Okafor for Chandler? Say it aint so

[Admin]

So the Hornets go from trying to dump Chandler mid-season to being able to get a quality replacement in Okafor the following off-season after the Chandler trade goes bad due to failing the physical? Talk about a fortuitous situation.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4359609&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

The Hornets and Bobcats are in advanced discussions on a trade that would send center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte in exchange for fellow big man Emeka Okafor, according to NBA front-office sources.

It was not immediately known if the teams are ready to complete the swap -- or if the deal would expand to include other players or teams -- but sources close to the process said talks featuring Chandler and Okafor as the main components have been ongoing since late last week.

Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

[Packfill]

So the Hornets go from trying to dump Chandler mid-season to being able to get a quality replacement in Okafor the following off-season after the Chandler trade goes bad due to failing the physical? Talk about a fortuitous situation.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4359609&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

The Hornets and Bobcats are in advanced discussions on a trade that would send center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte in exchange for fellow big man Emeka Okafor, according to NBA front-office sources.

It was not immediately known if the teams are ready to complete the swap -- or if the deal would expand to include other players or teams -- but sources close to the process said talks featuring Chandler and Okafor as the main components have been ongoing since late last week.

Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

I don't understand what the Bobcats are thinking on that trade.

[Traceman]

So the Hornets go from trying to dump Chandler mid-season to being able to get a quality replacement in Okafor the following off-season after the Chandler trade goes bad due to failing the physical? Talk about a fortuitous situation.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4359609&campaign=rss&source=NBAHeadlines

The Hornets and Bobcats are in advanced discussions on a trade that would send center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte in exchange for fellow big man Emeka Okafor, according to NBA front-office sources.

It was not immediately known if the teams are ready to complete the swap -- or if the deal would expand to include other players or teams -- but sources close to the process said talks featuring Chandler and Okafor as the main components have been ongoing since late last week.

Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

This one has salary dump written all over it from Charlotte's standpoint. Two years of Chandler versus five years of Okafor. Okafor is the better player but I wouldn't be thrilled about paying him the kind of money he will be making over the next 5 years. Al put up comparable numbers last year for a LOT less and it won't surprise me to see Al equal his numbers this year.

[capstone21]

very surprising but it is definitely a salary dump.

[MaceCase]

For the (Bob)cats it makes some basketball sense as Chandler has better center height which is essentual if they are going to pair him next to Diaw in the frontcourt. I don't understand the move for NOLA though, they are cash strapped so they take on a longer deal for a 6'10" guy to pair with with an undersized West? This move only makes sense to me if they somehow are able to now package a worthwhile Okafor with another albatross contract that they have but that just seems unlikely.

[capstone21]

For the (Bob)cats it makes some basketball sense as Chandler has better center height which is essentual if they are going to pair him next to Diaw in the frontcourt. I don't understand the move for NOLA though, they are cash strapped so they take on a longer deal for a 6'10" guy to pair with with an undersized West? This move only makes sense to me if they somehow are able to now package a worthwhile Okafor with another albatross contract that they have but that just seems unlikely.

Okafor's contract is horrible (although so is CHandler's but his is not as bad or as long). It said that it centered around those guys which means there are other players in the deal.

[ATLNY7]

I know the hawks fans that really wanted Tyson Chandler to go to the hawks are now mad.

[gsuteke]

We could have had Chandler for Marvin Williams.

I think our team would be worse as well with Al at PF and Smoove at SF but hey, HS would be a happier place!

[WraithSentinel]

It just make the East a little bit easier for us.

[DrReality]

It just make the East a little bit easier for us.

That was my first reaction, but on second thought I'm not sure.

[bonethugz]

can we have either one?

[coachx]

Okefor's contract is not bad at all for his production. How many players in the league average a double / double ? 5 or 6 guys maybe ? Is he not making the same as Josh Smith. I'd take Okefor over Smith any day of the week due to his consistency and toughness in the paint.

Is Larry Brown having a Mutombo flash back with this trade ? Chandler is no Mutumbo so I don't get it.

I remember when he coached the allstar game and played Mutombo the entire 2nd half. It was the only allstar game where defense was played. B/c Brown was coaching and Mutombo was playing, the East made a 20 point 2nd half come back. A week later the 76ers traded a much younger Ratliff with Tony Kukoc for the aging Mutumbo.

Edited July 28, 2009 by coachx

[capstone21]

Okefor's contract is not bad at all for his production. How many players in the league average a double / double ? 5 or 6 guys maybe ? Is he not making the same as Josh Smith. I'd take Okefor over Smith any day of the week due to his consistency and toughness in the paint.

Is Larry Brown having a Mutombo flash back with this trade ? Chandler is no Mutumbo so I don't get it.

I remember when he coached the allstar game and played Mutombo the entire 2nd half. It was the only allstar game where defense was played. B/c Brown was coaching and Mutombo was playing, the East made a 20 point 2nd half come back. A week later the 76ers traded a much younger Ratliff with Tony Kukoc for the aging Mutumbo.

