on giving up a lot to get him on board.

The Sixers on the other hand, won't let him go for the sake of having him traded without getting equal value for it.

As of now, the door remains open as to whether the deal will push through and whether Okafor will be switching uniforms by the end of the summer.