The Brooklyn Nets have acquired Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas and a second round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers for Trevor Booker. ESPN’s Zach Lowe broke the news.
Philly will send Okafor, Nik Stauskas, and a second-round pick to Brooklyn for Trevor Booker, sources say.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) December 7, 2017
Okafor, the third-overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, is the big piece for the Nets. The 21-year old big man had a strong rookie campaign in 2015-2016, but he lost his way in Philadelphia’s rotation with the emergence of Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. Okafor’s lack of playing time has been a source of frustration for both him and fans, with the #FreeJah hashtag becoming common. Okafor has played in only two games this season.
Nik Stauskas, a third-year swingman will also come to Brooklyn in the deal. Another former lottery pick, Stauskas came into the league as a lethal shooter. However, his consistency has come into question, never shooting more than 40% from the field in a season. Much like Okafor, Stauskas has also been lost amidst the Sixers’ glut of young talent. He’s played in limited minutes in six games this season.
The Brooklyn Nets are losing Trevor Booker, an on- and off-court leader for Brooklyn in the deal. The 30-year old veteran was a key piece for the Nets this season, averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His hustle, energy, and positve attitude left a mark on the young Nets, helping to establish the culture Sean Marks desired.
In addition, the Nets are waiving Sean Kilpatrick to make roster room for Okafor and Stauskas. This was broken by Yahoo’s Shams Charania.
Sources: Brooklyn will receive the Knicks‘ 2019 second-round pick in deal, and release guard Sean Kilpatrick to create roster space for Okafor and Nik Stauskas.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 7, 2017
Kilpatrick has lost his spot in the Nets’ rotation after a solid 2016-2017 season. He looked inconsistent recently, and the Nets may be looking to go younger than the 27-year old. The Brooklyn Nets now own the Knicks’ 2019 second round pick as well from the deal.
Instant Analysis: Okafor and Stauskas on the Brooklyn Nets
With Jahlil Okafor now a Brooklyn Net, he will hopefully shore up some of the Nets’ big man woes. Standing 6’11, the big man is a proven scorer. Selected right after D’Angelo Russell in the 2015 draft, Okafor earned major praise at Duke. He also made an impact in his rookie season as well, scoring 17.5 points per game. However, his defense and effort has come into question. That lack of defense was likely a major factor in his benching.
Stauskas may see limited minutes on the bench for the Nets. In a crowded rotation of Nets wings, Stauskas may need to earn his minutes. He at least will provide some solid shooting when needed.
The Brooklyn Nets will play the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at 10 p.m. EST.
More information as this story progresses.
