The Prospect of Emeka Okafor

my thinking on that too … if they were to just let the K-9 go away, who would they spend that money on? Would they be better than Okafor?

I think the whole “Free Agent Year of 2010” has every fan hoping their team can pull something off, but let’s be real. Like TZ said, the highest profile FA we’ve ever had is Vlade Divac …. if the deal goes through, maybe Petrie doesn’t wanna gamble on trying to convince someone to come here. instead, he’d force Okafor to come here.

I still don’t know where I’d fall on this trade, if it even happens.

Tom Ziller: Voice of Reason

We don’t get top-shelf signings, never have.

As for remaining options for the trade deadline, if the team continues to play hard (win or lose), Nocioni and Beno will be very attractive to playoff contenders. I think we can get a very solid center without breaking the bank. And Okafor has proven durable most of his career.

if you would pull the trigger on this deal Ziller?

and the main thing for anyone to consider is that if the Kings do this move, that’s pretty much it. Aside from a couple draft picks here and there and maybe a couple simple trades, this would be the core we are moving forward with. We would depend on the further development of JT, Hawes, Casspi, Greene, and Reke to see how far we get in thr playoffs.

I guess the way I want to look at it this is comparing a starting lineup of Reke, Kevin, Cisco or Noc (one is gonna have to go), JT, and Okafor with the other top teams in the West.

Could that lineup hang in a couple years with the Blazers, Thunder, (by then declining) Lakers, Magic, Hawks? I’m looking at 2-3 years down the road when hopefully we should be making a big push deep in the playoffs. I want to say yes

We need a great defensive big man. Okafor is a great defensive big man. It’s especialyl great tf Hawes accepts a role off the bench, which he presumably should because he’ll still get plenty of minutes. Okafor would be a great addition.

Okay, 2 reasons:

One, just like Ziller beautifully put it, we’re not gonna bring in a big name FA this year or the next. We gotta be honest here: Sacramento isn’t exactly the biggest draw for a guy to come play for. Okafor is much better than any other big that we could realistically bring to Sactown. He’d be great down low with JT. And maybe Spencer could finally figure it out coming off the bench as a 6th man.

And the 2nd reason is this: It’ll bring back some of the long-lost fans to Arco. Okafor is a pretty big name and people will be dying to see him play. A starting lineup in 2 months of
‘Reke, Martin, Noc, JT and Okafor is very good. Playoffs good. And fans will take notice of this. I don’t know about you guys, but I miss the old days when teams would make the flight to Sacramento, know they’re gonna get their asses kicked, and then fly right back home.

Good synopsis. Hope this trade works out.

I know the financial situation in NO is bleek, but they don’t draw a lot of fans now. Can a small family ownership afford to alienate their already small fan base? And, CP3 didn’t like losing his coach, so how’s he going to feel about losing his starting center?

I’m guessing NO is going to want our draft pick and young talent like Omri, to get them to make the deal. They can’t afford to sell the franchise down the river, just for the Benjamin’s.

the moderator at At The Hive was pretty non-commital about a straight swap. I could completely see this happening as a straight 1-for-1 deal.

This is the biggest news here as Ziller points out. The Maloofs, whom earlier this year cut expenses drastically (Head Coach salary for one), and have no commitment for a larger, newer, more profitable Arena are talking about a salary cap addition of many millions of dollars. WOW!

And the last projections are the cap is to be lowered to $50M. Sham-WOW! That is saying a whole lot.

It also means that the Kings are figuring that they are not going to be cellar dwellars and that a later lottery pick is more expected than a top 5 in this big man heavy 2010 draft.

1. I think Nocioni might be more tradeable than we think. Especially to a contending team with some expirings. He’s tough, plays D, strokes the three ball, and will play whatever role he’s asked to. I wouldn’t be surprised if a contender looks to pick him up later in the year. I still think Boston would gladly take him for Tony Allen, Scalabrine and a pick.

He has almost always been the best big man on his team, and he isn’t one of the bigger centers. But with Shock and Hawes around to help him out and score around him, and a great backcourt to defend the perimeter and create easy shots for him, he could have a couple career years in Sacramento. Maybe earn his money.

seems like JT without the work ethic and with more money to me.
I’d rather see the KT money used to lock up Shock, Green and Hawes for the long run.

I think Okafur is way overpaid. The Kings are going in a different direction, and it’s focused on signing solid contributors on the cheap. No more big paydays.

I can think of would be that he is essentially a black-hole on offense… regarding Ball-Movement. basketbawful.com Often refers to how he does not particularly acquire assists at an even average rate.

Basically Okafor puts up a shot if he touches the ball in the post.

However, he finishes at an above average rate so I suppose that you would rather have Okafor doing what he does well (scoring at an above average rate) than trying to force him to do something that he does not do well (passing).

I do think this makes us an above average defensive team and a for sure Top-Flight rebounding team.

