Emeka Okafor Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Singleton, Okafor, Bulls, Knicks

September 18th, 2013 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Singleton will undergo foot surgery today and will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks, the Wizards announced today in a press release. Not only does the injury, which occurred in a voluntary workout, put Singleton's status for opening night in jeopardy, but it could have an impact on his future in Washington.

The Wizards have until October 31st to decide whether or not to exercise Singleton's $2.49MM option for the 2014/15 season. Now that the club won't get to watch him in camp and in the preseason, the decision figures to be made primarily based on his NBA production to date, which has been underwhelming — he has averaged 4.4 PPG and an 8.1 PER in his first two seasons.

As we wish Singleton a speedy recovery, let's round up a few more items from around the Eastern Conference….

Singleton's teammate, Emeka Okafor, also looks like he'll miss the start of the season. The Wizards announced today that Okafor, who is entering a contract year, will be out indefinitely as he rehabs from a herniated disc. Okafor tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he's not considering retirement and plans to return this season (Twitter link).
While Tom Thibodeau has downplayed any sort of discord between him and the Bulls' front office, a source tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that the head coach would be upset if the team traded Luol Deng or let him walk in free agency. "Ask Tom how important he thinks Luol is," the source said. "How happy do you think he would be with that decision?"
In his latest Heat mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel shares his thoughts on Dwyane Wade vs. Kyrie Irving, Joel Anthony's contract, and Steve Kerr's 2013/14 predictions.
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com explores the issue of how the Knicks will complete their roster, asking readers if the team should add a big man, a forward, or a guard.
Begley adds (via Twitter) that former prep star Jonathan Hargett worked out at the Knicks facility, though it was in an informal capacity and the team isn't currently planning to sign him.

Wizards, Bulls Discussed Deng, No. 3 Pick

June 24th, 2013 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

1:56pm: A source tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post that the Wizards have no intention of trading the No. 3 pick for Deng, so it appears these discussions are unlikely to get too far past the "exploratory" stage.

12:46pm: The Wizards and Bulls have engaged in "exploratory talks" about the possibility of a Luol Deng trade, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Stein reports that if the discussions were to become more serious, the most likely construction for a deal would involve the Bulls receiving the No. 3 pick and Emeka Okafor, for salary-matching purposes.

Stein cautions that the talks may simply be a way for the Bulls to gauge the value of Deng, and adds that the Cavaliers are reported to have interest in the Chicago forward as well. According to Stein, more potential trade partners figure to surface if the Bulls convey they're seriously entertaining the idea of moving Deng.

In the hypothetical deal between the Wizards and Bulls proposed by Stein, the Bulls would add a little salary to the books for 2013/14 and beyond. Okafor ($14.49MM) will slightly out-earn Deng ($14.28MM) next season, and the starting salary for the No. 3 overall pick would likely exceed $4MM. Both Okafor and Deng are scheduled to come off the books in the summer of 2014, while the 2013 third overall pick would continue playing under a rookie-scale contract through 2017, if all his team options were exercised.

Various reports have indicated over the last few weeks that the Wizards are expected to choose between Otto Porter and Anthony Bennett, if they keep the No. 3 pick and both players are available. Porter projects to be the top small forward in the draft class, while Bennett could also play at the three if needed, but Deng would represent a more immediate and significant upgrade at the position.

Okafor, Ariza Will Opt In For 2013/14

April 5th, 2013 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards can expect to add over $22MM in guaranteed money to their team salary for next season, as both Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza intend to opt into the final year of their contracts, reports Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Okafor has an early termination option that he won't exercise, while Ariza has a player option for 2013/14 that he'll pick up.

Okafor expressed optimism that the Wizards will be a playoff contender next season with good health, and said he's "fully confident" he'll be back with the team. Ariza, meanwhile, indicated that he wasn't about to give up $7MM+ in guaranteed money.

"I don’t know many people who are going to leave money on the table and I’m not one of the people to do that, so most likely," Ariza said of the option year.

The news is hardly surprising, as Okafor and Ariza have long been considered locks (by both the team and outside observers) to complete their current contracts. Okafor will earn about $14.49MM in the final year of his deal, while Ariza will be in line for a salary of about $7.73MM. Even though there's a chance both players could earn more long-term money if they were to opt out and sign new multiyear deals, they'd be taking significant pay cuts for '13/14 in that scenario.

With Okafor and Ariza locked up for next season, the Wizards will have just over $57MM committed to nine players, making them a good bet to be an over-the-cap club. However, they should remain comfortably out of tax territory, barring any major moves.

