Joel Embiid lost a teammate Friday (AEDT) when Jahlil Okafor was sent to Brooklyn in a long-overdue trade.
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While Embiid ultimately took Okafor's starting spot in Philadelphia's lineup, he shared some love for the former Duke star, who was drafted third overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.
"I told him I love you, I'm going to miss you, and then I told him I was going to kick his ass," Embiid said of Okafor before Thursday's game against the Lakers.
Embiid's message to Okafor: I love you, and I'm going to kick your ass. pic.twitter.com/hTYwezSsCd
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) December 7, 2017
Embiid was actually drafted a year before Okafor, but injuries wiped out his first two seasons. He ultimately returned last season to average 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, effectively taking Okafor out of the rotation.
Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game his rookie season, but his minutes had decreased ever since. He now has the chance to start at center for the Nets.