Report: 76ers not open to Okafor buyout, plan to keep exploring trades

Jahlil Okafor wants the Philadelphia 76ers to buy out his contract, but the Sixers are refusing to do so, instead intent on finding a trade for the third-year center, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Okafor was drafted third overall in 2015, but he's fallen out of favor - and out of the rotation almost entirely - in Philadelphia, to the point that the team declined the fourth-year option on his rookie contract. Now that he's slated for unrestricted free agency in July, Okafor wants to get somewhere he can actually play, and start recouping some value, as soon as possible.

But the Sixers would prefer to get something in return for their once-prized asset, and there is still interest in Okafor around the league, according to Wojnarowski.

The Boston Celtics are reportedly among the interested teams, though they aren't willing to part with any meaningful pieces to acquire the 22-year-old.

Okafor has appeared in just one of Philadelphia's seven games so far this season, and played only because Joel Embiid sat out for rest. He's grown increasingly disgruntled with the organization, even saying it's "evident" that Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo doesn't care about him.

"I tried to do everything the right way," Okafor said. "I tried to be professional; I will continue to be professional. But at some point, I have to defend myself, and this is my career."