Brett Brown: Jahlil Okafor Will Play Vs. Celtics
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As trade rumors swirl, the last few days have been a whirlwind for Sixers center Jahlil Okafor.
Related: Brett Brown: 'Our Intention Is To Play Joel Embiid'
On Saturday night, he did not play in the Sixers' win against the Heat. After the game, Brett Brown confirmed that he did not play Okafor because of trade rumors that were heating up. After that, the Sixers went out on the road for games against Charlotte and Boston and Okafor did not join them on the trip.
On Tuesday night, a Sixers source confirmed to Eyewitness News that Okafor would be rejoining the team in Boston and would suit up for Wednesday's game. And on Wednesday morning, Brown told the 94WIP Morning Show that Okafor will play in Wednesday night's game at the Celtics.
Listen: Brett Brown on the 94WIP Morning Show
"I will [play Okafor] and I appreciate to the outside world, it would seem bizarre and I get it," Brown said of Okafor on the 94WIP Morning Show. "And in many ways, if I didn't coach such good young guys and good young players, good people, this could never work."
Related: Report: Okafor's Benching A 'Ploy To Stir Interest'
"Trade talks were advanced, we chose not to play him to complicate things," Brown continued. "The trade talks fell down. He'll get on a plane and be with me in an hour and a half and I'll put him in the game. And him and Nerlens [Noel] will go at it with the Celtics, the second best team in the east, and we'll go into the game with that admittedly sort of strange entry back into our team."
The NBA Trade Deadline is February 23.