I would do this trade… We may not make the playoffs this year… but we would compete every night and the versatility that this move presents is tremendous. Also, it gives us a very solid man-man defender and allows Thompson/Hawes to block shots off the help-side.

I like it.

The maybe we can look to the Blazers for Pyscbilla(sp?). I remember he had one of the best rebounding rates in the league.

I don’t know if Okefor’s back loaded 8 figure contract is worth it all. Especially when we will have to lock up JT and Hawes soon.

Okafor is at best an average defender,he gave it 0 effort against the Blazers last night and stunk pretty bad. He also has a rep of being not popular whith his team mates due to dogging at practice and his black hole style of offense,I would rather see the KIngs pass on this one

Can Okafor and Hawes play on the floor together?.
If yes, I say do it because we would have a perfect 3 man big rotation.
If not I vote no.

Sam Amick of The Bee reports the Kings are discussing an Emeka Okafor-Kenny Thomas trade with the Hornets.

Hasn’t Amick predicted 20 of the last two Kings deals? A lot of these “proposed deals” end up being empty talk. If a deal does get done, though, I am sure Amick can give us a pretty good writeup.

…is worth more than two in the bush.

TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY and we’re a playoff caliber roster when healthy.

…of Petrie using available cap flexibility to make a trade rather than to overpay for a free agent next summer (or the summer after).

This deal would make sense in a lot of ways…the team gets a solid defensive presence in the frontcourt to compliment their new tougher attitude. This, and the Kings recent play, would probably get some more butts in the seat – as you could make the case that this team could make a playoff run in the next season or two. Get the excitement back at Arco, make some money…and the amount you’re paying Okafor won’t be as painful down the road.

And if Tyreke ends up being a super-duper star rather than just the star we expect, you’d have to think that the pieces around him in two or three seasons (JT, Kevin, Omri, Okafor primarily) might be enough to get them into the upper echelon.

But man, that’s a lot of money for a guy that doesn’t seem to have improved from a quick start to his career.

Ultimately, it’s a risk, but might be a risk worth taking. At worst, you’ve still improved your team (IMO) without getting older. But you may have hurt yourself long-term on the cap front.

I guess that’s my long-winded way of saying I’M IN.

so, if okafor can be had for expiring contracts, then maybe the kings can turn KTEC into something more valuable, like a smaller expiring contract and more draft picks.

and i wonder why this was leaked. maybe the kings prefer to facilitate a 3-way deal.

for example, the bulls can’t trade jerome james to the hornets for okafor; however, they can trade jerome james for kenny thomas; and kenny thomas can be traded for okafor. (and i don’t think this will actually happen as the Bulls are hoping to free up enough cap space for a run at D-Wade)

I think it all hinges on whether you think this team plus Emeka Okafor is playoff bound. I think it probably turns the team into a fringe playoff team. But if the trade goes through you’re basically out of ways to drastically improve the team. You’re probably looking at a middling draft pick and possibly (but not likely) the MLE for the next few years. I think going through with this would basically consign the team to mediocrity.

I like it in theory, but he’s just overpaid, and this team is already past its limit on overpaid, unmovable veterans.

look and see how he has done against the better big men in the league? I’d ignore this year’s number as the Hornets are in disarray.

How has he matched up against Jefferson, Bynum, gasol, Oden, Kaman etc..? The guys from teams we need to beat?

With a three man frontcourt rotation of JT, Okafur and Hawes (with some Brockness) and a guard lineup of Martin, Tyreke, Cisco and Beno + Noce + Casspi/Donte’ at the SF

Who exactly waaay outclasses us talent and depth-wise?

My initial reaction was “Sweet, there’s our third big, we’re good to go”, plus I’ve always sort of been an Okafor fan since I had him on my fantasy team when he was a rookie.

As I was reading this thread, other considerations came to mind; mainly, I’m wondering if Okafor is enough of an upgrade in our starting lineup over Hawes to warrant the huge contract. If Hawes then becomes a beast of a sixth man and our frontline is the envy of the entire league, will we be able to pay him enough to keep him or will we have to let him go? In a way, I feel like our best-case-scenario in adding Okafor would give us a window of being a contender only until Hawes gets his payday.

I guess I’m still holding-out hope that Hawes will someday fairly soon be better than Okafor and our Shock and Hawes frontline is the envy of the league, in which case we would give Spence and JT their paydays and move forward with our current core and look for other (much less expensive and restrictive ways) to get a third big that might not be quite as productive as Emeka, but will be enough to get us into that elusive top tier.

I really don’t know. I suppose the only thing we can all agree on is that it would be a bit of a gamble. I’m not sure if the Maloofs care much for gambling.

I am on the fence on this trade. On one hand, Hawes development has been disappointing. He can still be good, but he is not showing the growth to his game that the organization had to have hoped to see. if we are molding our team around toughness and defense, which I think we are, then Emeka fits.

