NBA Rumors: Celtics tried to trade for Jahlil Okafor

The Boston Celtics were one of the teams interested in a potential deal for Jahlil Okafor. 

A few days ago as the NBA Trade Deadline was coming, one of the more surprising names that started being thrown around was that of Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jahlil Okafor. It was reported that the Sixers were indeed willing to move their young star for the right price, which opened a lot of people’s eyes.

Well, now we know one of the teams that was certainly interested in making a deal with the Sixers — that team being none other than the Boston Celtics.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Danny Ainge was exploring the option of making the trade, but right now he’s not saying much about it with the deadline now out of the way.

"Danny Ainge clearly doesn’t. And that is healthy. It’s why he spent the last several days trying to get the kind of magnetic player needed to lift the Celtics from the NBA’s middle earth. While a league source has indicated the late target Ainge has referred to in radio interviews was Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor, Ainge has turned silent on the matter."

Now that would have been quite the move, had it happened. The Celtics are very much in contention in the Eastern Conference, and they would be getting  young star in Okafor that could have been a cornerstone for them for years to come, which would have been interesting to watch play out.

It’s a deal that didn’t end up happening, but man, you have to wonder what could have been here.