Emeka Okafor

[Telemachus]

This is a deal I have to think about a while.
On the one hand, Emeka helps improve our interior defense and continues the team's move toward toughness and rebounding. He is still relatively young with a track record the past couple years of someone who will supply about 13pts, 10rbs, and 2 blks a game.

On the other hand, he has a big contract that will hurt our cap space next season. He also has been injury prone during his career (although healthly the past 2 seasons).

My gut says that this trade will help this team make it to the playoffs this season, and add another piece to the puzzle for the future. I mean, our biggest need does happen to be a PF/C who can rebound, block shots, and play solid defense. And he does seem to fit that role very well.

 

[rainmaker]

Definately tempting. Okafor IMO is better than any big we would have a chance to sign this offseason.

 

[ElRey]

The real question on this trade is do you think you can get a BETTER post player in this upcoming year's draft or free agency class ? This is an opportunity cost issue as taking on Okafor's contract will mean No cap space this upcoming year and likely no high lottery pick as well.


Draft: Motiejunas, Derrick Favors, Aldrich, Ed Davis, Larry Sanders, Greg Monroe, Craig Brackins


Free Agency: Brad Miller, Jermaine Oneal, Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler, Memet Okur, Boozer, David Lee, Theo Ratlif


(just a quick list i put together, not likely to be very accurate but just to give people an idea)


At this time, I'm not sure if I'm for or against this trade.

 

[bajaden]

Obviously Kenny Thomas would have to be a part of any deal with the Hornets. So there goes our cap space, unless we move someone else for expirings. The face of their franchise right now is Chris Paul. And at the moment, he's not very happy. I doubt that trading Okafor for Thomas is going to increase his happiness. It would no doubt disrupt things more. So I guess I don't see why they would do it.. Why make you star even more unhappy.

But assuming that they would. Okafor would give us a chance of making the playoffs. So, is that what we want this year. To barely make the playoffs, or, come very close, and thereby picking lower in the draft. We would also be put in the position of not having any cap space in the offseason to sign anyone of significance. This could be a dangerous move for a franchise teetering on the edge of being creditable.

We do have some pieces that may become expendable. Such as Martin or Cisco. Or both. And there's Nocioni. I guess that if I was as sold on Okafor as some of you are I would do it. But I'm not, and thats a long contract. I stated in another thread some time ago that I would only move Thomas if it was a no brainer. This just doesn't seem like a no brainer to me. So I'll pass.

 

[Showtime]

lol the Kings are considering dumping their cap flexibility in order to acquire...a double double center who will get 1-2 blocks? THAT IS THEIR BIG STAR PLAYER ADDITION AND FUTURE SOLUTION? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? He's not even an all star. He's great for the hornets, because they had possibly the weakest frontline in the entire league. But the Kings don't need to add him because they don't need him, and are not on the verge of contending. They don't need to add his huge contract which will cripple any possibility of adding a free agent down the road. There's no need to make this move now. The team is on the rise, let the guys play and grow, and when the time is right, then you can pull the trigger. But this deal is just...wow...really bad.

 

[Bricklayer]

This team may be closer to mattering again than some think, and this is the sort of move that could really solidfy things up front. Isn't this exactly what we have talked about acquiring? The high quality rebounding/shotblocking big to complete the frontline?

Now I have long had some questions about Emeka. Namely...is he a guy who puts up numbers without great impact? He has always lost. He puts up good block/rebounding numbers, but his teams are not very good defensively. There was even an article about whether the Hornets' defense had left town along with Chandler. Of course Emeka replaced Chandler, puts up better numbers...but are they paper numbers? Chandler intimidated, but Emeka seems to get worked a lot.

In any case though, questions aside, if we can't hit a homerun with a star player, then this is the next thing -- solidify that frontline. Give us 96 minutes of quality bigs with versatile games. Covering all bases. If we were depedning on Okafor to be THE man up front, maybe I have my questions. But to be one of three talented full size bigs? Bring it on. Then we still have the Kevin piece to either, well, be Kevin, or package up for a star player of a diferent sort. Meanwhile Jason and Spencer continue to improve, Reke becomes a superstar, Omri and Donte improve...you have the start of somethng pretty good there.

