(AP) The New Orleans Pelicans say center Jahlil Okafor has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and is expected to miss one or two weeks.
The injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Pelicans' preseason opener at Chicago on Sunday.
The 6-foot-11 Okafor was drafted third overall out of Duke by Philadelphia in 2015. But his production fell considerably last season from the nearly 15 points and six rebounds he averaged during his first two seasons with the 76ers.
He appeared in only two games with Philadelphia last season before being traded to Brooklyn, where he played about 13 minutes per game as a reserve, averaging 6.4 points.
In August, he signed a two-year contract with New Orleans that includes a team option in the second year. The Pelicans hope he can provide depth to a front court led by Anthony Davis, Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic.
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