Report: Chicago Bulls interested in Jahlil Okafor

SAN ANTONIO – It appears the Chicago Bulls are interested in bringing Jahlil Okafor back to his hometown.

CSNChicago.com, citing multiple sources, reported Thursday that the Bulls have inquired about obtaining the 76ers reserve center in a trade.  The report states that Chicago is more interested in making the deal than the Sixers.

The report did not say what Chicago would offer in a trade for the third overall pick in the 2015 draft.  It did say that the Bulls could open up talks with a third team to make a deal work. Sixers president Bryan Colangelo said he won't make a trade just for the sake of making one.

It's no secret that the Sixers have been shopping centers Okafor and Nerlens Noel.  Noel is in the final season of his four-year rookie contract. Meanwhile, Okafor isn't the right fit for the Sixers' uptempo and defensive-minded system.

He's actually third on the depth chart behind Joel Embiid and Noel. Perhaps as a way to showcase him, the Sixers start Okafor on the nights that Embiid doesn't play.

Okafor is averaging 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 34 games this season.

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers.