Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers will keep bringing Okafor along slowly

The 76ers' goal is to play Jahlil Okafor 32 minutes a game this season. Just don't expect him to do that any time soon, especially not in the season opener against the Celtics in Boston on Oct. 28.

Philadelphia 76ers' Jahlil Okafor in action during an NBA preseason
basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thursday, Oct. 8,
2015, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia 76ers' Jahlil Okafor in action during an NBA preseason basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Philadelphia.Read more(Matt Slocum/AP)

The 76ers' goal is to play Jahlil Okafor 32 minutes a game this season. Just don't expect him to do that any time soon, especially not in the season opener against the Celtics in Boston on Oct. 28.

"It's not fair to put him in that situation," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "The endgame I hope will be about 32, maybe even more. But it's really based on his fitness."

Right now, a sore right knee has prohibited the rookie center from obtaining the fitness level he needs to log those minutes.

Okafor missed his second consecutive day of practice Wednesday at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He could miss a second straight preseason game Friday when the Sixers (2-2) play the Washington Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center.

Because his minutes are being restricted, Okafor could be on the court just 12 to 15 minutes if he does play.

The Sixers have only eight more practices remaining leading up to the season opener and the team will have just two more preseason games after Friday's contest. As a result, Okafor won't be ready to go full-bore at the start of the season.

"But he has no right to come out and be fit right from this injury," Brown said. "So I've got to be smart with the minutes I give him."

The goal is to eventually play him for four eight-minute stretches in a game to get up to 32 minutes.

Brown said Okafor came into training camp in "good shape."

"He's been tremendously set back now" with the sore knee, Brown said. "He was going to be fine, going through [training camp at] Stockton [University]."

At 268 pounds, Okafor has lost seven pounds since he played in the Utah Jazz and NBA summer leagues in July. Brown declined to reveal the targeted playing weight for the third overall draft pick out of Duke.

"There are a few goals that we have," the coach said. "But like a little bit with Joel [Embiid], we will probably keep them in house. Fair question, but keep them in house."

Shorthanded

The Sixers had only 10 available players by the end of Wednesday's practice.

Shooting guard JaKarr Sampson had right knee soreness and did not finish practice as a precautionary measure. Power forward Nerlens Noel (lower back and left knee bruise) and reserve point guard Pierre Jackson (groin) were scheduled for limited practices.

"In general, we have a bunch of wounded players right now," Brown said.

Honor for Toney

Former Sixers standout guard Andrew Toney will be honored by the Georgia Senate on Thursday for his community involvement in Gwinnett County, a suburb of Atlanta. He is a lead program facilitator in the Gwinnett County Public Schools academic support department.

For the last six years, Toney has played a major role in the department's community mentoring program, which pairs the district's African American middle and high school boys with male mentors.

He played for the Sixers from 1980 to 1988, helping them win the title in 1983. The two-time NBA all-star's career was cut short by stress fractures in his feet.

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

www.philly.com/deepsixer