On the other hand, I would like to see Emeka score more out of the low post, but he was averaging 18 points a game, and not 14 over his career, he probably wouldn’t be available. Emeka seems rather mechanical and limited in the way he plays. I think he has reached the ceiling of his ability. He’s 27 years old, at the peak of his skills, and he is not exactly tearing up the league. And for 60 million, I would like my low post player be worthy of a double team.

Other points to consider IMO are:

The Fakers are still the team to beat in the West. Bynum and Gasol and Odom are ridiculously long in the paint. We add a player like Emeka we really shore up our competitiveness down low. Blazers and Nuggets aren’t exactly slouches at the ‘4’ and ‘5’ spots either.

Lets say hypothetically the Raptors are going to lose Bosh for nothing, a strong possibility, this offseason. Emeka could be a trade chip to make a run at Bosh in a sign and trade.

If we do this trade, we are instantly a playoff contender IMO. Who would have fathomed that possibility even one week ago?

The more I think about this I think this deal is a PASS. Unless it is a no-brainer, I think we will be rewarded for being patient and pragmatic, instead of rolling the dice on a cap-killing slight to moderate upgrade.

Okafor brings EXACTLY what this team has been lacking for SOOOO Long. Shotblocking, even MORE rebounding, and a guy that can CLOG the middle and defend the bigger centers in the league. He’s signed on for 4 more years after this one(I don’t count this one, cuz we’re paying Kenny this year regardless). If we SIGNED a player in FA with that money(the 10-15 million we could potentially have)consider this, it’s AT LEAST a 5 year deal for the TYPE of player we’re targeting – so dealing for Okafor cuts a year off of that financial committment. Second, look around at the free agents, after Bosh, Bron and Wade is there a single player that would fit WITH this Kings roster AND have the same amount of impact as Okafor? Amare? Boozer? JJ? Maybe, but I don’t think they bring what we NEED. Okafor does. I think this is a deal you HAVE to make to make that stride forward. I see Okafor as LOCKED up for the next 4 years, not a noose around our necks(and if that did happen, he’ll probably be in the last year or two of his contract anyways.

Look up the cremasteric reflex.

Give an opinion, make a decision. It is okay, Geoff and Jason are going to do what they think is best anyway (pending Maloof approval).

No one knows if this would work. We are talking about last season’s worst team, which may be this year’s least talented squad, and is young. Predictions range from 15-21 wins from the ESPN-experts, up to 30+ by the most optimistic here.

This is an upgrade in talent, a defensive presence but a large cost that will hamper (maybe influence is better) any near future FA deals. It is a huge commitment on cap space and to some extent team solvency.

My take is: if the money is there, I think this is one of the best deals around, a starting 5 with solid numbers, good durability, good attitude history, and a guy in his career prime. He is no superstar but is getting what will be the future of superstar contracts. You give up Kenny Thomas. Do it, please.

For this year: I can’t even imagine the defensive potential of Evans, Noce, JT and Okafor together as starters. The tissue label would definitely be history.
Evans may not be there yet defensively, but he’s well on his way.

I think they become contenders for the 8th spot this year with this move. Utah and New Orleans look like they have big probs.
There I said it. Hopeful thinking.

that by becoming a possible playoff contender, we are much more apt to keep the Kings in Sactown.

Can the team really wait 2 more years?

Free agency will be a bust for this team. Marque players want to play in big markets due to endorsement deals.

KG, Duncan, Shaq, Sheed . . . possibly Yao and Brand could be out of the league or vaguely ineffective in 2/3 years. Where does Okafor rank amongst the next crop of NBA big men?

His game is superior to Emeka, and the low post presence we need. 27 years old, active, talented, Kings would have a shot at him as a next level FA. I would rather commit $50 million to a player like Boozer, plus another Petrie lottery pick, than Emeka and a middle first rounder.

Last 5 games for Boozer
20 points
12 rebs
64% FG

Maybe I am wrong, but I think the economy is shifting the discussion and deepening the divide between haves and have nots. You see the empty seats all around the league, and I just think the flood of guys hitting the next market are not going to get paid like they think they are. Yes, that includes guys like David Lee.

In this scenario, Okafor is grossly overpaid, particularly for a second-tier market. What might be more likely if these rumors are remotely true is the Kings being part of multiple-team trade that also involved the Hornets where the Kings trade Kenny for Okafor, then add Nocioni and trade Nocioni and Okafor and get back an $18-20 million expiring contract from a third team.

So it would have to be a team that thinks it’s a couple of players away from a title or title contention that also has an expiring contract or contracts that equals the number above. I’m not sure anyone fits that bill, but I thought I would throw it into the mix.

If that were possible, we’d end up with an even bigger pile of cash to sit on or help the Maloofs weather the storm with without weakening our team much. Udoka, Omri and Greene would handle the SF duties, and though the last two would make a lot of mistakes, they would also add a lot of excitement that would be contagious. And they would certainly grow up more quickly.