Jahlil Okafor wants a speedy divorce from the 76ers and won’t be getting it without the team receiving compensation.

The reserve center told team president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo on Tuesday that he wanted to be bought out of his contract. That came after the Sixers declined to pick up Okafor’s contract for the 2018-19 season. The Sixers, however, appear unwilling to let the 21-year-old center, who has played only one game this season, just walk out the door without getting anything in return.

“Bryan didn’t think (a buyout) would be a great idea,” Okafor said, “because he said he would be giving me away to a team for free. But that’s pretty much where we stand right now.”

Colangelo declined comment.

Stymied on the buyout, the third overall pick in the 2015 draft wants to be traded as soon as possible. The Sixers, however, aren’t going to trade him for less than what they deem is equal value. And despite Okafor’s finally being healthy, his trade value isn’t every high because he has been out of the team’s rotation.

The Sixers and Okafor’s agent, Billy Duffy, have been in constant contact with each other and with potential trade partners, trying to work out a deal. According to sources, the Boston Celtics have expressed the most interest in Okafor. Knowing the Sixers don’t have long-term plans for Okafor, the Celtics aren’t willing to give up much, however.

The Celtics, though, hope the Sixers buy out Okafor’s contract, the sources said. The Celtics were awarded an $8.4 million injury exception to fill the void caused by Gordon Hayward’s season-ending injury. The Sixers know that, and they don’t want to allow their Atlantic Division rival, with which they’ve been negotiating, to get Okafor without giving up anything.

Knowing he’s not in their long-term plans, the Sixers passed on keeping him past this season, declining his fourth-year option. Okafor would have earned $6.3 million in his fourth year, if the option had been picked up. The decision allows the Sixers to free up $6.3 million from next season’s cap space.

The Sixers have been trying to trade Okafor for more than two seasons. Some squads have even asked for an additional player or a draft pick to take Okafor off the Sixers’ hands. According to a league source, the Toronto Raptors considered trading for Okafor this summer. However, they also wanted Robert Covington included in the deal. The Sixers declined.

Okafor said Colangelo is the only front-office person he spoke to about a buyout.

“That’s where we stand today because you waited so long to trade me,” Okafor said. “There’s nothing else to do. I’m not playing here. At the end of this season, I’m an unrestricted free agent.

“So I want to get on the court and play after this.”

Okafor is frustrated partly because, unlike Nerlens Noel, he remained a team player despite the squad’s being overcrowded at center. He repeatedly told the media how happy he was to be a Sixer even though he was frustrated inside. Okafor thought the Sixers would reward him for being a good trooper by trading him.

Noel took a completely different approach, publicly criticizing the organization.

“It worked out for him,” Okafor said.

The Sixers traded Noel to the Dallas Mavericks in February.

“I tried to do everything the right way,” Okafor said. “I tried to be professional; I will continue to be professional. But at some point, I have to defend myself, and this is my career. I’m not sure if (Colangelo) cares about that. I think that’s evident at this point.”

Okafor said he understands that this a business and that Colangelo has to do what’s best for the organization.

“But at some point, as people, on a personal level, you would hope, let’s get Jah out of here,” Okafor said. “Let him go play somewhere because I’m 21. I’m healthy. I’m trying to get on the right path of my career.”