report: Bulls among “most likely” to land Jahlil Okafor

from David Aldridge on NBA.com (via)

League sources indicate the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are the most likely destinations for Okafor. But the Sixers are still holding out for at least a Draft pick, and could still opt to keep Okafor either as insurance against further injury to Embiid, or as a potential expiring contract to aggregate as the trade deadline nears.

We know this is going to happen. Here’s hoping the Bulls wait it out and don’t actually give up an asset, even their assumed-worthless second-round picks. The Sixers don’t want any 2018 salary in a return package, so the Bulls can’t even try to pawn off Cameron Payne as an ‘asset’ (did you know he’s a former lottery pick?) since the Bulls dumbly guaranteed next year’s option for him. Bobby Portis makes very little money next year, but it’s still not-zero.

If the Sixers wind up blinking and buyout/waive Okafor, the Bulls are so far under the cap they can just claim the contract. They would have waiver priority over the Celtics, who are rumored to be interested in Okafor and could similarly claim him with their disabled player exemption. Or both can wait until Okafor clears waivers and can sign anywhere for the minimum, in which case the Bulls may not be a great landing spot for Okafor to get minutes given they have 2 centers already.

Landing Okafor would be quite the coup for the Bulls, as it’d bump up their tally from 6 to 7 in the Deadspin ‘22 young players who are butt’ rankings.