 

[AriesMar27]

and people were on my case about petrie being a bad gm who cant plan ahead for the future.... what does he hypothetically do in this scenario? trade an expiring for a injured vet with a longer contract... he never had a plan for 2010....

yeah.... so long capspace, i told you guys that the miller/nocioni trade was bad... especially if this goes down. i hope it doesnt, though it doesnt mention adding hawes so it might not be all that bad....

 

[Bricklayer]

and people were on my case about petrie being a bad gm who cant plan ahead for the future.... what does he hypothetically do in this scenario? trade an expiring for a injured vet with a longer contract... he never had a plan for 2010....

yeah.... so long capspace, i told you guys that the miller/nocioni trade was bad... especially if this goes down. i hope it doesnt, though it doesnt mention adding hawes so it might not be all that bad....

Injured vet?

Okafor has been rock steady healthy for a long time now. Been three years since he missed a game.

 

[AriesMar27]

Injured vet?

Okafor has been rock steady healthy for a long time now. Been three years since he missed a game.

that was before... once he becomes a king... he will be an injured vet, its in the fine print.

 

[Showtime]

Okafor has been rock steady healthy for a long time now. Been three years since he missed a game.

A rock steady role player shouldn't be the highest paid and longest contract on the team. That's the problem. Is he what the kings need? Yeah, but not at that cost.

Just look at what the hornets did when they were trying to take that next step and get to the next level when their young talent was emerging (West and CP):

They gave Peja a max deal in free agency.

Overpaid TC to keep him. Chandler's contract became such an issue in combination with his health, they dealt him for Emeka because at least their overpaid C would be on the court instead of on the bench. They could afford to overpay him then with that weak frontline.

They overpaid Peterson to get him there.

They overpaid Posey to get him there.

And what happened? They lost some talent because they couldn't afford to keep some, and they became crippled because of the bad contracts they added. The Kings are NOT contending any time soon, and they might not even be in a position to make the playoffs this season. So why cripple the team by adding a player who is producing LESS THAN JASON THOMPSON and would be getting a franchise-player type contract that is more than Kevin Martin's???

 

[DocHolliday]

Who would want a 27 year old former #2 pick big man who is an excellent rebounder, defender, shot blocker, and efficient scorer? I mean, we are loaded with talented big guys

That is injury prone, undersized, over hyped, and his double double average is barely over the number 10, with 5 years left on his contract at over 12 mill per year, on a young rebuilding team that has good chemistry right now. You left that part out.

 

[Bricklayer]

A rock steady role player shouldn't be the highest paid and longest contract on the team. That's the problem. Is he what the kings need? Yeah, but not at that cost.

Think Vlade.

There is an element here...what we are looking at is killer instinct. That final touch move. Its a testament to Reke especially that we would even consider this. Waht this is saying is that we think the rebuild might be over. That we have found our star, acquired enough other young pieces, and that now we are looking to make that completing move to plug a huge hole and try to win/compete for the playoffs again. And if everything went right, that's what we could be talking about again. A one season mosnter turnaround back to mattering all at once type thing. That shows a confidence and verve from the front office we haven't seen in a long time. Could obviously still go wrong. But its encouraging even so.

Think the question I would ask is is Okafor, as a double double shotblocking big, moveable again if we do acquire him + it doesn't work? I think probbaly yes.

Secondary question of course is are we going to sign a bigger $$/better/better fitting FA in the super free agent summer? My answer there is not likely and if we come up empty we lose the ending contract leverage.

 

[DocHolliday]

Yah.. so all of our cap room would be taken pretty much eh... hmm. Its a tough call.. but really who are we going to get this offseason with that money?

If we get Okafor then our bigs are set for the future.

And we still have trade bait in Martin/Nocioni to try and add more pieces.

I think if we make the right moves we could be contending alot sooner then we thought..

Yea but with how much Okafor is being paid that means Hawes goes to a backup, which he clrearly wasn't happy with, and he has performed better as a starter. Thompson and Hawes growing together gets stunteed.

I don't like it. Don't like it at all.

