Okafor for Chandler deal in the works (per ESPN)

[Kobe™]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4359609


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.

[Shank]

I thought the Hornets didn't want to take on more bad money. How does this work for them?

[Findog]

I thought the Hornets didn't want to take on more bad money. How does this work for them?

Okafor for Chandler works straight up...but Okafor has 5 years left on his deal and Chandler has only 2. I don't understand why either team makes this deal.

[iggypop123]

why?

[Findog]

why?

You tell me...Okafor is the better player. Charlotte would get some long-term cap relief, while the Hornets would be upgrading at C in the short-term.

[Ditty]

no more alley oops and the best defender on duncan goes to the east

can this summer get an better

[pad300]

I'd do it if I was the Hornets - Okafor's a solid center; with Chris Paul feeding him, he'll be more productive offensively. I was, however, under the impression that the Hornets were trying to dump Chandler for payroll reasons, not talent. Could a 3ed party be involved?

[Shank]

There has to be more to this.

[JamStone]

Yeah, really makes no sense for New Orleans. Okafor is marginally better than Chandler, but Chandler actually has been a good fit playing with Chris Paul and David West. Don't see any really good reason to make the trade on the Hornets' part.

[Findog]

I'd do it if I was the Hornets - Okafor's a solid center; with Chris Paul feeding him, he'll be more productive offensively. I was, however, under the impression that the Hornets were trying to dump Chandler for payroll reasons, not talent. Could a 3ed party be involved?

It makes absolutely no sense for them to take on Okafor's contract given everything we've been told about their desire to dump salary. They tried to dump Chandler's contract for financial reasons before the Zombie Sonics cancelled the trade. Now they're taking on a huge financial commitment to Okafor?

[Shank]

Ah - there IS more to this. Hang.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I can't make heads or tails out of this one for the Hornets. The only upgrade this has for the Hornets is durability. The trade off of defense for offense pretty much cancles things out, and as others have mentioned they'd be taking on long term money with his. WTF?

[mavs>spurs2]

Ah - there IS more to this. Hang.

tell me dallas is involved???

[Shank]

SI saying it's all but done and only involving the 2 teams.

But hey - Drew Gooden!

[Findog]

tell me dallas is involved???

Yeah right. There's probably more players in the deal. Maybe Peja is going to Charlotte or something. Chandler for Okafor straight up will have the Hornets paying the luxury tax for years. Something doesn't add up.

[LakerHater]

Bobcats, Hornets may swap Okafor for Chandler

Associated Press

Updated: July 27, 2009, 5:40 PM EDT


Persons familiar with the deal say the Charlotte Bobcats are finalizing a trade that would send Emeka Okafor to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler.

The swap of centers could be completed later Monday, two people told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
The Bobcats will be giving up the only starting center in franchise history for Chandler, who has been plagued by a left toe injury. Chandler played in only 32 games last season and a trade to Oklahoma City was rescinded because of concerns over the injury.
The deal comes less than a year after Okafor signed a six-year, $72 million deal with the Bobcats.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Okafor is nice but an underachiever. And his length of contract contradicts the Hornets needs to save $. I'd have to be happy with this deal if I was a Bobcat.

[JamStone]

I don't think Okafor is an underachiever. I think he basically plays to his abilities and talent. I think people just expected too much of him out of college.

[djohn2oo8]

If they make this deal, the SW division is just a cakewalk for Dallas and San Antonio, with New Orleans joining Houston and Memphis in the cellar

[Pistons < Spurs]

I don't think Okafor is an underachiever. I think he basically plays to his abilities and talent. I think people just expected too much of him out of college.

Fair enough. I'm not trying to suggest he's a slacker. I think he gives everything he has. I guess I look back at his rookie year, and then notice that he has shown little growth or development in his game in all these years since. He's a bit smarter, and takes better shots overall. But based on that rookie season, I thought the sky was the limit for him. The potential I saw in him has been largely unrealized. He is at least consistent though.

[timvp]

Got damn that would be a great deal for the Hornets. Chandler is broken.

[IronMexican]

From a baasketball standpoint, great deal for Nawlins. Nice to see the Hornets owner take on more money over time.

[Findog]

Got damn that would be a great deal for the Hornets. Chandler is broken.

I'm guessing Chandler can't play and his contract will be covered by insurance. The Bobcats FO is pretty dumb, but not dumb enough to think they are a better team with Chandler instead of Okafor. And the Hornets would then be surprisingly motivated by something other than straight finances.

[KSeal]

no more alley oops and the best defender on duncan goes to the east

can this summer get an better

Man you're stupid.

[sonic21]

the bobcats can receive better offer than this one. There's got to be more to it...

[timvp]

This trade could nudge the Hornets back into the conversation with the Spurs, Mavs and Blazers tier. Okafor always played Duncan really well and he'd basically just be a better and healthier version of Chandler.

