The Philadelphia 76ers is reportedly "showcasing" Jahlil Okafor to interested teams as the club is said to be favoring Nerlens Noel to stay as Joel Embiid's backup.

Okafor, the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has not played a single second in the Sixers' last four games prior to their 109-93 loss to the Washington Wizards last Saturday. The 21-year-old center started in that match, producing 26 points on 10-for-16 field goal shooting, nine rebounds, one steal, and one block in 35 minutes as head coach Brett Brown rested Embiid.

Like Us on Facebook

Okafor again played in the team's next game, a 113-104 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, spelling Embiid and contributing 10 points, two boards, one assist, and one steal in only 20 minutes.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, these minutes given recently to Okafor were "more about showcasing Jahlil Okafor to possible trading partners than anything else" for the Sixers.

Coach Brown has also been praising Okafor lately, as if "selling" him to potential buyers, saying that last season's NBA All-Rookie First Teamer is an "NBA starter" and could "score 30 (points) in a heartbeat.

"Jahlil Okafor is a professional scorer," said Brown after the Wizards' match. "He's 21 years old and his defense is getting better, his rebounding is getting better, his positioning and awareness defensively is getting better."

"When you weigh it all up and you say, 'Well this is the package of Jahlil Okafor,' that's pretty appealing at age 21," he added.

ESPN suggested that Brown has been "talking up" Okafor as a "way to potentially increase the center's trade value".

Okafor is averaging 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game in 29 games so far in Philly this season.

There are rumors that the Sixers' senior officials believe Noel is a "better fit" with Embiid and so it is believed that it would be Okafor who is going to be dealt in or before the Feb. 23 deadline.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, NBA Trade Rumors 2017, Jahlil Okafor, philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia 76ers trade rumors