There will be no second stint with the Brooklyn Nets for big man Jahlil Okafor.
Okafor, who played in 26 games with the Nets during the 2017-18 season, was released by the club today. The decision comes only five days after Brooklyn acquired Okafor as part of a trade with the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit sent Sekou Doumbouya and Okafor to the Nets in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and multiple draft picks, including a 2022 first-rounder.
It didn’t appear that Brooklyn had any room for Okafor after the deal was made, with the 20-year-old Doumbouya being the bigger return prize.
The Brooklyn Nets have requested waivers on center Jahlil Okafor.https://t.co/kF53ZIHP99
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 9, 2021
Okafor was the No. 3 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2015 NBA Draft after a standout season at Duke, where he won ACC Player of the Year, earned All-America honors and helped the Blue Devils win a national championship.
Okafor made the All-Rookie team his first year in Philly, averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He has since struggled to make an impact in the league, due to his lack of defensive ability and outside shooting.
In 27 games with the Pistons last season, Okafor averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per appearance. For his career, he’s played in 247 games for four teams: Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New Orleans and Detroit.
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