Report: Phoenix Suns interested in Sixers' Jahlil Okafor
The Suns have been interested in the Sixers center before.
SALT LAKE CITY – The Phoenix Suns are interested in acquiring Jahlil Okafor in a trade, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.
The Suns' interest in the 76ers reserve center isn't new. Phoenix expressed interest before, according to league sources. The Suns, however, reportedly want to revisit obtaining Okafor after reaching an agreement in principle Monday to trade disgruntled guard Eric Bledsoe to the Milwaukee Bucks for post player Greg Monroe, a protected 2018 first-round pick and a 2018 protected second-rounder.
The Suns don't have long-term plans for Monroe, who's making $17 million in the final year of his contract. So Phoenix will look to trade him or buy him out of his contract.
But it's hard to imagine the Sixers taking Monroe in any potential deal with the Suns. The Sixers have around $15 million available in cap space. A chunk of that money is expected to go to Robert Covington, whose contract can be renegotiated as early as Nov. 15. As a result, the Sixers' cap space is not in play for any deal.
The Suns could, however, offer one of their protected draft picks and/or someone with a salary comparable to Okafor's $4.9 million. The Sixers could agree to take Alex Len, who's making $4.1 million in the final year of his deal.
However, Okafor has been the subject of trade discussions over the past two seasons.