I don't understand why the Bobcats would do the trade (other than Larry Brown being in love with trading just for the sake of trading). If you are going to salary dump Okafor, you can certainly get a better deal than that. They must actually think Chandler has some value. WTF.

Hopefully this doesn't happen.

[Rogue]

silence doesn't mean inactivity --- Donnie Nelson

[timvp]

I'm guessing Chandler can't play and his contract will be covered by insurance. The Bobcats FO is pretty dumb, but not dumb enough to think they are a better team with Chandler instead of Okafor. And the Hornets would then be surprisingly motivated by something other than straight finances.

From listening to a Chandler interview during summer league, he didn't seem to be thinking about retirement. Unless he's literally broken and won't be able to play basketball again, I don't see how this trade makes sense.

Then again, Larry Brown loves trades so it wouldn't surprise me if it goes down.

[Findog]

From listening to a Chandler interview during summer league, he didn't seem to be thinking about retirement. Unless he's literally broken and won't be able to play basketball again, I don't see how this trade makes sense.

Then again, Larry Brown loves trades so it wouldn't surprise me if it goes down.

If this is true, isn't Erick Dampier better for them than Chandler? He can be reasonably expected to play next year, and he has a massive expiring next summer.

[Rogue]

From listening to a Chandler interview during summer league, he didn't seem to be thinking about retirement. Unless he's literally broken and won't be able to play basketball again, I don't see how this trade makes sense.

Then again, Larry Brown loves trades so it wouldn't surprise me if it goes down.
Donnie has got some better options for Bobcats if their only purpose in moving Okafor was just dumping salary. Clearly the Bobcats have a strong intention to move him at a relatively low prize, but I bet Okafor's long contract will only worsen the financial problems that have been disrupting the Hornets team.

[Findog]

Ugh...the Mavs are about to sign Tim Thomas. I would've preferred Von Wafer or Rashad McCants:

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1879

[timvp]

If this is true, isn't Erick Dampier better for them than Chandler? He can be reasonably expected to play next year, and he has a massive expiring next summer.
Yeah, if I'm the Bobcats I take Dampier before Chandler. Chandler has a number of injuries, his stats have been declining and a lot of his production can be attributed to being spoonfed by CP3. At least Dampier has an expiring contract and can walk.

Besides, the Dampier and Diop center tandem has already proven their mettle with their 2006 NBA championship.

[Findog]

Donnie has got some better options for Bobcats if their only purpose in moving Okafor was just dumping salary. Clearly the Bobcats have a strong intention to move him at a relatively low prize, but I bet Okafor's long contract will only worsen the financial problems that have been disrupting the Hornets team.

They'll be in the luxury tax for years if they do the deal as proposed.

[Shank]

If this is true, isn't Erick Dampier better for them than Chandler? He can be reasonably expected to play next year, and he has a massive expiring next summer.

That's the thing about these salary dumping trades. After they're said and done, fans of other teams are questioning why the hell their GM wasn't swift enough to get in on the fire sale. More dick-holding and posturing will come from Dallas' end.

[Findog]

Damp for Okafor works under the cap too.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Chandler was injured and had a bad year, but I fully expect him to bounce back. The death of Chandlers game and health is hugely overblown IMO.

I like it for the Bobcats as Chandler only has 2 years left on his deal. They obviously haven't won anything w/ Okafor, so they might aswell get out from under his contract to be better able to address the future. Maybe they trade him in the next couple of weeks for cap space or another player. Maybe this also opens the door for Ajinca to get some playing time.

[IronMexican]

Damp for Okafor works under the cap too.

Damn, Mavs would be #1 in the west, imo(Assuming Lakers don't re-up Odom). Definitely the best starting 5 in the NBA if Okafor goes there.

[Rogue]

If this is true, isn't Erick Dampier better for them than Chandler? He can be reasonably expected to play next year, and he has a massive expiring next summer.
Of fucking course Dampier is better than both Chandler and Okafor, dude played 80 games last season and would have produced 10+10 every night on average had he also got 35 minutes per game like Kidd did. I don't think Okafor would be an upgrade over Dampier and dude's bad contract would only become an manacle in finance if Donnie got foolish again and got him.

[Hornets1]

I'd rather take Okafor's contract than Chandlers. Some people really don't understand that Chandler WILL NEVER BE 100% again. Maybe 80%, but that's makes him a backup at best, seeing as he thrives on athleticism. Okafor's stats will rise having Paul at the point, no question. Tyson Chandler was nothing before he had Paul essentially handing him baskets.

[Hornets1]

Chandler was injured and had a bad year, but I fully expect him to bounce back. The death of Chandlers game and health is hugely overblown IMO.

I like it for the Bobcats as Chandler only has 2 years left on his deal. They obviously haven't won anything w/ Okafor, so they might aswell get out from under his contract to be better able to address the future. Maybe they trade him in the next couple of weeks for cap space or another player. Maybe this also opens the door for Ajinca to get some playing time.

