The Los Angeles Lakers may end up thanking LaMarcus Aldridge for steering them away from Jahlil Okafor.
The proof comes from Okafor's possible departure from the Philadelphia 76ers, which is what philly.com is reporting.
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Despite 76ers coach Brett Brown making a comparison between Okafor and Hall of Fame power forward Karl Malone, Philadelphia continues to explore trading the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Insert red flag here.
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Okafor is averaging 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Sixers, who need to win of their final seven games to avoid tying the mark for the worst NBA record ever for an 82-game season, ironically held by the 1973 76ers.
He also has improved his free-throw percentage from 51 in college to 68.6 this year with the Sixers.
Despite Okafor's prowess, he's not helping the Sixers' win total and the team may see him as expendable.
"At times, I see Carlos Boozer," Brown told philly.com. "At times, I see [Hall of Famer] Karl Malone. At times, you see a legitimate back-to-the basket post threat."
"But will he be a versatile post threat for the Sixers or another team?" philly.com asked.
"... The struggles of Okafor and Nerlens Noel to co-exist as Twin Towers were well-documented. Both players are better suited to playing center. The problem for Okafor has been that the team is more successful with Noel at center. There was even a stretch when Okafor was often on the bench late in games. And that's why the team had moved Okafor to power forward before his injury."
The 76ers also are hoping that Joel Embiid, the No. 3 overall pick in 2014, makes his NBA debut next season after an injury-plagued first two years.
Which makes it difficult to understand why Philadelphia drafted Okafor in the first place.
Okafor has had some off-the-field issues. The 20-year-old was busted using a fake ID trying to get into a bar, he's had a gun pointed at him, he got in a fight outside a Philadelphia nightclub and he was cited for driving more than 100 miles per hour.
But you don't give up on a 20-year-old who could be the next Karl Malone, or even a Carlos Boozer, who averaged a double-double for five years, even if you have two similar players -- two players who have yet to prove themselves on Okafor's level offensively - unless there is a larger issue.
So Los Angeles, which have gotten 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game with flashes of brilliance out of Russell, could be the ones looking smarter about bypassing Okafor.
It's been suggested that the Lakers were convinced that they would sign Aldridge last July, persuading them to take Russell over Okafor a few days earlier. If true, their overconfidence may have worked in reverse.
And for that, they have Aldridge to thank. Of course, he's too busy chasing an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs to care.
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