NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Jahlil Okafor Proposal 'Best Offer' Celtics Received for No. 3 Pick

The Jahlil Okafor to Boston rumors have been swirling for weeks, and they don't figure to disappear until the dust settles later tonight. While Boston has been posturing hard through the media, the latest from Chad Ford gives us some insight into how sturdy their position really is.

Thanks to our friends at Celtics Blog for tipping us to this blurb from his Big Board 10.0:

Ainge's refusal to tip his hand essentially forces teams to deal with him if they want to be guaranteed to land their favorite player in the draft. It's brilliant.

Meanwhile, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Celtics have made offers to the Bucks, Jazz and Bulls for the likes of Jabari Parker, Khris Middleton, Gordon Hayward and Jimmy Butler. As of Wednesday night, they were still getting rebuffed.

The best offer they've received? The Sixers are willing to part with Jahlil Okafor for the No. 3 pick. While interested in Okafor, the Celtics want more.

Both parties appear to be standing firm at the moment; the Sixers haven't (publicly) shown a willingness to provide value beyond Okafor for the extra pick, and Boston seems more interested in a readymade star than an upside play. Their inability to get one should be a wake-up call to Danny Ainge regarding how people value picks in this draft, but you can bet he'll keep shouting into the abyss either way.

All things considered, a good start to a day filled with rumors. As long as Bryan Colangelo remains firm in how he values his talent, Sixers fans will likely come away from today feeling great about the team's future.