I wonder what changed the Hornets tune. They went from trying to give Chandler away for expiring contracts to taking on this bad contract (and yes Okafor's contract is pretty bad (63 million over the next 5 years)). They are getting a really good player though who will really help them. He is a better defender then Chandler and is better on the offensive end.

I guess Charlotte is in the belt tighting mode too.

[coachx]

I wonder what changed the Hornets tune. They went from trying to give Chandler away for expiring contracts to taking on this bad contract (and yes Okafor's contract is pretty bad (63 million over the next 5 years)). They are getting a really good player though who will really help them. He is a better defender then Chandler and is better on the offensive end.

I guess Charlotte is in the belt tighting mode too.

How is Okefor's contract bad for the production he gives you ? I am guessing Chris Paul's recent comments had a lot to do with it. He started to say the right thinkgs but it was evident what his true feelings were.

Chris Paul, James Posey, and David West are happy men right now..............now they just need one of their draft picks to pan out between J. Wright, Collison, Thorton, and Armstrong. Maybe Peja can give them 20 mpg next year. He had no business playing 32 mpg like he did last season when he shot 36 % FG and 30% from 3pt territory.

Wright and Thorton should be able to run and finish the break with Paul. West is their half court scorer. Posey is their defender who can shoot the 3. Okefor will do the dirty work. Paul is the best PG in the game to captain these men and get the most out of them possible. I really like this team if the trade goes through and their draft picks mature to the point where they are solid role players where Peja is no longer forced to play.

Edited July 28, 2009 by coachx

[thefloydian]

I thought this was a mistake when I saw it on realgm.

[coachx]

This one has salary dump written all over it from Charlotte's standpoint. Two years of Chandler versus five years of Okafor. Okafor is the better player but I wouldn't be thrilled about paying him the kind of money he will be making over the next 5 years. Al put up comparable numbers last year for a LOT less and it won't surprise me to see Al equal his numbers this year.

Al is on a rookie contract. Good luck trying to draft another center to give you that kind of production on a rookie contract. Not even Greg Oden is puting up those types of numbers yet. You sure as heck will not sign a veteran center who averages a double , double any cheaper then Okefor. Look at Bynum and Kaman for example and both of them are injury prone like Chandler is.

Any 26 year old, veteran center, averaging a double, double will cost you what Okefor or Smoove make at a minimum.

When Chandler contract is up I will be shocked if they get more for their money then what Okefor is doing from 28-30 year of age.

Only time will tell.

[Packfill]

Al is on a rookie contract. Good luck trying to draft another center to give you that kind of production on a rookie contract. Not even Greg Oden is puting up those types of numbers yet. You sure as heck will not sign a veteran center who averages a double , double any cheaper then Okefor. Look at Bynum and Kaman for example and both of them are injury prone like Chandler is.

Any 26 year old, veteran center, averaging a double, double will cost you what Okefor or Smoove make at a minimum.

When Chandler contract is up I will be shocked if they get more for their money then what Okefor is doing from 28-30 year of age.

Only time will tell.

I agree with you. Centers cost alot of money because there are so few that are any good. At least with Okafor, a team gets some legitimate production.

If Horford improves and has numbers like Okafor then he will likely get a similar contract.

[Traceman]

Al is on a rookie contract. Good luck trying to draft another center to give you that kind of production on a rookie contract. Not even Greg Oden is puting up those types of numbers yet. You sure as heck will not sign a veteran center who averages a double , double any cheaper then Okefor. Look at Bynum and Kaman for example and both of them are injury prone like Chandler is.

Any 26 year old, veteran center, averaging a double, double will cost you what Okefor or Smoove make at a minimum.

When Chandler contract is up I will be shocked if they get more for their money then what Okefor is doing from 28-30 year of age.

Only time will tell.

Okafor is a solid player player and he should fit well with Paul & West in NO and there is obviously a premium on size in the NBA. That said, he is a complimentary player with a notoriously bad back and CHA outbid themselves for him as I don't remember anyone else making him an offer when he was an UFA. It could all work out fine but I would not be looking forward to paying him $14.5M in 2013.

[MaceCase]

I wonder what changed the Hornets tune. They went from trying to give Chandler away for expiring contracts to taking on this bad contract (and yes Okafor's contract is pretty bad (63 million over the next 5 years)). They are getting a really good player though who will really help them. He is a better defender then Chandler and is better on the offensive end.

I guess Charlotte is in the belt tighting mode too.

I remember typing this in one of Diesel's "trade Marvin" threads where he wanted Chandler

Let's look at it like this. There is a very common rumor that NOLA has a deal on the backburner with Pheonix that would have them swap Ben Wallace's expiring deal for Chandler unless they can find any jackass to actually offer them value. Do this deal and we'd be said jackasses.

I guees they found their jackass.