Just a Hunch: Okafor Included

[Marcus13]

I'd be happy with it.  The contract is big -- but you overpay for all skilled Centers in this league

[kozlodoev]

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

Extremely durable? My understanding is that he's been slowed by back issues for a good chunk of his career.

[PosImpos]

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

yeah, honestly, considering what some of the free agents centers are going to get on the market in the next week or so, i don't think okafor's contract is so bad.  he's overpaid by a couple million a year at most.

he's perkins with slightly worse defense, significantly better offense.

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

Extremely durable? My understanding is that he's been slowed by back issues for a good chunk of his career.

Emeka Okafor games played the last 4 seasons:

82, 82, 82, 72

[theswitch]

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

Extremely durable? My understanding is that he's been slowed by back issues for a good chunk of his career.

Sure, from 05-06 he only played 26 games and 06-07 he played 67, but after that it's been 82/82/82/72.

[kozlodoev]

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

Extremely durable? My understanding is that he's been slowed by back issues for a good chunk of his career.

Sure, from 05-06 he only played 26 games and 06-07 he played 67, but after that it's been 82/82/82/72.

Yes, that's fair enough.

I guess the problem is that if you take Okafor, you really give up the chance to sign anyone of significance next season, which means the chances to keep Paul reduce drastically. If you're the Celtics, that is.

[Inside-Out]

I understand that Okafor's contract is miserable, but here's a guy on the right side of 30 who has been extremely durable, shoots 55% from the field, averages a double-double with solid defense and will give you 30 minutes a night at the center position. Yes, he's a much better individual defender than team defender, but he hasn't been in Boston yet.

A lineup of CP3, Ray, Paul, KG and Okafor would just be unbelievable, I can't imagine that team not getting it done. Okafor for 30 minutes a game and JO for 18 a game at the center position (or whoever else when JO gets hurt, but 18 a game should conserve him).

Extremely durable? My understanding is that he's been slowed by back issues for a good chunk of his career.

Sure, from 05-06 he only played 26 games and 06-07 he played 67, but after that it's been 82/82/82/72.

Yes, that's fair enough.

I guess the problem is that if you take Okafor, you really give up the chance to sign anyone of significance next season, which means the chances to keep Paul reduce drastically. If you're the Celtics, that is.

Maybe so, but in this mysterious, hypothetical world, my crystal ball says KG would rather stick around for fairly cheap while Okafor does the banging to play with CP.

Who knows what'll happen, but I'm not in line to perform illicit acts on DH to get him to come here (no pun intended?) or to put all my hopes on an uncertain future.  Take CP with Okie if it's available would be my instinct.  Bird in hand being what it is and all...

[Celtics4ever]

Okafor is a better rebounder too by a good ways if you look at career RPG.  He has a 10.2 RPG average and more BPG at 1.8.  I think Perk is better at positional D but Okafor is a much better shot blocker.

Were we to get Okafor and Paul, we'd be the favorites to win it all this year.  But it would definitely screw up the salary cap with that contract.

[Inside-Out]

Okafor is a better rebounder too by a good ways if you look at career RPG.  He has a 10.2 RPG average and more BPG at 1.8.  I think Perk is better at positional D but Okafor is a much better shot blocker.

Were we to get Okafor and Paul, we'd be the favorites to win it all this year.   But it would definitely screw up the salary cap with that contract.

That's darn near a good enough reason to do it for me...

I'd really like to keep J3 and JGreen and our own 1st in 2012, though...locking in JG...cap space be darned.

[Who]

You definitely accept Okafor because of the increased shot at the ring.

If Dwight Howard did become available later, you could trade Okafor to a team below the cap (or Orlando) or use the amnesty on him. Amnesty would be a large financial cost but easily worth it if it gives you Dwight Howard (who is worth $50mil a year if not for max contracts).

New Orleans including Okafor in a proposed CP3-Boston trade is more beneficial than harmful to the Celtics.

Edit: Need to rethink that last line. Is a much improved shot a Championship worth hurting rebuilding + the serious possibily losing Chris Paul next summer?

[BballTim]

You definitely accept Okafor because of the increased shot at the ring.

If Dwight Howard did become available later, you could trade Okafor to a team below the cap (or Orlando) or use the amnesty on him. Amnesty would be a large financial cost but easily worth it if it gives you Dwight Howard (who is worth $50mil a year if not for max contracts).

New Orleans including Okafor in a proposed CP3-Boston trade is more beneficial than harmful to the Celtics.

  From what I've heard (on this blog) you can't amnesty players you trade for.

[ManUp]

I'd actually be all for getting Okafor if we can amnesty him by seasons end to make a run at DH. If we could get him without giving anyone major outside of Green it'd be a coup by Danny. Assuming he's healthy, that would put us exactly where we need to be for a real chance at a Championship this season. A front court of Garnett, Okafor, O'neal, Davis, and Johnson is exactly the type of depth we need in the front court to make it through the season.

I think if they change that part of the Amnesty rule (its unlikely, but you never know), it will open up a whole lot of new trade posibilities around the league.

I thought the amnesty applied to all players currently under contract and could be used at anytime during the length of the contract. I didn't know there was a restriction on using the amnesty on players acquired through trades. I doubt they change the CBA too much if its already been agreed on, but I think that would make the amnesty a bit more fair for teams who don't really have a use for the amnesty like the Cektics.

[Who]

You definitely accept Okafor because of the increased shot at the ring.

If Dwight Howard did become available later, you could trade Okafor to a team below the cap (or Orlando) or use the amnesty on him. Amnesty would be a large financial cost but easily worth it if it gives you Dwight Howard (who is worth $50mil a year if not for max contracts).

New Orleans including Okafor in a proposed CP3-Boston trade is more beneficial than harmful to the Celtics.

  From what I've heard (on this blog) you can't amnesty players you trade for.

Oh right, I forgot, my mistake.

[jdub1660]

2 ideas here involving only Celtics and Hornets

#1 :
Rondo,BBD, Bradley, Krstic's contract and 2 first rounders
CP3 and Okafor

#2 :
Same trade with Jeff Green and Arize swap added in

New Orleans is bound for rebuilding mode either way. This team allows them to compete and grow with Boston being ready to compete now while still having trade assets for DHoward next season if need be

[Who]

Does Chris Paul re-sign if Okafor is here in 2012? Without any major FA additions coming in?

[Chris]

I'd actually be all for getting Okafor if we can amnesty him by seasons end to make a run at DH. If we could get him without giving anyone major outside of Green it'd be a coup by Danny. Assuming he's healthy, that would put us exactly where we need to be for a real chance at a Championship this season. A front court of Garnett, Okafor, O'neal, Davis, and Johnson is exactly the type of depth we need in the front court to make it through the season.

I think if they change that part of the Amnesty rule (its unlikely, but you never know), it will open up a whole lot of new trade posibilities around the league.

I thought the amnesty applied to all players currently under contract and could be used at anytime during the length of the contract. I didn't know there was a restriction on using the amnesty on players acquired through trades. I doubt they change the CBA too much if its already been agreed on, but I think that would make the amnesty a bit more fair for teams who don't really have a use for the amnesty like the Cektics.

Well, the NBA clarified to one of the SI guys that it will not be allowed to be used on players traded starting Friday (the language in the offer was ambiguous).  However, apparently a union person told him that they had not agreed to that yet, and it would still be discussed this week.

Can't imagine they would change it though, since it really shouldn't make a huge deal for the players either way, and by allowing teams to use it for trades, it defeats the purpose of the provision, and just creates a huge loophole in the cap.