Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 9:00 am  |  122 responses

Report: Okafor/ Chandler Trade Done

by Marcel Mutoni

According to numerous reports, the Charlotte Bobcats and New Orleans Hornets have agreed in principle to swap big men. Tyson Chandler is headed to Charlotte, and a previously unhappy Chris Paul gets a double-double machine in Emeka Okafor.

What’s shocking to most, is that cash-strapped New Orleans was willing to take on Okafor’s rather large contract (Emeka inked a 6-year, $72 million deal last summer). The Bobcats, meanwhile, will get some cap relief after the 2010-’11 season, when Chandler’s current deal runs out.

Basketball wise, the Hornets are the clear winners in this swap, adding a rock-solid low post presence to a team that won 49 games last season in the brutal West can only improve things for Chris Paul and company.

It certainly won’t bring a championship to New Orleans, but it’s a message to their superstar (and the fans) that the team isn’t sitting on its hands while everyone else loads up; they’re at the very least attempting to remain competitive.

Interestingly, Gerald Wallace is now the only Bobcat left over from the expansion season. I’m sure that makes him feel just wonderful.

UPDATE: The deal is now official.

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  • http://dgcoursereview.com Bro D.

    DP: Exactly. All Mek did in CHA was play defense and rebound and Chandler can do it cheaper. And CP3 > Felt and DJ, I’m not an idiot. I’m just saying only Charlotte fans know that Mek is overrated b/c they’re the only ones that watched him. Everybody thinks that he’s going to blossom into the Mailman with Paul and that ain’t happening. I will say though that if you combined West’s offense with Mek’s defense you would have a very decent basketball player. NO is bankrupt anyway, now they’re just fiscally screwed with Mek’s contract.

  • http://www.nba.com Pardeep

    BOBCATS PLEASE SIGN IVERSON!

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    I understand you now, Bro D. I can see how CHA wins when it comes to the salary cap part of it. Meka is making too much money. play wit it.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Correcting the spelling on “play wit it”, when its MEANT to be slangy? No wonder wayno was the only one (white or not) complaining about the “Larry Bird and the White Players that Play for Him” article.

  • http://www.bebo.com/SupahhHuman B-Moore

    So instead of seeing Okafor getting dunked on in a bobcats jersey.. we get to see people abusing him in in a Hornets uniform..

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    hahaha @teddy-the-bear. much respect guy. play wit it.

  • Anony Mous

    The whole wayno and DP thing is much ado about nothing.. who cares if he puts that at the end of his comment.. don’t like it? ignore it. play wit THAT. lol

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Blinguo

    Way no is two words also, or is a really bunked Wayne-O. So should we correct this guy everytime he posts his handle too? No, because we don’t care what your name is or how you post (or why your wayno isn’t Capitalized, grammar police). The content is what counts. How a missing H and a signature made this guy lash out in a one sided fight, we’ll never know. Protip: Don’t play with wayno. I think DP’s “play wit it” is also immortalized in SLAM’s Trash Talk no? “wayno” still ain’t. Let that play wit’chu.

  • http://slamonline.com Ben Osborne

    DP is cool with me. (as is BETCATS; sorry about the trade, my man.)

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    yes it was a very one-sided fight because if you “diss me you’ll never here a reply for it” via Drizzy Drake. It’s cool though because I have love for all my Slamonline fam. play wit it.

  • LeoneL

    Okafor, from Charlotte to Hornets. That sounds familiar…

    Anyway, here’s a wallpaper from Tyson’s site:
    http://www.tysonchandler.com/files/images/tc6/wallpaper_2.jpg

  • LeoneL

    LOL.. What just happened with wayno?

    My first comment’s not yet approved because of a link I posted but if you go to tysonchandler.com and go to the fanclub page. You’ll see this wallpaper of Ty posterizing or about to posterize or about to be blocked by Emeka.

  • http://antwonomous.blogspot.com Antwonomous

    DP stop irritating wayno, geez.

  • http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

    Breaking News: Charlotte Bobcats, and the L.A. Lakers are joining forces. Both G.M.’s have agreed to become one team. The new location of the stadium will be in L.A. In the same building as the Staples Centre. And the team will be called the Los Angeles Lakers(cats). The team will consist of the top players from both teams. That starting lineup will be Kobe, Pau, Derek, Bynum, and Ron. The bench will consist of Lamar, Wallace, Sasha, Brown, Powell, Adam Morrison, and DJ. Your new Los Angeles Lakers(cats)!!!

  • jumpman3224

    I hope this trade can help get Okafor to a new level!

  • jumpman3224

    I wonder what the Bobcats overall plan is.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com DP

    @Antwonomous how am I irritating him? I don’t even converse with the guy on here and I haven’t thrown salt at dude yet. play wit it.

  • ab_40

    remember chris kaman and elton brand a few years back? I can see him and david west post those kind of numbers 15 and 11 and 20 and 9. for your inside guys that is great.

    I have no idea what the bobcats are doing. hopefully there’s antother trade in the works because this just isn’t what that team needs.

    in an interview somebody of their front office wants him to dribble up the ball. no knock on tyson but that’s gonna be horrible to watch

  • http://antwonomous.blogspot.com Antwonomous

    Just messing around, DP.

  • Mo

    @AllenP, with the rebuilding still going on in New Orleans, the economic situation isn’t as bad as it is in other places. I don’t know where people keep getting this misperception of the Hornets and their finances and ‘economic situation’. The Hornets have great season ticket renewals and ad revenue. They aren’t hurting as much as people seem to think. Yeah, they’re a small market team that would prefer to not have to pay lux tax but just about all teams would also prefer to avoid it. It’s just that some are able to and others aren’t. N.O. isn’t only looking to keep their finances in order but would also like to remain competitive on the court while doing so. Chandler may not be able to be on the court much. On paper this is a good move for New Orleans. Now we just have to see how it translates on the court. Bob Johnson is looking for buyers. He gets rid of long term contracts which will appeal more to potential buyers.

  • Mo

    @DollaChoppa, I agree on the assists thing. If Paul can get assists from the likes of Sean Marks, he can surely get them from Emeka.

  • Mo

    @DollaChoppa, I agree with the assists thing. If Paul can get assists from the likes of Sean Marks, he can surely get them from Emeka.

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