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. He is damaged goods. The doctor who performed his surgery is also the one who examined him and deemed him damaged goods by failing him in his physical. If you were right about him fully recovering, we wouldn't be trading him.

[Rogue]

I'd rather take Okafor's contract than Chandlers. Some people really don't understand that Chandler WILL NEVER BE 100% again. Maybe 80%, but that's makes him a backup at best, seeing as he thrives on athleticism. Okafor's stats will rise having Paul at the point, no question. Tyson Chandler was nothing before he had Paul essentially handing him baskets.
If dude was nothing before coming to Orleans, how did he get the outrageous contract he is currently earning. The bulls was chasing Ben Wallace in that whole summer wishing dude to work as great as he did with the Pistons, then Bulls let chandler walk and threw all their salary space on Ben Wallace, which turned out to be a terrible sign not too long afterward.

[Shank]

Will Chandler even pass the physical to complete this move?

[DPG21920]

This would be a good trade of the Hornets basketball wise. Like Timvp said, he is a better all around player than Chandler and he is more durable. Okafor/West would be a very nice complimentary combo.

I do not want the Hornets to get any better.

[Hornets1]

If dude was nothing before coming to Orleans, how did he get the outrageous contract he is currently earning. The bulls was chasing Ben Wallace in that whole summer wishing dude to work as great as he did with the Pistons, then Bulls let chandler walk and threw all their salary space on Ben Wallace, which turned out to be a terrible sign not too long afterward.

His size, athleticism, and potential. Chandler was NOTHING before coming to Nola. Look at how little it took for us to get him

[Rogue]

They'll be in the luxury tax for years if they do the deal as proposed.
Hell no to Okafor, dude's contract would become a manacle in the long term and cost millions in luxury tax. Even though Okafor is young and has more threat at the offensive end, dude's injury history should be something to think many times about before Donnie sends an offer to Charlott. After all, Donnie is hired by Cuban who is a businessman, dude's job is to make money for his boss from this team but not burn his cashes, though Cuban doesn't care about spending only if the high payments can finally pay off.

[Rogue]

His size, athleticism, and potential. Chandler was NOTHING before coming to Nola. Look at how little it took for us to get him
You are absolutely right, Chandler didn't cost the Hornets too much compared to what they spend on Peja, who still has two years on contract with Hornets and will take a total of 30 millions fucking dollars from Hornet's fund for the next two seasons.

[pad300]

Of fucking course Dampier is better than both Chandler and Okafor, dude played 80 games last season and would have produced 10+10 every night on average had he also got 35 minutes per game like Kidd did. I don't think Okafor would be an upgrade over Dampier and dude's bad contract would only become an manacle in finance if Donnie got foolish again and got him.
:nope
Okafor > Dampier > Chandler

[Hornets1]

You are absolutely right, Chandler didn't cost the Hornets too much compared to what they spend on Peja, who still has two years on contract with Hornets and will take a total of 30 millions fucking dollars from Hornet's fund for the next two seasons.

Yep. Everytime I see his contract, I :bang. I believe it's the worst contract in the league right now.

[ploto]

I don't see how people think this would be good for the Spurs. Okafur would be a nice big man to have alongside West and with Paul. Everyone knows you need a PG and a big man.

[Rogue]

:nope
Okafor > Dampier > Chandler

Donnie disagrees and he is rather than anyone else the man in charge of our front office.

[djohn2oo8]

I don't see how people think this would be good for the Spurs. Okafur would be a nice big man to have alongside West and with Paul. Everyone knows you need a PG and a big man.

They have no supporting cast, as shown in the playoffs

[spursfan1000]

Okafor for Chandler works straight up...but Okafor has 5 years left on his deal and Chandler has only 2. I don't understand why either team makes this deal.

Id guess since the Bobcats are not going anywhere with Okafor they are trying to rebuild around another player.

[fevertrees]

the Hornets front office is totally incompetent

[Spurs Brazil]

Great trade for the Hornets

[45 bank shot]

THe hornets are so desperate to get rid of Chandler so that they'd take any shitty contract

[slick'81]

bottom line okafur is a better fit imo for the hornets

[KSeal]

I'm surprised the Hornets are willing to take on that long term contract, that could really fuck them in a couple years.

[024]

Okafor is obviously an upgrade over chandler but this doesn't solve the hornet's problems of having no bench and being weighed down by a bunch of large contracts. Deal doesn't make much sense to both teams.

[NIH]

the Hornets front office is totally incompetent

And you are retarded.

The Hornets are trading Chandler and his chronic leg condition for a top 10 center. No catch.

The Hornets can contend next year. The main problems last year were due to the lack of a center, 26th in rebounding, horrible defedning the paint, etc. Okafor solves that.

