Why the Memphis Grizzlies should take a chance on Jahlil Okafor
The Memphis Grizzlies are no strangers to taking a gamble on a player or giving them a second chance at life in the NBA.
The team has taken fliers on Josh Jackson, Grayson Allen, Justice Winslow, Jarrett Culver, and Kris Dunn with varying degrees of success. They “buy” low on a player, give them a shot to compete on the Grizzlies squad, and see what happens. If the player is a bust, they move on and have likely lost very little in the way of assets. In other words, it’s low risk, high reward.
Should the Memphis Grizzlies add former Duke star Jahlil Okafor to their list of reclamation projects?
Okafor, the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has had a difficult time finding a permanent home in the NBA. He’s seen time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Detroit Pistons.
He was just waived by the Brooklyn Nets who acquired him in a deal involving DeAndre Jordan.
Okafor even spent time this summer playing for the Nigerian National Team that defeated Team USA in an exhibition game.
In the Olympics, Okafor averaged 15 minutes of playing time against Australia, Germany, and Italy. His best game came against Italy when he scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
While Okafor is a defacto journeyman, he could be signed at a really affordable price for a couple of seasons. The Memphis Grizzlies would eventually convert him into a trade chip, but you could see a scenario where he pushes Xavier Tillman for backup minutes to Steven Adams.
At just 25 years old, Okafor is just the kind of player that the Grizzlies could use right now; however, the roster is overstuffed right now. Unless the team waives a few players or trades multiple players away, they likely won’t have the roster space to sign him.
If the Grizzlies part ways with recently acquired Daniel Oturu or include some big men in a trade package, then there will be a need for depth at the post position.
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At the right price, and if the roster space is available, the Memphis Grizzlies should take a flier on Jahlil Okafor and see what happens. The worst-case scenario would involve him being added to a potential future trade.