Not all brotherly love in Philadelphia as ‘Free Jah’ movement gains steam

BEN Simmons’ 76ers are the NBA’s new darlings but behind their impressive start is a gripe that’s beginning to boil over.

THERE aren’t many more positive stories in the NBA this season than what Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have achieved in charging to an 11-7 record.

No. 1 draft pick Markelle Fultz’s dodgy jumpshot and shoulder injury aside, it’s been all heart emojis in the City of Brotherly Love. Or so we thought.

Behind the scenes serious tension is developing in the situation of another early Sixers’ draft selection, 2015 No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor.

Squeezed out of coach Brett Brown’s rotation because of the new-found health of star centre Embiid and the improved outside shooting of power forward Dario Saric, Okafor can’t get on the court. And he’s had enough.

Now seeing the back-up big minutes go to free agent signing Amir Johnson, Okafor has taken his gripes public in an interview with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski where he called on 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo to trade him to another team.

“I would like for them to just send me somewhere where I can get an opportunity. I’ve done everything they’ve asked of me and I would just like to get an opportunity to play with a trade or a buyout,” Okafor said.

“I just hope something happens quickly. This is my third year in the NBA and I know it’s a business. I don’t know if it’s fair or not, but in talking to other people in the NBA, talking to retired players, one thing I’ve heard them say is that what’s going on with me isn’t right and they’ve never seen anything like this before. I know it’s business, but in my eyes, I don’t know if it’s good business.”

Okafor averaged 17.5 points and seven rebounds as rookie in 2015-16 as the featured big in a horrible team that finished with a 10-72 record.

His minutes dropped from 30 per game to 22.7 the following season after Saric joined the team and Embiid managed 30 games.

But this season he’s only featured in two games and is currently on a run of six straight DNPs which prompted chants of “We want Okafor” in a recent home game against the Trail Blazers.

His Dad has been spotted in a “Free Jah” T-shirt while NBA players, including Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker and Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum, have been calling for Okafor’s release on Twitter.

FREE JAH

— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) November 27, 2017

FACTS!! https://t.co/vsMIRlqzmY

— Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0) November 27, 2017

The #FreeJah movement is growing. Added Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and their Golden State Warriors' teammates to the latest to want to see Jahlil Okafor get more playing time.

photo creds: @McKinleyNelson_ pic.twitter.com/ZRKJNWKNnU

— Xavier Sanchez (@Xavier_Sanchez4) November 20, 2017

The 76ers have reportedly dropped their asking price from two first-round picks to a solitary second-round selection in an attempt to secure a trade but there’s a belief teams are hoping they can get Okafor without sending anything back in return.

“We appreciate the effort that (Okafor) has put forth, and other than a little frustration expressed recently, he’s been patient waiting for an opportunity to play,” Colangelo told ESPN. “I continue to explore opportunities with both Jahlil and (agent) Bill Duffy to find a more suitable spot for him.”

Until then, the 22-year-old will continue to sit.