-- Tom Ziller, NBA Fanhouse
Here's the thing: Okafor's contract isn't that bad. The forward-center is overpaid, sure, but who isn't? There are numerous high-dollar contracts worse than that of Okafor. We all know teams pay premiums for big men, especially ones who can defend the rim. Okafor, despite his flaws as an offensive player, is among the league's best paint defenders. He's a rebounding savant (despite his sub-peak height) and a smart rotator and help defender. He makes teams better, and again, big men who make teams better get paid. The center Okafor replaced in New Orleans, Tyson Chandler -- he gets paid as much as Okafor.
Ah, and there's the real issue. Okafor is better than Chandler, and was much better than Chandler last season. But Chandler's contract expires in 2011 while Okafor's seems interminable. (For the record, Okafor's deal expires in 2014.) When New Orleans rages against Okafor, it rages against the Okafor deal, which, all told, was among Bower's most short-sighted decisions. Okafor was an immediate upgrade, given his good health relative to that of Chandler, plus the aforementioned defensive prowess (though it's worth noting Chandler has also been a plus defender). But Okafor's contract in comparison to that of Chandler was simply a flexibility killer. Bower cast his die thinking the modest Chandler-becomes-Okafor upgrade would launch the Hornets from Western also-ran to contender of highest repute.
Clearly, that was pure lunacy, given the team's deep, troubling lack of depth at the wing positions and behind Okafor and David West in the frontcourt. And let's not even get into the special Paul-Chandler chemistry the trade destroyed.
10 glorious comments post your own
420ftJesus
07/28/10 11:14 AM
Fantastic article according to the this-is-the-deal-ometer.
The other path here is that Okafor start performing a higher level. This is unlikely, but it happens, especially when there is pressure. I would think playing with Chris would help. I would think Monty playing him more would help. I would think that Monty developing a system that takes him into account, rather than taking him out of the rotation, would help.
We'll see.
But this is exactly why we need to not take on Iguodala.
#1
StefanC
07/28/10 02:58 PM
420@ftJesus: I completely agree with you. It is a fantastic article, and I do believe Okafor will be much better this year. How could the guy not improve when he didn't have a training camp last year, experience with Chris Paul, and he was usually taken out in the fourth quarter. Damn you Jeff Bower! I'm not on the dump Okafor train.
I've said it before, and I will say it again: David West is the reason Emeka Okafor looks so bad at times. West's lack of help defense and energy through the first three quarters pisses me off more than anything on this team. Especially, when he's not scoring with the efficiency he used to the past couple of years. Like someone on this blog said, it seems as if he lost that "spark" or "Ooomph" if that's what you want to call it. He's not such a legitimate scoring threat, and his D is nonexistent. To me, David West is expendable! I LIKE Okafor and his hefty contract at the moment.
#2
Mikey
07/28/10 05:02 PM
I agree with both of you guys. Of the Hornets' "bad" contracts, James Posey is by far the worst. And to your point Stefanc, West although not expendable (he can still drop a fluffy 40 on you on any given night), will most certainly opt out of his contract at the conclusion of this season. If the Hornets are not serious playoff candidates come the Trade Deadline, I can definitely see a scenario where the Hornets offload West to a contending team. If I were Dell Demps on that day, that team would have to take Posey with him.
The Hornets had a serious depth problem in the frontcourt last season (and still do), which is why Bower often went to a small lineup to try and generate some offense and just outscore the opponent. He didn't have a choice. He is not gonna roll Sean Marks and his one good shoulder out there to just get pounded on, and Diagou was shelved before the season even started. The result of all this is that Okafor's playing time is extremely limited. It's hard to get into any kind of flow like that.
The only problem I have with this article is that it makes Okafor sound like some defensive stalwart, which is isn't. He is an excellent help defender, and is a good shot blocker for his size, so is West. Problem is, he is a less than average on-the-ball defender, guess what, so is West. They have the same exact weaknesses in their defensive game. That makes for a problem because they cannot compliment each other very well.
#3
JCS
07/28/10 05:02 PM
Ziller was right. Bowser is a lunatic and has made countless short-sighted decisions. The Okafor contract was clearly one of them, and the fact that he inflates his personal stats as he ruins team chemistry makes it even worse. Hopefully, articles like this will clue fans in as to why CP still has a bitter taste in house mouth. It's the aftermath of Bowser.
lovethegame.tumblr.com #4
420ftJesus
07/28/10 05:07 PM
How about we . . . hope Monty fixes `them', as in helps them work together.
We need value from what we have until we can move some pieces. If Okafor can start producing, maybe rip down a rim, we could get him moved do a desperate team.
Oh, and we should raid the corpse of Cleveland. It'll help them.
How about build a trade around Okafor-Jamison? We lose the long term liability, give them Okafor (they lost Shaq and Ilg), we take on short term liabilities, and they get a little more flexibility to make some moves.
#5
420ftJesus
07/28/10 05:15 PM
Also, let me say, that while I'm not a big believer in the healing power of hope, sometimes that all you have. Right now, hope is something we need, so let's pretend we have it while we spend our effort into not needing it.
I'm suspending disbelief regarding Okafor until Mikey's MLK day milestone he likes to employ. That'll give him 1 training camp and roughly a year of games with Chris, and a good amount of time with Monty.
If he's the same as last year at best, I'll dog him.
I don't blame anyone for not taking the same position. I need to cling to something to make the games next year worth going to. Although griping is fuuuunnnnn . . .
#6
BRballboy
07/28/10 06:17 PM
I was pumped when we first got Oka4. Career 14 and 11 guy, now w/CP3. If that gets him 1 more bucket per half, he's a 18 and 11 guy, and a 3rd all-star for the bees. Oh well, maybe next ( this ) year.
#7
icebird
07/28/10 10:51 PM
Hmmm, I think I both agree and disagree with this article. First, I'm not sure I completely agree with the writer's analysis of Okafor as a player. When we switched from Chandler to Okafor, I think most people expected a little more offence at the expense of some of Chandler's defence. Okafor is a decent rebounder but not a dominant defender.
I notice that almost every single one of the suggested trade proposals for Chris Paul involved a trade for Okafor as well - as if his contact is a crippling millstone around our necks. Sure's he overpaid - but so is almost every competent big filling the centre position.
Okafor had an underwhelming season with the Hornets. But if he rebounds simply to his Charlotte levels of production, instead of going "When can we get rid of this guy?", we might be going "Wow, how lucky are we to have our starting centre locked up for the next few years?". Perception is a fickle thing, and it doesn't take much to push opinions one way or another. I'd like to see what he can produce this season before making a final judgment on whether Bower was a genius or an idiot for saddling us with Okafor's contract.
#8
mcp2989
07/28/10 11:12 PM
I heard through the grapevine that the Hornets will not even consider a deal for Paul that does not also ship Okafor AND Posey. And not the ESPN/CBS/PBS grapevine.
#9
Hewhorocks
07/29/10 09:09 AM
I like Okafor. Effort nevered seemed to be an issue with him and thats more than we could say for some of our front court. If we can move Peja before the season (as part of a Granger deal) and not at the trade deadline when it maybe too late for us we may have something.
Paul, Buckets, Granger, West, Okafor would seem to be a starting five that would make most in the west nervous.
#10