By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia 76ers officially announced on Monday that they had picked up team options for the 2018-19 season on James Anderson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Dario Saric and Ben Simmons. Although they have until the end of the day today, October 31, it remains to be seen what the Sixers do with Jahlil Okafor. According to Keith Smith of FanRag Sports, teams usually exercise all of their team options at once, but Okafor was not included in the group mentioned above.
On Jahlil Okafor’s 18-19 TO a source said “Usually they all get done at the same time by a team. His didn’t. Read into that what you will.”
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 31, 2017
Last week, head coach Brett Brown told reporters that Okafor is not in the teams’ rotation as Amir Johnson has been and will be getting the back-up center minutes. Once Richaun Holmes returns, Okafor will likely be the Sixers’ fourth option at center.
Meanwhile, a league source tells Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that trade discussions will determine whether or not the Sixers pick up Okafor’s option for 2018-19. Jah would make $6.3 million next season if his option is exercised. If the Sixers do not pick up his option, he’ll become a free agent in the summer of 2018, able to sign where he wants. The Sixers have been shopping Okafor a lot over the last two seasons, but the asking price seems the be an issue in making a deal.
Okafor has appeared in just one game this season, a 34-point loss to the Raptors, scoring 10 points to go along with nine rebounds off the bench. Although he’s a liability on defense, Jah has lost 20 pounds and he put in a lot of work during the offseason to improve his game and is still a very effective post scorer.