CP3/Collison
Butler/Thornton
Wright/Peja/Posey
West/Ike Diogu or Hakim Warrick
Okafor/Hilton

That rotation is much younger and better than last year's, IMO. Barring the injury bug they'll be a top 3 seed again.

[Shank]

Top 3? Ummm...

[Findog]

Top 3? Ummm...

With their current roster including Chandler, they're barely a playoff team. Hell, I'd put the Suns ahead of them at this point. Getting Okafor probably helps them remain a lower playoff seed, but that's about it.

[BRHornet45]

sons this is not a big surprise. the NBA and WWE have always had a very close working partnership. the WWE has written most of the story lines for NBA playoffs over the last decade.

[bostonguy]

It looks like the Hornets are getting Okafur. They have about 10 million in expirings of Daniels and Butler. That could net them another quality player.

[NIH]

With their current roster including Chandler, they're barely a playoff team. Hell, I'd put the Suns ahead of them at this point. Getting Okafor probably helps them remain a lower playoff seed, but that's about it.

It's an improved version of the 2007-08 roster.

CP3>CP3 of 2007
Rasual Butler>Mo Pete
Julian Wright>Peja
David West=David West of 2007
Emeka Okafor>Tyson Chandler

Let alone the bench which is much better.

[bostonguy]

It's an improved version of the 2007-08 roster.

CP3>CP3 of 2007
Rasual Butler>Mo Pete
Julian Wright>Peja
David West=David West of 2007
Emeka Okafor>Tyson Chandler

Let alone the bench which is much better.

Will Byron Scott play Julian more this season? I think the kid gives the hornets a slashing wing player who can make live easier on cp3.

[Hornets1]

It looks like the Hornets are getting Okafur. They have about 10 million in expirings of Daniels and Butler. That could net them another quality player.

As well as $20million more in expirings when mo-pete and peja come off the books the following year.

[bostonguy]

As well as $20million more in expirings when mo-pete and peja come off the books the following year.

Those contracts will start to have value midseason. I see Shinn spending otherwise why in the hell did he make this trade for Okafur?

[NIH]

Shinn has always maitined he would pay the luxury tax for a contender.

[Findog]

It's an improved version of the 2007-08 roster.

CP3>CP3 of 2007
Rasual Butler>Mo Pete
Julian Wright>Peja
David West=David West of 2007
Emeka Okafor>Tyson Chandler

Let alone the bench which is much better.

We'll see. I'm just shocked that they're trading Chandler for basketball considerations after they tried to dump his salary.

[mingus]

CP3
Posey
Peja
West
Okafor

if that's their starting line-up, it's pretty damn good. i think Okafor was a lot better than Chandler before, and he'll only improve by playing alongside Chris Paul.

off the bench they've got Pete, Wright, Butler, Daniels, Brown, Marks, and Ely. they definitely need better big reserves, but i like their guards off the bench. there's a glut there, though, and i wouldn''t be surprised to see them make a move to shore up the reserve big postion.

[mingus]

i think that team might be situated somewhere in the Portland, Dallas, Utah, and Denver group now, but still below SA and LA, who imo are a notch above the rest.

[NIH]

They tried to dump Chandler ofr his foot condition, it's never going to get better. Why pay 22mil for a liability? Trading for Okafor confirms the Hornets motives aren't purely to dump salary.

[mingus]

i'm not sure what MJ is doing trading for a guy who's game has been debiliated by a potentially career-ending injury.

[Findog]

i think that team might be situated somewhere in the Portland, Dallas, Utah, and Denver group now, but still below SA and LA.

If Odom leaves for Miami, then the West is suddenly a lot more open. I don't think Artest > Odom AND Ariza.

Right now, assuming Odom comes back, I have it like this:

1. LA
2. San Antonio
3. Denver
4. Dallas
5. Portland
6. Utah

Then I have these teams battling it out for the last two spots: Houston, New Orleans, Phoenix

One year away, but wouldn't be surprised if they put it all together and made a playoff run: Warriors, Zombie Sonics

No chance to make the playoffs: Grizz, Clippers, Kings, Wolves,

[Findog]

i'm not sure what MJ is doing trading for a guy who's game has been debiliated by a potentially career-ending injury.

I'm thinking they're going to try and get an insurance claim on him. But then again, how can you apply for an insurance settlement when you traded for him? They should know he's damaged goods.

[timvp]

i think that team might be situated somewhere in the Portland, Dallas, Utah, and Denver group now, but still below SA and LA, who imo are a notch above the rest.

I say the Lakers are still on a tier with themselves. Okafor for Chandler would raise the Hornets onto the second tier with the Spurs, Mavs, Nuggets and Blazers.

Without the trade, the Hornets would remain on that third tier with the Suns and the Jazz.

[NIH]

LOL @ the Mavs homer.

