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Report links the Indiana Pacers and Jahlil Okafor

By Tony East

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 9: Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on November 9, 2016 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 9: Jahlil Okafor #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on November 9, 2016 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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A report from the Sporting News about Jahlil Okafor says the Indiana Pacers are a team that is interested in his services.

The Indiana Pacers are all but done signing free agents. After adding second-round pick Alize Johnson, the roster is nearly complete, with just one more spot left to fill. What player that spot goes to probably won’t be known for a while.

However, according to a report from Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, that player might end up being former number three overall pick Jahlil Okafor. The report suggests the Pacers some level of interest in Okafor:

"He will not be back with the Nets, the last team for which he played, a source said. Okafor has had interest from the Pacers and Bulls, among others, this summer but neither were at the workout in Las Vegas."

After averaging 17.5 points per game as a rookie, Okafor has seen his minutes, and averages, drop every season since. While some of this can be attributed to the 76ers giving more minutes to Joel Embiid, some of it can be blamed on Okafor himself. He isn’t a good defender and is fairly flat-footed. His play style is outdated.

But he is a good post-up scorer, and he could still be an effective player in the right role. Perhaps the Al Jefferson role from last season…

Okafor could only receive a minimum contract from the Indiana Pacers because they used all their salary cap space. Who knows if he would take it, but given that it seems he doesn’t have many (any) suitors, he would probably consider it.

However – it seems unlikely the Pacers interest in Okafor is serious. As Deveney notes, the Pacers did not attend Okafor’s workout in Las Vegas, and the level of interest was not specified. Given how many bigs the Pacers already have on the roster, a deal seems unlikely.

Next: Roy Hibbert is moving on from basketball

Who knows how good Jahlil Okafor could be. It is tough to say how much he could help the Pacers. But he might be worth taking a flier on. If the Pacers can turn his career around, he could be a steal. He could also be a wasted roster spot. Given his recent struggles, it seems unlikely Pritchard would sign him. But only time will tell.

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