 

[Bricklayer]

That is injury prone, undersized, over hyped, and his double double average is barely over the number 10, with 5 years left on his contract at over 12 mill per year, on a young rebuilding team that has good chemistry right now. You left that part out.

Okafor again really has not been injury prone -- he had the one mess early, he's been a rock since.

And he is unlikely to cause chemistry problmes -- quite the opposite. He doesn't need the ball, he plays defense, he's a thug on the glass. What he brings fits right in wiht what we are doing + need. If we were talking about brining in a prima donna or a scorer who needed the ball or whatever, yeah, concern. But we are talking about bringing in a dirt worker to a team that's suddenly full of them.

As an aside, its not actually clear whetehr Hawes or Okafor would become the backup. 96 minutes at those tow positions, 3 guys, that's 32 minutes a piece. Same thing I said about the Thabeet discussions -- there is plenty of time for three quality guys at those spots if they dominate the minutes.

 

[rhythmless]

There is an issue that won't creep up until later on; salary. With so many of our players on rookie salaries, it's not an issue in terms of payroll now, but later on, if Tyreke/Thompson/Casspi/Hawes pan out, how are you going to be able to throw so much money at these kids? You then have to look at luxury tax money. The implication is that his salary now is already an albatross...what happens when hes the reason youre at a dollar for dollar tax?

 

[DocHolliday]

Think Vlade.

There is an element here...what we are looking at is killer instinct. That final touch move. Its a testament to Reke especially that we would even consider this. Waht this is saying is that we think the rebuild might be over. That we have found our star, acquired enough other young pieces, and that now we are looking to make that completing move to plug a huge hole and try to win/compete for the playoffs again. And if everything went right, that's what we could be talking about again. A one season mosnter turnaround back to mattering all at once type thing. That shows a confidence and verve from the front office we haven't seen in a long time. Could obviously still go wrong. But its encouraging even so.

Think the question I would ask is is Okafor, as a double double shotblocking big, moveable again if we do acquire him + it doesn't work? I think probbaly yes.

Secondary question of course is are we going to sign a bigger $$/better/better fitting FA in the super free agent summer? My answer there is not likely and if we come up empty we lose the ending contract leverage.

I tend to look at this as MIiller. It will end up as a long painful contract.

 

[Showtime]

Think Vlade.

Why?

There is an element here...what we are looking at is killer instinct. That final touch move.

And that's a mistake, because the team isn't poised to make that "final touch move", because the "final" move shouldn't be clawing for a playoff spot. The playoffs is the next step, and then a championship. You shouldn't throw the future of the team in moves that are just designed to get the team to the playoffs. That's not the end game here. This would be like a Brad Miller/Mike Bibby big contract before the Vlade/Webber/Peja young talent. You get to the playoffs, then make these kinds of higher risk moves to try to boost that playoff team, not make risky moves in hopes of getting to the playoffs.

Its a testament to Reke especially that we would even consider this. Waht this is saying is that we think the rebuild might be over. That we have found our star, acquired enough other young pieces, and that now we are looking to make that completing move to plug a huge hole and try to win/compete for the playoffs again.

It's too soon to make these moves, because the team needs more time to mature and to prove they can make the playoffs before destroying the cap in getting talent that might help in the playoffs.

And if everything went right, that's what we could be talking about again. A one season mosnter turnaround back to mattering all at once type thing. That shows a confidence and verve from the front office we haven't seen in a long time. Could obviously still go wrong. But its encouraging even so.

Let's not put the cart before the horse.

Think the question I would ask is is Okafor, as a double double shotblocking big, moveable again if we do acquire him + it doesn't work? I think probbaly yes.

But that's the point: they shouldn't be looking to add a player in which they have to consider the huge contract and how movable he might be down the road. They aren't at the point of needing additional talent so much that they will overpay for that extra umph. Those moves are for playoff teams looking to get better, not on a lottery team gambling their future on just making the playoffs and getting a first round exit.

Secondary question of course is are we going to sign a bigger $$/better/better fitting FA in the super free agent summer? My answer there is not likely and if we come up empty we lose the ending contract leverage.