[dirk4mvp]

:lmao 3rd seed

[Findog]

:lmao 3rd seed

Mavs were one of 8 teams left standing next year. Putting them in the top 5 in the West is hardly homerism. I might put Portland ahead of them, but Dallas is no worse than fifth in the West right now.

The Hornets, on the other hand, have little depth and hate their coach.

[mingus]

If Odom leaves for Miami, then the West is suddenly a lot more open. I don't think Artest > Odom AND Ariza.

Right now, assuming Odom comes back, I have it like this:

1. LA
2. San Antonio
3. Denver
4. Dallas
5. Portland
6. Utah

Then I have these teams battling it out for the last two spots: Houston, New Orleans, Phoenix

One year away, but wouldn't be surprised if they put it all together and made a playoff run: Warriors, Zombie Sonics

No chance to make the playoffs: Grizz, Clippers, Kings, Wolves,

my rankings:

1. La
2. SA

3. Denver
4. Portland
5. Dallas
6. Utah
7. New Orleans

8.???

3-7 is unstable. i think i might be rating Utah and NO a little high. they could be a step below Denver, Portland, and Dallas. ONTH, i can see them being pretty damn good. if Utah can stay healthy i think they can return to their '07-'08 form, and possibly better, assuming there's improvement from Millsap and Brewer. NO i can see returning to form and possibly better as well, esp. if they can shore up their reserve big spot.

[dirk4mvp]

Mavs were one of 8 teams left standing next year. Putting them in the top 5 in the West is hardly homerism. I might put Portland ahead of them, but Dallas is no worse than fifth in the West right now.

The Hornets, on the other hand, have little depth and hate their coach.

I agree.


I think Okafor is a nice addition but not enough for them to jump up to 3rd. But the guy calls someone else a homer. I wonder if Okafor would've helped them not get beat by 58 by the Nuggets.

[mingus]

I say the Lakers are still on a tier with themselves. Okafor for Chandler would raise the Hornets onto the second tier with the Spurs, Mavs, Nuggets and Blazers.

Without the trade, the Hornets would remain on that third tier with the Suns and the Jazz.

i'll agree do disagree. assuming Manu is healthy, i think the Spurs distinguish themselves from everyone else except LA. with or without Odom i still think LA is better than SA, but not enough to be on another level.

[Findog]

my rankings:

1. La
2. SA

3. Denver
4. Portland
5. Dallas
6. Utah
7. New Orleans

8.???

3-7 is unstable. i think i might be rating Utah and NO a little high. they could be a step below Denver, Portland, and Dallas. ONTH, i can posibly see them being pretty damn good. if Utah can stay healthy i think they can return to their '07-'08 form, and possibly better, assuming there's improvement from Millsap and Brewer. NO i can see returning to form and possibly better as well, esp. if they can shore up their reserve big spot.

I think the Mavs ended the season no worse than the fifth-best team in the West, and we added Marion/Gooden and lost Bass. I think Houston slides out and Phoenix probably takes their place as a playoff team. I actually think the top five teams are stable and then it's a game of musical chairs. I'm not sold on the Spurs as the clear-cut 2nd best team in the West. And if Odom leaves for Miami, the Lakers become a very fragile favorite.

[jack sommerset]

I'm surprise the Mavs are not going for either player.

[NIH]

I agree.


I think Okafor is a nice addition but not enough for them to jump up to 3rd. But the guy calls someone else a homer. I wonder if Okafor would've helped them not get beat by 58 by the Nuggets.

All you can do is hang on to one game. How about you hang on to this? Hornets are 9-4 vs. Dallas since 2007. CP3 owns Kidd in every sense of the word.

Ask yourself, what were the Hornets biggest problems last year?

Rebounding-Hornets were 26th, mostly b/c of Tyson's injuries. Okafor is a better rebounder than Tyson. Hilton's offseason training & a FA big should help. Problem solved.

Defending the paint-Again, this was due to the lack of a center. Okafor is a better defender & shotblocker than Tyson.

Depth-Hornets have solved this problem by adding the rookies & putting Peja on the bench.

CP3/Collison
Butler/Thornton/Mo
Wright/Peja/Posey
West/FA big
Okafor/Hilton

Lack of scoring off the bench-To solve this they drafted Collison & Thornton. Collison can set up everyone for shots, where Daniels couldn't, and Thornton can create his own. Peja will be our 6th man here. Not bad.

[Hornets1]

I agree.


I think Okafor is a nice addition but not enough for them to jump up to 3rd. But the guy calls someone else a homer. I wonder if Okafor would've helped them not get beat by 58 by the Nuggets.


