Okafor calls trade talk 'just rumors'

DALLAS –  One would assume that Jahlil Okafor  is feeling bit uneasy due to his name constantly coming up prior to  Thursday's trade deadline.

Eight months after selecting him third overall, the 76ers conversed with other teams regarding his availability in a trade. There was even a Boston Herald report, citing a source, that the Boston Celtics had a blockbuster deal in place to acquire that center that was eventually pulled off the table.  Multiple league sources later said a deal was never in place.

"I'm fine," Okafor said of dealing with the trade discussions. "Rumors have been coming out about me all year. It's just rumors. People here, I talked to them [beforehand].  We are all good where we are at right now. The rumors keep coming out. I know what's going on here."

Okafor said he hasn't spoken to anyone about the trade rumors.

"Before they came out, they told me that I was one of the building pieces of this franchise, and I'm excited about that," he said.  "So when the rumors came out, I already knew what was going on here. So I'm fine."

Okafor also said the Sixers "assured me that they want me here."

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