Nearly a month since becoming a restricted free agent, Emeka Okafor is not close to a new deal with the Charlotte Bobcats. Yet general manager Rod Higgins remains confident Okafor will remain a Bobcat.
Higgins insisted Friday that talks have not reached a stalemate. He said he has spoken to Okafor's agent, Jeff Schwartz, as recently as Thursday and said the team is not entertaining sign-and-trade offers for their starting big man.
"As we've repeatedly stated, we want Emeka Okafor back on our basketball team," Higgins said. "We're going to continue to have that hope that we will have a resolution and go forward."
Okafor, the Bobcats' first draft pick and the second overall selection in 2004, turned down Charlotte's offer last summer worth more than $12 million per season. Higgins wouldn't say what they've offered this time. Schwartz did not immediately return a phone call Friday seeking comment.
"There aren't any hard feelings on either side," Higgins said. "We continue to talk."
~snip~
Josh Childress changed the dynamic slightly this week when the restricted free agent left Atlanta to sign with the Greek team Olympiakos. That left the Hawks with nothing in return, and some have predicted it could lead to more players spurning the NBA for overseas teams.
"I don't think you can say it raises a red flag only because we're the best basketball league in the world," Higgins said. "We'll continue to take care of the players that play in our league. That's what we're trying to do with Emeka."
What's uncertain is if Okafor wants to remain a Bobcat. He said he did during the final week of the season, but clearly had a strained relationship with coach Sam Vincent. While veteran Larry Brown replaced the fired Vincent, Okafor has remained mum. He did not reply to an e-mail Friday seeking comment.
~snip~
"I'm not going to comment on the negotiations per se," Higgins said. "But we're maintaining that we're going to get a deal done."
HAH!!!!!
