Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Sources: Emeka Okafor to Wizards
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

The Washington Wizards have reached an agreement with the New Orleans Hornets on a trade to acquire Hornets center Emeka Okafor, according to sources close to the process.
The Wizards will get Okafor and Hornets forward Trevor Ariza for Rashard Lewis and Washington's No. 46 pick in next week's draft.
The trade will add two defensive specialists to Washington's roster as the Wizards continue to try to change their culture around prized rookie John Wall. Okafor thus joins Nene to give Washington two veteran big men after the Brazilian was acquired at midseason from Denver in a deal that brought an end to JaVale McGee's stay in the nation's capital.
The move, meanwhile, sheds two long-term contracts from the Hornets' payroll while opening up minutes, through Okafor's departure, for Kentucky star Anthony Davis, who almost assuredly will be selected No. 1 overall by New Orleans in next Thursday's draft.
The Hornets, sources say, are planning to waive Lewis before July 1 to slice roughly $10 million off the $24 million that he is owed in 2012-13. With the resultant financial flexibility, New Orleans is confident in its ability to re-sign restricted free agent Eric Gordon this summer to ensure it doesn't lose the best player it received in exchange for face-of-the-franchise Chris Paul in December.

Good for both teams. Wall has Nene and Okafor to help him out finally, and Gordon and Anthony Davis make a nice young tandem.

Who are the Hornets targeting in FA next year?

yellowboy90 wrote:Also would you spend the vet min on Lewis? Can he come of the bench or is he done?

That is the million ($1.4 mill?)dollar question...

With all the tweeners at the Forward positions in Washington I wonder what they will do,

with

Ariza although he can probably play some SG
Chris Singleton
James Singleton
Jan Vesely

Their PF/C/s are very solid with

Nene
Trevor Booker

Serephin
OK4

Blatche will probably be the odd man out, either with a trade, if not amnesty target or a buyout being an option. Leaving some more room to acquire talent in FA this year.
Looks like its a great trade for both teams. I think Washington's days of being a beat around team are finally over, being playoff contenders this year.

I think they will probably get a PG, combo guard, or SG/SF with their 3rd pick.
PF can be ruled out and Center, could still be a possibility, but they have a pretty solid rotation right now, assuming OK4 is healed.
I have a feeling they will target DJO with their 2nd round pick (2nd pick of the round 2, 32 overall pick)

Now New Orleans will have plenty of $ to resign and/or players to target with FA.
With 2 1st round picks(1st and 10) this year, and many picks their own 1st round picks of their future, and much $ to spend on FA, they can turn their franchise around quickly.

ChuckBuck wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:Also would you spend the vet min on Lewis? Can he come of the bench or is he done?

That is the million ($1.4 mill?)dollar question...

No way- he's done and has been for the past few seasons. Plus his attitude stinks- he quit making any effort at all- that game he played vs us this season was pathetic (remember when he made no effort to get the ball when it was going right by him).

A shame because if he hadn't lost his interest in basketball, he would have been a nice shooter off the bench at the vet minimum.

NYKBocker wrote:Dang..The Wiz just got better in a hurry.
PG-Wall
SG-?
SF-Ariza
PF/C - Nene and Okafor

Now if they get lucky in the draft...say they draft Jeremy Lamb with the 3rd pick(is that too high for Lamb?) then get a couple more shooters with the 32nd and 46th pick then they are in business. Let Wall run wild and have the defensive troika af Okafor/Nene/Ariza protect him. They would be fun to watch.

Seraphin is the starting PF, dude is big bodied and can score. OK4 is Nene's back up

Amare for Okafor, Blatche, and Ariza

I can dream.

Markji wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:It looks like the Wiz are going too amnesty Blatche too. I'm not sure how I feel about this trade. It's starting to look like the Wiz gave up Blatche and McGee for Nene, Okafor and Ariza. Yeah, the Wiz are a little bit better now, but they probably pushed themselves back a couple of years in terms of building a contender.

I think they have a better mix of players - young and veterans. More intelligent players, and more focus on defense. Actually, more focus, period by adding Nene, Okafor, Ariza.

Their young players who can develop into starting/star players:
John Wall (#1 pick 2010)
Jan Vesley (#6 last yr)
??XYZ?? - #3 pick this year

Other young players on the Wiz who were drafted in first round in the last 2 years.
Chris Singleton (#18)
Kevin Seraphin (#17)
Jordan Crawford (#27)
Trevor Booker (#23)

I agree they are better, but the reason I'm iffy on this trade is that they've lost the ability to get significantly better down the road because their cap space is being held hostage by three overpaid players. Plus, they still have to sign Wall. You don't take on contract like Omeka and Trvor unless you think they can put you over the top.