The NBA trade deadline has come and gone and although no huge trades were made, a few teams did add solid role players that could give them an edge in the playoffs. The Cavs, Clippers and Thunder all made trades but a blockbuster trade almost happened that would have been the center of all the media coverage.
According to Complex.com, the Philadelphia 76ers were close to trading away rookie big man Jahlil Okafor.
“One story I probably can share with you is — I can’t tell you the team or the name — but it was very close,” Ainge said. “It’s something that we had been deliberating on for two days straight. The other team was doing that, and we were wrapping ourselves around a big package to do a deal. And at the very last minute they just said they did not want to do it. They just backed out. So it was a deal that was talked about, thought about, and that was probably the closest that we came.”
Ainge’s goal was to acquire a big talent as he felt his team was missing a superstar.
According to Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett, Ainge had plans for Okafor to be that guy.
While a league source has indicated the late target Ainge has referred to in radio interviews was Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor, Ainge has turned silent on the matter.
In any case, we do know the deal was dead on Wednesday and that the other club pulled the plug. The locals left the porch light on, but nothing returned to life.
So the C’s move on. Nothing has changed with their plan. They recognize the destination and their proximity from it.”
The Celtics are currently the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference and adding a future star like Okafor would have been huge for the team going forward.