I don't get the hype for russell.
Maybe he looks flashy when he plays but he is below average athleticism in a position stacked with freak athletes Wall/Rose/Westbrook.
On top of that he was a bad finisher at the Rim in college.. meaning he will get rekt in the NBA. He can't use his off hand to finish at the rim, and any time he doesn't go to his left he pulls up for a jumper because he can't finish with his right. Heck he finishes poorly with his left(main hand) so what do you expect.
Sure you can so you can learn that, but the dude even said himself he doesn't have natural athleticism he worked for all he has and its below average(which is fine) but I don't see the future superstar in him everyone else seems too. Sure he can become good, but I can't see his scoring ability being at the levels of Rose/Westbrook/Curry/Kyrie/CP3. Westbrook and rose have freak athleticism, Kyrie has handles like a god and a beautiful touch around the rim(has always had it), Curry is probably the greatest shooter in NBA history IMO. CP3 Can do everything pretty darn well.
All those guys had something special coming into the NBA which they still have and worked on it to propel them to elite levels(something they were so good at that even now them and maybe one or two other possess that kind of talent in the whole NBA). He's a good passer its his best attribute and hes big so he has the potential to be a good defender. But I don't see superstardom in him. Because I don't see anything he has coming with him so elite that very few will.
Will he be a good PG? Probably, will he be a superstar? I don't see it.
What Okafor has you can't teach. You know what separates MJ from Kobe/Lebron? His hands, I am taking this from Pjax he said that MJ had billion dollar hands its what let him do a lot of what he did better then anyone else has since. Big hands, with amazing touch and quickness. Allowed him to be a great defender and an awesome finisher at the rim.
You know what Jahlil has? Those hands, big hands with soft touch and great feel. The dude can move the ball so well, it allow him to hold it with one hand and even if he gets bumped it doesn't get it knocked out of his hand. He is killer from within 15ft. I think his college finishing within 15ft of the rim was like over 70%? I might be wrong. His natural feel with both off and main hand is hard to match by someone learning then someone who just naturally developed it. I don't think they ever match up to someone who always had it and then worked hard to make them even better. hard work + talent > Hardwork.
Pau Gasol couldn't play D, but he was stupid talented in the post(he could shoot too though jahlil can't) and he could play sufficient D when needed and he is a HoF and a top 10 laker great. But Kobe brought out the best in him when he was in our championship runs. And I expect kobe can bring out of a rookie.
I agree with keeping there options open, but if everything goes well with Okafor and he drops to second I don't see how you pass on someone with that kind of offensive feel at 19 years of age; that height and strength, for a PG/SG of which we can find tons of in Free agency..
And if Russell doesn't pan out he is useless, If Okafor doesn't pan out. Well you have a 7' big off the bench who can score in the interior and get you some blocks.
The rest is hindsight if Russell ends up being a superstar and Okafor doesn't well that sucks but the opposite was just as possible so you can't blame yourself for that.