Yet another informative post. You talk like your a nuggets fan w/ the 58-point loss in ONE GAME being your only, same tired excuse.
The west is still stacked, and outside of LA and SA, anything can happen. I'll say the mavs have the better roster, but they did last year as well and we still won 3 of those 4 games. As long as we have CP3, we will OWN the mavs. Just a matter of time before he records a quadruple-double vs. the Mavs

[Findog]

All you can do is hang on to one game. How about you hang on to this? Hornets are 9-4 vs. Dallas since 2007. CP3 owns Kidd in every sense of the word.

We're talking about seedings. And playoff teams don't lose by 58 at home unless they have some serious chemistry problems. The only reason Byron Scott doesn't get fired is because he's got guaranteed money coming to him while Shinn is shelling out for a new coach. I think CP3 is one of the top six players in the league, but he doesn't have enough help. Okafor helps solidify their status as a playoff team, but they'll be in a dogfight for a top-four seed.

[NIH]

It wasn't due to chemsity, our guys were worn out. We had no depth to end the season.

[KSeal]

It wasn't due to chemsity, our guys were worn out. We had no depth to end the season.

:lmao What a pathetic excuse to lose by 58 points at home, we were tired, give me a fucking break.

[mingus]

58 was ridiculous, but not really enough to justify much of anything besides the fact that it was a pathetic performance by NO and a great one by Denver. by the time the lead reached 30, the game was over, and everything that happened after that is moot. Spurs have lost by 30 a couple times over the years and gone on to do special things.

[Hornets1]

We're talking about seedings. And playoff teams don't lose by 58 at home unless they have some serious chemistry problems. The only reason Byron Scott doesn't get fired is because he's got guaranteed money coming to him while Shinn is shelling out for a new coach. I think CP3 is one of the top six players in the league, but he doesn't have enough help. Okafor helps solidify their status as a playoff team, but they'll be in a dogfight for a top-four seed.

I 2nd this:toast

[KSeal]

58 was ridiculous, but not really enough to justify much of anything besides the fact that it was a pathetic performance by NO and a great one by Denver. by the time the lead reached 30, the game was over, and everything that happened after that is moot. Spurs have lost by 30 a couple times over the years and gone on to do special things.

It is one thing to lose by 20 or 30 points on the road, but at home by 58. That's just unbelievable.

[mingus]

It is one thing to lose by 20 or 30 points on the road, but at home by 58. That's just unbelievable.

Denver continued to play hard even when the game was way out of reach. usually the other team stops trying to shove it down the other team throat, but Goerge Karl, being the asshole that he is, was still allowing J.R. Smith to take 30-foot threes early on in the shot clock in the closing minutes of the game

[NIH]

J.R had plenty of incentive to stick it to us. :(

[Dunc n Dave]

Got damn that would be a great deal for the Hornets. Chandler is broken.

Exactly, Chandler is injury prone. And Okafor isn't as much. Advantage:Hornets

[KSeal]

Denver continued to play hard even when the game was way out of reach. usually the other team stops trying to shove it down the other team throat, but Goerge Karl, being the asshole that he is, was still allowing J.R. Smith to take 30-foot threes early on in the shot clock in the closing minutes of the game

Are you really trying to defend a team that lost by 58 points at home in a crucial playoff game?

The Hornets clearly have a lot of team issues, they straight quit, no other way around it.

[NIH]

If they had quit, why were they tied at halftime(or close to it) in game 5? Why did they win game 3?

[Hornets1]

Are you really trying to defend a team that lost by 58 points at home in a crucial playoff game?

The Hornets clearly have a lot of team issues, they straight quit, no other way around it.

They were down 39 after 3 which is P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C! But the lead went from 39 to 58 in the 4th when the starters didn't see the court, and denver continued jacking up 3s, and making most of em.

[mingus]

Are you really trying to defend a team that lost by 58 points at home in a crucial playoff game?

The Hornets clearly have a lot of team issues, they straight quit, no other way around it.

i already stated that NO played a pathetic game. i'm not defending them. but i'm not defending George Karl either for allowing his team to shoot (literally) for some stupid record. Karl, BTW, has a history of doing this.

[loveforthegame]

This is a great deal for the Hornets. Not sure what the hell the Bobcats were thinking though.

[dirk4mvp]

All you can do is hang on to one game. How about you hang on to this? Hornets are 9-4 vs. Dallas since 2007. CP3 owns Kidd in every sense of the word.

Ask yourself, what were the Hornets biggest problems last year?

Rebounding-Hornets were 26th, mostly b/c of Tyson's injuries. Okafor is a better rebounder than Tyson. Hilton's offseason training & a FA big should help. Problem solved.

Defending the paint-Again, this was due to the lack of a center. Okafor is a better defender & shotblocker than Tyson.

Depth-Hornets have solved this problem by adding the rookies & putting Peja on the bench.

CP3/Collison
Butler/Thornton/Mo
Wright/Peja/Posey
West/FA big
Okafor/Hilton

Lack of scoring off the bench-To solve this they drafted Collison & Thornton. Collison can set up everyone for shots, where Daniels couldn't, and Thornton can create his own. Peja will be our 6th man here. Not bad.


