Chicago Bulls: 4 impending free agents to watch when season resumes
By Ryan Heckman
3. Center Jahlil Okafor
It seems like we have been talking about this possibility forever now, but there is just something about wanting to see the hometown kid play for his childhood squad.
More from Da Windy City
- 3 takeaways from Chicago Blackhawks shootout loss to Nashville
- Chicago Cubs in the middle of chaos that is Shohei Ohtani’s free agency
- The Chicago Cubs are on a roller coaster of emotions chasing Shohei Ohtani
- Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates
- Chicago White Sox News: Erick Fedde signs two-year deal
At one point, Jahlil Okafor may have been the most exciting, promising young player in America. Coming out of Duke back in 2015, the Philadelphia 76ers took Okafor with the third overall pick. He was set to become a staple of their quickly-moving rebuild — or was he?
Okafor is now with his third team since entering the NBA and, for the most part, is looked at as somewhat of a bust. He’s a talented kid, but his trajectory never quite lived up to what it should have as such a hyped-up prospect in the first place.
Still, Okafor would give the Bulls a strong depth piece in the front court. This season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Okafor has played significant minutes and he’s made a difference when on the court. In 15 minutes per game this year, Okafor is averaging 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 blocks.
It might not seem like much, but if you stretched those out to a 36-minute average, they would look like this: 18.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s been more effective than some give him credit for, and having him back in Chicago would be one heck of a story.