1. not pulling the trigger on this deal doesn't mean KT's contract can't be traded. There are still possible moves to be made with his contract.

2. I hate wasting KT's expiring deal, but I'm for the "no deal is better than a bad deal". With the financial difficulties of the team, wouldn't it be beneficial to have a 42 million dollar payroll NEXT season with virtually the SAME team?

 

[DocHolliday]

Okafor again really has not been injury prone -- he had the one mess early, he's been a rock since.

And he is unlikely to cause chemistry problmes -- quite the opposite. He doesn't need the ball, he plays defense, he's a thug on the glass. What he brings fits right in wiht what we are doing + need. If we were talking about brining in a prima donna or a scorer who needed the ball or whatever, yeah, concern. But we are talking about bringing in a dirt worker to a team that's suddenly full of them.

As an aside, its not actually clear whetehr Hawes or Okafor would become the backup. 96 minutes at those tow positions, 3 guys, that's 32 minutes a piece. Same thing I said about the Thabeet discussions -- there is plenty of time for three quality guys at those spots if they dominate the minutes.

The bottom line is none of know exactly why the team has picked up their play since Martin has gone out. Have they just done a gut check and they are playing inspired?? Is it because the offense was being ran too much through Martin, and it wasn't being spread to the other threats we weren't aware of?? Who knows.

I look at the play of the Kings as very fragile at the moment, Maybe it will become non fragile, but right now I picture my self stand perfectly still, not breathing, arms still around a pyramid of cards. Don't disturb it for right now. It may not be great, but it's working at the moment.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

One thing to consider is that we already murdered our draft status. There are some bad teams out there, and it seems like we are the cream of that crop.. If making this deal drops us from 10 to 16, I throw that argument out the window.

Also, we have just about reached our max as far as young players go. Unless we get rid of the few remaining vets ( Nocioni, Udrih, and Martin ) there wont be a whole lot of playing time for a new rookie next year. ( Assuming he isnt a top 10 pick ) Maybe if we draft a center and DONT do this deal, he can get some burn there.. but other than that, just about every spot is locked up.

Again, This deal confuses me .. Im not sure what direction were going in. Are we actually good? or is this winning thing a mirage .. I dont know yet. Its a tough call ...Okafor really is everything we want .. a 'plays within himself' offensive player and a top 10 defender at his position, but is he just making to much damn money?

I think the best thing would be for us to wait it out a bit. We'll know a lot more a few weeks from now.

 

[AriesMar27]

that didnt work to well for the cavs or the bulls when they had ben wallace... okafor didnt do all that well with the hornets and the bobcats have never made the playoffs.... why would trading for a grossly overpaid, undersized center with a very limited offensive game be a good thing?

if we were a good team i could understand, but he isnt a player that could put a bottom dweller team over the top... look at the bobcats.

 

[Telemachus]

Yea but with how much Okafor is being paid that means Hawes goes to a backup, which he clrearly wasn't happy with, and he has performed better as a starter. Thompson and Hawes growing together gets stunteed.

I don't like it. Don't like it at all.

I think that Westphal has proven that he doesn't care how much a player makes when picking his starting lineup. IMO, he would put on the floor whatever combination he thinks will give the Kings the best chance at winning. What it boils down to is that Hawes needs to get his butt in gear if he wants to keep his starting role. Having some legitimate compitition at center might be just what he needs.

 

[VF21]

Okafor is always injured, overhyped and over paid...

As much as he's slumping right now, Hawes is still only 21 with a lot of potential.

Exactly.

 

[Kings Faithful]

please let this happen.

Petrie clearly got on the phone after reading my post yesterday

Okafor is exactly what we need. With the way Westphal coaches the team, I don't think it really would matter who starts at the center position, because Westphal is going to play the guy that is going to help us win a particular game.

 

[Kings Faithful]

Exactly.

Yeah, we need to keep Hawes, because trading Hawes for an upgrade (which might not really be an upgrade in a few years time) isn't going to do much.

 

[Bricklayer]

Why?