Have fun with that top 3 seed you guaranteed, fuckstick.

[FvckMavs]

:lmao 3rd seed

3rd Seed in SW division.

[23LeBronJames23]

This is a great deal for the Hornets. Not sure what the hell the Bobcats were thinking though.

[Lars]

Hornets get marginally better but add tons of long term payroll, Bobcats cut liabilities so owner can sell. Meh.

[bigdog]

Could end up being a deal that benefits both teams, but the Bobcats would weaken their frontcourt losing Okafor.

[mountainballer]

good deal for the Hornets. in short term they even saved some money. (about 2.5 million considering the lux tax).
long term they kept a competitive core with CP, West and Okafor.
if they manage their pay roll right, they will be out of lux tax territory in 2011, so the additional 3 years of Okafors contract are easier to swallow.
the big problem isn't this contract anyhow. it's Peja's contract and some overpayed role players like AD and MoPete. (overpayed considering the impact they can provide these days)
they need to get rid of them, if they want to solve the teams financial problems.

[cp3 4 mvp]

good deal for the Hornets. in short term they even saved some money. (about 2.5 million considering the lux tax).
long term they kept a competitive core with CP, West and Okafor.
if they manage their pay roll right, they will be out of lux tax territory in 2011, so the additional 3 years of Okafors contract are easier to swallow.
the big problem isn't this contract anyhow. it's Peja's contract and some overpayed role players like AD and MoPete. (overpayed considering the impact they can provide these days)
they need to get rid of them, if they want to solve the teams financial problems.

Antonio daniels' contract is in the last year of his deal. Peja and mo pete will be expiring contracts the following year.

[Muser]

Peja 6th man :lmao

[Killakobe81]

Not a bad move for NO but either way they are NOT as good as Mavs or Spurs in the SW ...

[Killakobe81]

I say the Lakers are still on a tier with themselves. Okafor for Chandler would raise the Hornets onto the second tier with the Spurs, Mavs, Nuggets and Blazers.

Without the trade, the Hornets would remain on that third tier with the Suns and the Jazz.

Disagree here. Lakers I would argue slightly above the Spurs ...only becasue they are defending champs and they have less questions health wise IF odom re-signs. If not I say SPurs and Lakers pretty even with slight edge maybe going to the Spurs.

[Findog]

It's official. Link on the Hornets website.

[Red Hawk #21]

sons this is not a big surprise. the NBA and WWE have always had a very close working partnership. the WWE has written most of the story lines for NBA playoffs over the last decade.

que?

[scottspurs]

How in the the world did the Hornets pull that off? RC needs to get on the phone with Jordan right now and see if he wants Bonner/finley for Raja Bell.

[duncan228]

Trade for Okafor a puzzling move for Hornets (http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/john_schuhmann/07/28/072809schuhmann.trade/)
By John Schuhmann, NBA.com

The New Orleans Hornets surprised us all on Monday night by agreeing to a trade that will send Tyson Chandler to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor.

The deal, which was officially completed Tuesday, isn't shocking, especially for Chandler.

He was traded to Oklahoma City in February for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox before the Thunder rescinded the deal over concerns about his left big toe, and it was widely speculated that he could be moved again. But he was supposed to be traded for salary cap relief (like he was the first time), not for a guy that's owed $38 million more (as Okafor is).

This deal is a statement by the Hornets, who are telling their fans, the league, and most important, Chris Paul, that they're willing to spend money to surround their All-Star point guard with talent. The fire sale is over before it began and Hornets owner George Shinn will apparently pay for an upgrade of Paul's supporting cast.

But is Okafor really an upgrade over Chandler? A $38 million upgrade?

They're the same age, only born four days apart. Okafor, who stands 6-foot-10, is stronger and a bit more polished offensively, while the 7-foot-1 Chandler is more athletic. Okafor's numbers (13.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game over the last three seasons) are slightly better than Chandler's (10.2 and 11.2), but he has gotten more shots (10.3 field goal attempts per game vs. 6.9) and has never played next to another strong rebounder like All-Star David West.

Last year, the Bobcats signed Okafor to a new six-year, $72 million contract. It was too much to pay for a guy who wasn't worthy of franchise player-type money and hadn't improved much after his rookie season. This is especially true when you consider he was a restricted free agent and Charlotte wasn't bidding against anyone to keep him.

Chandler isn't exactly a bargain, either. He will make $12 million per season for the next two seasons, but with the trade, the Hornets are taking on the Bobcats' mistake and letting Charlotte get out of a bad contract that has five years and almost $63 million remaining.

Further, is Okafor a better pick-and-roll partner for Paul? He isn't as quick and can't elevate like Chandler for those alley-oops that Paul likes to toss up.

Is Okafor a better complement to West? Not hardly. The Hornets now have two bigs who are both slow-footed and best suited for the power forward position.

