If Okafor is the Cost, Do you Do it for Paul?

[PosImpos]

Many people have been floating the idea of trading Rondo + Green (S+T) + Clippers 2012 1st for Chris Paul and pieces.  I think this is not necessarily an unrealistic trade idea.  However, in order to get Paul, I have a feeling a team is going to have to be willing to take on the long term salary of Emeka Okafor. 

If that is the cost, would you do the trade?  It would mean shutting the door on acquiring Dwight Howard (which, honestly, is quite a long shot anyway), and also committing long term to a center who is basically an older, somewhat more offensively talented Perk (who is paid more).

[Lucky17]

Many people have been floating the idea of trading Rondo + Green (S+T) + Clippers 2012 1st for Chris Paul and pieces.  I think this is not necessarily an unrealistic trade idea.  However, in order to get Paul, I have a feeling a team is going to have to be willing to take on the long term salary of Emeka Okafor. 

If that is the cost, would you do the trade?  It would mean shutting the door on acquiring Dwight Howard (which, honestly, is quite a long shot anyway), and also committing long term to a center who is basically an older, somewhat more offensively talented Perk (who is paid more).

I'd do it, provided there was a 100% certainty of locking up Paul for long-term.

Okafor's deal expires in 2013-14. It's a huge contract that could be used to get another star.

[Who]

No

Rondo + cap space is more valuable

[JSD]

I would do it also if it meant a long term contract with Paul. Okafor is overpaid, but at least it's at a position of need.

[PosImpos]

Many people have been floating the idea of trading Rondo + Green (S+T) + Clippers 2012 1st for Chris Paul and pieces.  I think this is not necessarily an unrealistic trade idea.  However, in order to get Paul, I have a feeling a team is going to have to be willing to take on the long term salary of Emeka Okafor. 

If that is the cost, would you do the trade?  It would mean shutting the door on acquiring Dwight Howard (which, honestly, is quite a long shot anyway), and also committing long term to a center who is basically an older, somewhat more offensively talented Perk (who is paid more).

I'd do it, provided there was a 100% certainty of locking up Paul for long-term.

Okafor's deal expires in 2013-14. It's a huge contract that could be used to get another star.

I tend to agree with you.  Okafor is a solid if unremarkable starting center and I think along with CP3 he'd give us a good chance of competing for a title next year.  Beyond that, we'd have the option of looking to keep him, or shipping him out for a different piece.

A lot of people will say absolutely not because this shuts the door on the Dwight dream, but I really don't think that's going to happen anyway because Dwight is never going to reach free agency and we don't have the pieces to trade for him.

[Jeff]

why not?  Okafor isn't the star he's paid as, but he's a legit starting center in this league who can play defense - I think that's a bonus to the deal

[PosImpos]

No

Rondo + cap space is more valuable

How exactly is it more valuable?  The cap space is only as valuable as the free agents who we could convince to come here, and I'm not among those who think we can lure any big name free agents to Boston after the Big 3 have retired.  Rondo does not have nearly as much cred around the league as people here like to think.  Certainly not as much as Chris Paul.

[kozlodoev]

why not?  Okafor isn't the star he's paid as, but he's a legit starting center in this league who can play defense - I think that's a bonus to the deal

He also has the potential to be the second coming of JO injury-wise late in his career.

[angryguy77]

Many people have been floating the idea of trading Rondo + Green (S+T) + Clippers 2012 1st for Chris Paul and pieces.  I think this is not necessarily an unrealistic trade idea.  However, in order to get Paul, I have a feeling a team is going to have to be willing to take on the long term salary of Emeka Okafor.  

If that is the cost, would you do the trade?  It would mean shutting the door on acquiring Dwight Howard (which, honestly, is quite a long shot anyway), and also committing long term to a center who is basically an older, somewhat more offensively talented Perk (who is paid more).

Not if it keeps us from getting DH. We are going to need Howard for us to be legit contenders again.

I know it's not certain, but DA has to put us in position to take a shot.

[Anomandaris]

Paul & Okafor leaves us with no cap room to sign anybody else.  We basically become the Hornets dressed in green, playoff material & nothing else.

[Evantime34]

I say no, for the following reason.

We are currently over the cap. In order to trade for Chris Paul and Okafor we have to have salaries that match up. Chris Paul makes 16+ and Okafor makes 12+ (almost 29 MM total).

So if you're talking about trading the two of those for Rondo who makes 10 MM where does the other 18-19 come from? KG makes 18 but I don't do that deal.

On a side note hoopshype has Rasheed's contract being on the books for this year and next. This is incorrect, isn't it? We came to a retirement settlement with him didn't we?

[Eddie20]

Yes, you do it.

The window then extends to 2014. After 2012 we can re-sign KG (if he doesn't retire) and Allen (less likely to retire) to 2 year deals, which would then expire at the same time as the Okafor and Pierce deals. This also means we are probably more likely to re-sign Baby this summer to a modest 3 year deal and hope this postseason was an aberration and that his best basketball is still yet to come. Same goes for the 27 year olds, Krstic and West, as we can re-sign him to 2-3 year deals without worrying about the impact it has next summer.

After 2014, you would be left with only Paul and rookie contract guys under contract. Doc, Chris Paul, and money could be very attractive to FA's.

[PosImpos]

why not?  Okafor isn't the star he's paid as, but he's a legit starting center in this league who can play defense - I think that's a bonus to the deal

He also has the potential to be the second coming of JO injury-wise late in his career.

Prior to this year Okafor played three straight full seasons.  I'm not worried about him as an injury risk.

Paul & Okafor leaves us with no cap room to sign anybody else.  We basically become the Hornets dressed in green, playoff material & nothing else.

It wasn't that long ago that the Hornets were in the WCF, contending for a title.  What sunk the Hornets was overpaying average or marginal players and not having enough money to continue spending over the luxury tax.

I trust Ainge not to give out stupid contracts (e.g. Peja's contract), and I trust ownership to be willing to continue spending over the tax.

[BballTim]

I say no, for the following reason.

We are currently over the cap. In order to trade for Chris Paul and Okafor we have to have salaries that match up. Chris Paul makes 16+ and Okafor makes 12+ (almost 29 MM total).

So if you're talking about trading the two of those for Rondo who makes 10 MM where does the other 18-19 come from? KG makes 18 but I don't do that deal.

  Yeah, you have to trade PP or KG to do that deal.

[Eja117]

I say no, for the following reason.

We are currently over the cap. In order to trade for Chris Paul and Okafor we have to have salaries that match up. Chris Paul makes 16+ and Okafor makes 12+ (almost 29 MM total).

So if you're talking about trading the two of those for Rondo who makes 10 MM where does the other 18-19 come from? KG makes 18 but I don't do that deal.

On a side note hoopshype has Rasheed's contract being on the books for this year and next. This is incorrect, isn't it? We came to a retirement settlement with him didn't we?

Couldn't you do a sign and trade with Green to fill in some money there? So Green gets 6 or something, then ...oh wait....yeah 18 is an awful lot.   Um.  Nenad, Avery, Glenn Davis, um....JO...