Bonnell: Okafor No Longer Untouchable

Post #1 » by **BigSlam** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:14 pm

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_n ... hable.html

If Okafor ever was an untouchable, he's not anymore.

Can't imagine us trading him this summer. The ink will still be wet on his long term contract and I think that would scare many suitors away.

In saying that, the Thunder liked the idea of Chandler. I like the idea of the Thunders 2009 1st round pick.......

spectre_ · Post #2 » by **spectre_** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:41 pm

It'd have to be finagled as the draft comes before Mek's BYC expires. Most teams don't do that, but the Chandler connection is a good thought.

If the pick is really good maybe/Krystic/Watson (exp) and they pick our choice?

One positive is that Mek's contract is a conventional one, meaning a lot of teams will hopefully focus on his next couple of years' salary vs. the entire length/later yearly wages.

Post #3 » by **BigSlam** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 7:52 pm

spectre_ wrote:If the pick is really good maybe/Krystic/Watson (exp) and they pick our choice?

That's what I was thinking. It would atually be a bonus that the BYC would still be in place because we would only have to take back half the salary.

Plus we would have two 1st round picks that we could use on Harden and Monroe?

Felts/DJ - Bell/Harden - Crash/Radman - Diaw/Monroe - Diop/Lex

Post #4 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:07 pm

Fine with me. Trade them all.

spectre_ · Post #5 » by **spectre_** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:08 pm

Doh...totally forgot about OKC being under the cap. We could do Krystic and the pick as soon as the season ends.

Valuewise that's stretching it from our end, but when you factor in the 60+ left on Mek's contract it's not so bad.

This would also put us under the cap somewhat depending on Felton's contract/situation. It'd be really nice if we could then turn around and take some salary off of WAS or MIL for their pick too.

No way the lollipop is that smart.

ccbballin · Post #6 » by **ccbballin** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:52 am

I don't want to go into a rebuilding mode by getting some draft picks. If we trade Mek either package him and Felton/Wallace and get somebody really good or get a young star like Iguodala or Al Thornton.

3peat · Post #7 » by **3peat** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:49 am

You guys want expirings + high picks?

Post #8 » by **BigSlam** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:05 am

3peat wrote:You guys want expirings + high picks?

What did you have in mind?

3peat · Post #9 » by **3peat** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:29 am

BigSlam wrote:
3peat wrote:You guys want expirings + high picks?

What did you have in mind?

Big Ben (big expiring, coach brown loved him, correct?) + Darnell jackson + 1st rounder for Okafor + Vladimir? (or bell?)

Im not really sure...

Post #10 » by **BigSlam** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 3:39 am

3peat wrote:
BigSlam wrote:
3peat wrote:You guys want expirings + high picks?

What did you have in mind?

Big Ben (big expiring, coach brown loved him, correct?) + Darnell jackson + 1st rounder for Okafor + Vladimir? (or bell?)

Im not really sure...

We'd want a high 1st, not one of the last 1st's in the first round.

KD_Stan · Post #11 » by **KD_Stan** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:51 pm

BigSlam wrote:http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_nba/2009/02/okafor-no-longer-untouchable.html

If Okafor ever was an untouchable, he's not anymore.

Can't imagine us trading him this summer. The ink will still be wet on his long term contract and I think that would scare many suitors away.

In saying that, the Thunder liked the idea of Chandler. I like the idea of the Thunders 2009 1st round pick.......

OKC fan here. I hope you dont mean our lotto pick. Actually, let me correct myself. If we dont get either griffin or harden, we would consider trading the pick, but Okafor alone won't be enough. It would have to be a 3-way cause we need to be getting back more than okafor, so how about Collison and lets say the 4th pick to you guys for Okafor and some other intregal piece coming to us from the 3rd team?

Post #12 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:20 pm

Okafor is no longer untouchable, we're not trying to give him away for the likes of Nick Collison.

Post #13 » by **Paydro70** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 12:15 am

I doubt we pick anyone at #4 who's better than Okafor... and therefore this trade would be dumb.

W_HAMILTON · Post #14 » by **W_HAMILTON** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:27 am

Paydro70 wrote:I doubt we pick anyone at #4 who's better than Okafor... and therefore this trade would be dumb.

Yep.

Rich4114 · Post #15 » by **Rich4114** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:35 am

Basically unless we're getting Griffen there's no point.

SteveMorrison15 · Post #16 » by **SteveMorrison15** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:54 am

I thought I got stupid all of a sudden with people agreeing to trading Okafor for picks. Then Walt and Paydro show up and shine light on the whole situation. Thank goodness. I don't care, 1st pick or not, would you guys consider trading Okafor for a pick from Jordan?

Post #17 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:17 pm

^Also a good point.

Post #18 » by **BigSlam** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 3:19 pm

I think that paying what we are paying EO50 is a mistake so moving him would also move his contract.

If from trading him we could get the Thunders pick and use it on Harden and replace EO50 with the larger and cheaper Thabeet with our own pick, we might be better off long term?

Post #19 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:19 pm

No thanks. Okafor is a top 10 center and has pretty much been for the entirety of his career. I expect contracts to change in how they're structured in upcoming seasons, but Okafor is currently being paid his market value. Big guys come at a premium--there's a limited number of them and you have to have a couple of good ones if you ever want to make any noise.

Do you see Thabeet being more than a taller Dalembert? Will he have the strength to handle Yao, the athleticism to stick with rangy bigs like Amare?

Harden may be worth giving up Okafor, but we're just shifting the cogs. We've all seen Diop and Mohammed play, right? Will Harden make up for their ineptitude?

I'm down for trading Okafor, but it needs to be to improve the team for next season, not for financial reasons. If the FO trades Emeka, I'll understand why they did it, but it will mark the end of the Charlotte Bobcats. There is no way the Bobcats compete in an increasingly competitive Eastern conference with a rotation of Collison/Mohammed/Diop at center, regardless of whatever rookie big is thrown in there to soften the blow. Season ticket sales are going to drop drastically no matter what we do this offseason, but they're going to be really putrid when it's obvious that the team is again going to find it challenging just to COMPETE for a playoff spot. Then the losses pile up, the city formally abandons the franchise and Johnson sells it or uproots it.

Bassman's head will explode when the St. Louis Bobcats continue to make draft mistake after draft mistake as the "what if?" scenarios play through his head while watching these bad news Bobcats live and in person.

Bassman · Post #20 » by **Bassman** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:30 am

Walt Cronkite wrote:Bassman's head will explode when the St. Louis Bobcats continue to make draft mistake after draft mistake as the "what if?" scenarios play through his head while watching these bad news Bobcats live and in person.

OH MY!!

Believe me, the Cats will never get here. While true hoopsters want the NBA, few believe a team can compete in this market with the Cardinals, Rams and Blues already in town. Kansas City is DYING for a pro team other than football.

Back to reality: WOULD YOU TRADE OKAFOR FOR THE #1 PICK AND A PLAYER? If that meant getting a decent shooting guard AND drafting Blake Griffin? YES! Gotta see what our options are.