Fansided

5 trade destinations for D’Angelo Russell

By Charles Rahrig V

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Jan 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) and center Jahlil Okafor (8) react after a score against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) and center Jahlil Okafor (8) react after a score against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Philadelphia 76ers

The 2015 NBA Draft didn’t turn out as many people expected it to. As soon as the draft order for the draft was announced at the NBA Draft Lottery, it was widely expected that the Los Angeles Lakers would take Jahlil Okafor with the second pick, which would allow the Philadelphia 76ers to get the guard that they desperately wanted with the third pick of the draft.

Instead, the Lakers took D’Angelo Russell and that left he 76ers having to take a big man for the third year in a row. While Okafor is talented, he clearly doesn’t work next to Nerlens Noel and the team has actually been better off the court.

Russell hasn’t fully taken off in Los Angeles yet and many are wondering if the Lakers screwed up both teams by not taking Okafor. If there was ever a one-for-one deal to be made with maybe some minor additions, this is the deal that makes all the sense in the world.

It’s a deal where both players end up exactly where they should have ended up on draft night this year with Russell in a 76ers jersey and Okafor wearing a Lakers jersey. Each team would get exactly what it needs in a deal like this and all would be well again.

Sadly, it’s unlikely to happen and it could have happened if the Lakers just made the right move on draft night.

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