Defensively, Okafor blocks more shots, but isn't as versatile a defender as Chandler, who effectively defended both Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan in the 2008 Playoffs.

It also can't be ignored that Paul and Chandler were close friends, and Paul was reportedly very upset (along with the rest the Hornets) about the February trade. While getting Okafor is a much better return basketball-wise for Chandler than Smith and Wilcox, is it enough to make Paul forget about the chemistry he had with Chandler?

Okafor gives the Hornets more offensively, but as long as the Hornets are healthy, he's not going to be more than a fourth option (behind Paul, West and Peja Stojakovic) for coach Byron Scott. His addition also doesn't solve the Hornets' biggest problem of the last two years: an inconsistent bench.

Chandler will bring his share of warts to Charlotte. He missed 37 games this season after spraining his left ankle early on, having never let it fully recover. Immediately after the Hornets were eliminated in the first round of this year's Playoffs, Chandler had surgery on both his ankle and his toe.

Okafor, meanwhile, has played 82 games in each of the last two seasons. But it hasn't been that long since he had injury issues as well, as ankle problems caused him to miss 71 games from 2005-07. And when he was drafted, there were major concerns about his back.

Simply saying that Okafor costs $38 million more than Chandler is over-simplifying matters. Because Chandler's salary is less than Okafor's over the next two seasons, the Hornets will cut their luxury tax payments. And by 2011, they would have needed to pay in order to re-sign Chandler or replace him on the roster.

It's good to see the Hornets attempt to join the arms race in the West and stay competitive. But on paper, they're still behind the Lakers, Spurs and Mavs and have perhaps pulled even with the Nuggets. Hornets GM Jeff Bower should get some credit for shaking things up, but this deal raises some serious questions.

Is this more than just a lateral move on the court? Is Okafor going to give the Hornets more wins than a healthy Chandler would have this season? And is he going to be worth the $14.5 million the Hornets will owe him in 2013-14?

The trade seemingly doesn't do much for the Bobcats either. Chandler makes them more athletic, but he's not nearly as good a complement to D.J. Augustin, Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw as he was to Paul, Stojakovic and West. Further, Charlotte ranked 27th in offensive efficiency last season, and Chandler doesn't do much to improve that.

For both teams, the Okafor-for-Chandler swap is more than just surprising. It's a bit puzzling.

[Findog]

Good move for the Hornets. I think this solidifies their grasp on a playoff seed, but I still think they're not one of the top four teams in the West. We'll see, though...

[Duncanonu]

You know we are hungry for basketball when this trade gets so much talk, including me.

I never have understood why people think Chandler is very good, and that was before the latest health problems. I'm not a huge Okafor fan either, but he is a better player than Chandler ever was.

On the court this is an obvious upgrade for New Orleans. Okafor is simply the better player and with major health concerns for Chandler, it's obvious to see what the Hornets get out of this. The Bobcats in return are freeing up money down the road. It's that simple. Why are fans concerned with a team going into the luxury tax anyway? I'm very glad the Spurs have gone spending in luxury tax territory this season. If the team profits they aren't going to divy that out to fans, so why would a fan care if they pay fines? Your already over the soft cap, so you can't sign anything with the money that would have been freed up when Chandler expired anyway.

Back to Chandler, can someone please explain to me why people think Chandler is so good? Even before the latest rash of health issues, he was simply an athletic guy that can finish a Chris Paul alley-oop or two per game. He's lazy, has no game at all in the post, and is constantly out of position on defense.

The only thing I can figure is because he has made the Sportcenter highlight reel (thanks to Paul) for his alley-oops, people think he is good. Has anyone ever heard of JR Rider, Harold Miner, or Darius Miles? Of course they have, they made highlight reels. Too bad they were not good players to have on your team whatsoever.

The Hornets were not going to have cap room to offer to Free Agent's without Bird rights anyway, so why would they not turn Chandler into Okafor while they can? I think they should be applauded for taking the risk of losing money to try to win.

[kobyz]

and the Hornets get a first round pick also, what the hell Charlotte doing :bang

[redzero]

Hornets still suck.

Lets go through the matchups, shall we!!?

Paul vs. Parker = Split even with a slight advantage to Paul

Ginobli vs Butler = lol

Jefferson vs Wright = lol

West vs McDyess/Blair = Even with some advantage to either depending whos making their Js.

Duncan vs Okafor = Nice try Okafor, you play good defense but Duncan by miles.

In the end the Spurs own the Hornets.

The Spurs own the Hornets? Out of the last 15 games played between them, the Spurs won 8. Do you call that "owning?"

[Bruno]

Great trades for NO. I don't get why Charlotte did this trade.

Hornets fans should be damn happy that Thunder nixed the first Chandler trade.
Okafor is light year ahead of Wilcox + Joe Smith.