Okafor playing waiting game

[Vesper]

In My Opinion

Okafor playing waiting game

Rick Bonnell

fans0417

DIEDRA LAIRD – dlaird@charlotteobserver.com

Charlotte's Emeka Okafor (right) shoots over Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala. Okafor turned down a $60million-plus offer last summer to become a restricted free agent.

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* Warriors sign Clippers star Maggette

* Bobcats' Augustin working hard to get point

LAS VEGAS --

Busy as the Charlotte Bobcats are here, with 16 players to coach, it doesn't take long for the conversation to wind back to the most prominent who's absent:

Emeka Okafor.

The staff hangs on the latest gossip just like fans do. A couple of staffers asked me in the hallway the other night whether I thought Okafor was in Los Angeles, being schmoozed by the Clippers. I said I thought the Clippers were busy recruiting Atlanta's Josh Smith, but in the end, what do any of us know?

That's the imprecise world of NBA free agency.

I'd say there's an 80 percent chance Okafor is a Bobcat next season and a 50 percent chance he's around for the long haul. It takes courage and conviction to turn down the $60million-plus Okafor did last summer, to become a restricted free agent.

Now he gets to enjoy being wooed by the Bobcats and others.

The negotiations have been courteous. Okafor went out of his way last season to say he appreciated what the Bobcats offered, and that his preference is to stay with the team that drafted him four years ago.

Still, there's no sense reaching free agency unless you're open to changing teams. The flavor of the moment is the Clippers, whose loss of Elton Brand leaves them short a power forward but holding abundant salary-cap room.

I'm told it would be no problem for the Clippers to start a contract in the $10million to $12million range, so with annual raises they could offer at least as much as the Bobcats did.

The Clippers had Smith in for a visit, and he seems to be their priority. Smith is smaller than Okafor, but more of a runner and leaper.

You sign Okafor to get more rugged, and the Clippers already have a big-bodied rebounder in center Chris Kaman. Maybe they're thinking Smith's dunking and shot-blocking have appeal for a franchise always challenged to sell tickets.

Hawks management has indicated it would match whatever another team offered Smith. What else would it say? If there is a number that would make the Hawks blink, then admitting as much invites an offer sheet from another team.

The Bobcats' best chance of maintaining some control is for the big money to run out soon. The Sixers used their cap space on Brand. The Golden State Warriors paid up for Corey Maggette, plus an offer sheet to Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf. Unless the Memphis Grizzlies become big spenders, that leaves the Clippers as the major player.

New Bobcats coach Larry Brown has a big stake in this – who wants to start a makeover by losing your shot-blocker? – yet he is staying out of the fray.

“I have no control over that,” Brown said at practice Thursday. “He's a terrific kid and plays a position where it's really hard to find capable guys.”

“I'm sure we'll do what's right, and hopefully he'll be here.”

Translation: What's the point in fretting about someone else's choices? Okafor Playing Waiting Game

[TheDude]

it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

[DrReality]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

You said a mouth full there. That tandem, if healthy, would hold their own.

[Peoriabird]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

Okafor is not that good!

[Brotha2ThaNite]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

You said a mouth full there. That tandem, if healthy, would hold their own.

If Healthy is the point I have been trying to make to you all for awhile now. Look at how Josh is in almost every game. Okafor on the other hand is hurt a lot. That Health goes a long way in the reason I say keep J-Smoove. Not only does he has a higher upside.... he is not hurt all the time.

Code:

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  Emeka Okafor 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	CHA	73

05-06	CHA	26

06-07	CHA	67

07-08	CHA	82





   Josh Smith 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	ATL	74

05-06	ATL	80

06-07	ATL	72

07-08	ATL	81

---

[Zone034life]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

Smoove and Horford is fun to watch for me. Sorry they didn't meet your expectations because they exceeded mines. With little to no relief off the bench at that.

[foeteen14]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

no it wouldn't be. it would be boring as hell. they would average 26 points and 20 rebounds a game. josh and horf will average 30 points 18 rebounds a game, and will be a whole lot more exciting

[PlayaPat420]

Quote:

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Code:

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  Emeka Okafor 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	CHA	73

05-06	CHA	26

06-07	CHA	67

07-08	CHA	82





   Josh Smith 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	ATL	74

05-06	ATL	80

06-07	ATL	72

07-08	ATL	81

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Not much of an Okafor fan but (from those stats) other than the 05-06 season, they basically played the same amount of games.

[Brotha2ThaNite]

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Code:

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  Emeka Okafor 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	CHA	73

05-06	CHA	26

06-07	CHA	67

07-08	CHA	82





   Josh Smith 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	ATL	74

05-06	ATL	80

06-07	ATL	72

07-08	ATL	81

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Not much of an Okafor fan but (from those stats) other than the 05-06 season, they basically played the same amount of games.

No.... add in Okafor's back problems... and remember the 06-07 season games missed for Josh was do to tanking the season.

[crimedog]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

That would be a solid defensive unit, not necessarilly better than what we have now because neither one of those guys excells against the Bosh-type face up players. It would also be a pretty weak offensive unit.

[Cwell]

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it would be interesting to see a smoove for okafor + somethingelse trade..i'm not for that due to injuries and smooth's potential....but having okafor at center and horford at PF would be fun to watch.

You said a mouth full there. That tandem, if healthy, would hold their own.

If Healthy is the point I have been trying to make to you all for awhile now. Look at how Josh is in almost every game. Okafor on the other hand is hurt a lot. That Health goes a long way in the reason I say keep J-Smoove. Not only does he has a higher upside.... he is not hurt all the time.

Code:

---

  Emeka Okafor 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	CHA	73

05-06	CHA	26

06-07	CHA	67

07-08	CHA	82





   Josh Smith 

Yr      Team    G

04-05	ATL	74

05-06	ATL	80

06-07	ATL	72

07-08	ATL	81

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Smoove is never hurt and when he is he heals like he's not even human lol.He had that one injury this year the same game Acie got hurt against Charlotte.It was quad injury I think.they thought he'd be out for a little while but he missed one game and came back like nothig was wrong.

[Diesel]