And that's a mistake, because the team isn't poised to make that "final touch move", because the "final" move shouldn't be clawing for a playoff spot. The playoffs is the next step, and then a championship. You shouldn't throw the future of the team in moves that are just designed to get the team to the playoffs. That's not the end game here. This would be like a Brad Miller/Mike Bibby big contract before the Vlade/Webber/Peja young talent. You get to the playoffs, then make these kinds of higher risk moves to try to boost that playoff team, not make risky moves in hopes of getting to the playoffs.



It's too soon to make these moves, because the team needs more time to mature and to prove they can make the playoffs before destroying the cap in getting talent that might help in the playoffs.



Let's not put the cart before the horse.



But that's the point: they shouldn't be looking to add a player in which they have to consider the huge contract and how movable he might be down the road. They aren't at the point of needing additional talent so much that they will overpay for that extra umph. Those moves are for playoff teams looking to get better, not on a lottery team gambling their future on just making the playoffs and getting a first round exit.


1. not pulling the trigger on this deal doesn't mean KT's contract can't be traded. There are still possible moves to be made with his contract.

2. I hate wasting KT's expiring deal, but I'm for the "no deal is better than a bad deal". With the financial difficulties of the team, wouldn't it be beneficial to have a 42 million dollar payroll NEXT season with virtually the SAME team?

Um...no on that last bit. Why?

You are actuall the one advocating gambling...essentially gambling that we can sign some major player with that caproom. Except Sacramento has never signed a major player with caproom, and half the teams in the league are going to be competing for the same handful of guys. The alternative to joining the mad rush this summer for LeBron etc. was always going the other way and peddling ending contracts to teams who wanted to pursue that in exhange for talent. Okafor is a talent. He's not an All Star. But you would be legitimately hardpressed to name 10 centers who are clearly better.

And again, this would clearly be made on the theory that we are done rebuilding. And that is rather dizzying. Its happened so fast -- two weeks ago we are settling in for another long season waiting for Wall. Kevin goes down, all of a sudden we realize we might already have a franchise player in the house in Reke, and everything changes. And it can just that fast when you get a franchise player. And like I say...dizzying. And some of us are struggling a bit to catch up to this potenital change in fortunes. But if its true, well, then the whole strategy shifts.

Adn Okafor isn't a short term move BTW to be #8. Obviously if Reke is a franchise talent, and he's 20, he's going to get better and better. And so will Jason, and Spencer, and Omri and Casspi. If we make #8 this year, tinker over the summer, we would have every right to go into next season hoping to take another step, to be a #5 or #6 or some such and continue to rise. And Okafor is young enough that he would be around for all of that if he can pull his weight.

 

[AriesMar27]

Okafor is exactly what we need. With the way Westphal coaches the team, I don't think it really would matter who starts at the center position, because Westphal is going to play the guy that is going to help us win a particular game.

he's exactly what we needed 3 years ago... before hawes and thompson... not now. thompsons numbers are just as good if not better than okafor, hawes could be better if he werent such a wuss...

 

[Jechtsphere]

Everyone demands a defensive minded, tough center but when one is there they don't want it.

Spencer has potential but what kind of potential? He'll never be a defender, lowpost player.

Hawes was fine as a back up once he got used to it then once he played well he went back as starter...he could back up both C and PF if needed.

I'm all for getting more tough players and less soft players.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

No one is saying trade Hawes.

 

[Showtime]

I'm all for getting defensive, rebounding bigs, but not at the expense of any future cap flexibility.

If you are going to take a risk, why not take a lower cost risk? What about Sammy D in philly? Two years left, he can rebound and block shots.

 

[Bricklayer]

No one is saying trade Hawes.

Indeed, the point would be even if we DO keep Hawes, we would STILL want a player a lot like Okafor in here to back up Jason and Spencer. rebounder, shotblocker, the third leg of the frontcourt tripod.

Trading Thomas for Okafor right now is really no different then if we go into the summer, we can't sign LeBron, and instead we end up singing Okafor. Would people actually be disappointed by that? On the contrary it would be a big step forward, patch a considerable hole. We have seen in recent years that basically any good big is going to get paid about $10mil a year. That's just going price. If we have to sign one on the open market, that's what it will cost. If we get one short term and then have to resign him, same deal. Its just the going rate.