Veteran center Emeka Okafor, who is being tracked by numerous teams in search of frontcourt help, is giving strong consideration to delaying his comeback from a neck injury until next season, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that Okafor, who missed all of last season after suffering a herniated disk in his neck, is leaning toward waiting until the summer before committing to a new team to give himself more time to continue strength and conditioning work.
Okafor, 32, is "healthy," according to one source, but is reluctant to rush back this season.
Sources say that numerous teams with a need for additional size and rim protection -- Cleveland, Miami and Dallas among them -- had interest in Okafor if he made himself available via free agency at some point this season as originally expected.
Okafor averaged 9.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game for the Washington Wizards in 2012-13. The Wizards, knowing he was likely out for the entire 2013-14 campaign, used the defensive-minded big man's $14.5 million expiring contract just days before the start of the 2013-14 to acquire Marcin Gortat from Phoenix.
Okafor never played for the Suns and became a free agent in July, while Gortat landed a new five-year, $60 million from the Wizards last summer.