Rumors about Jahlil Okafor's possible transfer from the Philadelphia 76ers to Chicago Bulls continue to persist.
Speculations claimed that the Bulls is willing to let go of small forward Doug McDermott and shooting guard Denzel Valentine in order to secure a spot for the 20-year-old to develop a younger roster for the upcoming 2016-2017 NBA season.
In an interview with ESPN, Bulls' General Manager Gar Forman revealed that they are currently planning to acquire young players in their camp. "We've got to put this back together now, going younger, more athletic and building it back up moving into the future," Forman said.
While Okafor failed to bag the NBA Rookie of the Year award last season, the third overall draft pick managed to obtain a remarkable record during his first year with the 76ers. His current season stats include 17.5 points, seven rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 11.7% per game.
In case the rumored deal pushes through, Okafor could step into the role left by Pau Gasol after he signed up for the San Antonio Spurs for the upcoming season. He could also work with Robin Lopez to strengthen the team's chances to reach the play-offs.
Okafor's possible move to the Bulls camp will be a homecoming of sorts, since he was born and grew up playing the sport in the city. He was even considered as the best incoming freshmen in the Chicago metropolitan area based on a report from the Chicago Sun-Times back in 2010.
However, Okafor and the Bulls have yet to confirm or deny the existence of the said trade deal. But the silence from both camp further ignite the speculations that there is an ongoing negotiation between the two.
The 20-year-old center is expected to break his silence about the trade deal with the Bulls in the coming days.