Wizards Notes: Wall, Okafor, Beal

April 1st, 2013 at 3:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

Wizards players were among the many notables at the White House this morning for the annual Easter Egg Roll, and while Bradley Beal made his pitch for lower taxes to President Obama, a couple of his teammates appear focused on other ways to keep their bank accounts in order. Here's the latest on Washington's team:

John Wall believes he's the ninth-best point guard in the league, but tries to explain to TNT's David Aldridge, who writes his Morning Tip column for NBA.com, why he believes he deserves a maximum-salary contract. "Well, I feel like I get what I deserve," the third-year point guard said. "I know what I play like. I think (the Wizards) understand what I've been through the first two years, having what I had. Not to talk bad on any of my teammates or any of the guys I've had. I just feel like some of them weren't very professional about their job. They didn't care about winning, to be honest."
Wall feels better about his teammates this year, and said Washington's acquisition of veterans in the offseason has helped him warm to the idea of a long-term commitment to the Wizards. All things being equal, Aldridge doesn't believe Wall is a max player, but given the circumstances in Washington, he thinks a five-year deal worth $68.75MM, which would make Wall the team's designated player, would fit the bill.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld also caught up with Wall, who offered further explanation on why he should get the max. "I’m not just going to base it on my play lately," he said. "I’m just talking about me in the future and how I want to change the organization around, making the playoffs and hopefully winning a championship here."
Unless Emeka Okafor wanted to risk a significant paycut to sign with a contender, there's been little doubt he would elect to stay with the Wizards for next season and collect his $14.488MM salary rather than exercise his early-termination option for 2013/14. Okafor confirms his plan is to stay in D.C., as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com observes.
Beal gave Grantland's Zach Lowe a wide-ranging interview that touched on his adjustment to the NBA and rumors earlier this season linking him to the Grizzlies in a potential Rudy Gay deal. "It is what it is. It’s a business. But I knew the (team) wasn’t going to trade me," Beal said.

Reactions To The Hornets/Wizards Trade

June 20th, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards and Hornets finalized the first trade of draft season this afternoon, with Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza heading to Washington in exchange for Rashard Lewis and a second-round draft pick. The deal could be a win-win, as the Wizards acquire two solid veteran rotation players that could help them become a playoff club in the near future, while the Hornets clear two expensive contracts from their books and create excellent long-term cap flexibility.

If I had to pick a winner, I like the Hornets' side a little more. Clearing out their two biggest contracts without giving up any other assets means the Hornets will be in great position to build around Anthony Davis, Eric Gordon, and the No. 10 pick in this year's draft, and could be a player on the free agent market this year or next. For Washington, I'm not sure if Okafor and Ariza are enough to put the team over the top in the short-term, and their contracts will make it difficult to make any other impact moves.

Here are a few more reactions and quotes on the deal….

Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld on the trade: "We are pleased to add two more solid pieces as we continue to build our roster with a balance of proven veterans and the core of young talent that we have developed. Emeka's defensive presence and rebounding ability will combine with Trevor’s versatility to add new dimensions to our frontcourt, and both players fit in very well with the type of team-first culture that we have been working to establish."
Asked why he dealt Rashard Lewis for two lengthier contracts rather than simply buying out the veteran, Grunfeld told Michael Lee of the Washington Post (Twitter link) that the buyout money would have gone toward a player who didn't contribute anything. Okafor and Ariza may be overpriced, but they should still be solid contributors.
Grunfeld added (Twitter link) that the move doesn't affect the team's draft plans, though the widely-held belief is that it opens the door for the Wizards to draft Bradley Beal at No. 3.
Hornets GM Dell Demps on the trade: "We are rebuilding our team and this is one step in our new direction. This trade will provide an opportunity for our young players to develop and create flexibility to add to our core group moving forward."
Zach Lowe of SI.com doesn't love the trade for the Wizards since he doesn't think Washington is good enough to play the "win now" game and believes the move limits the team's ceiling.
The move is much riskier for the Wizards than the Hornets, writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, who says Grunfeld and the Wizards were under pressure to improve the roster by the team John Wall is eligible for an extension.
Trading Okafor could open the door for the Hornets to draft big man Tyler Zeller at No. 10, says John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times Picayune.
Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops thinks the move could allow the Hornets to pursue players like Ersan Ilyasova, Kris Humphries, Lou Williams, or Jamal Crawford in free agency. I'd be surprised if the Hornets pursue many major outside free agents this summer — I think they'll hold onto their cap space until next summer, when they'll be in position to clear even more room.

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Wizards Acquire Okafor, Ariza For Lewis

June 20th, 2012 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The New Orleans Hornets have traded Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Rashard Lewis and the No. 46 pick in the draft, reports Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com (via Twitter). The Wizards have officially announced the swap in a press release.

Schmitt Boyer On Cavs’ Free Agency, Draft, Varejao

June 16th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Sean Highkin

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer has posted a new mailbag column, covering various topics surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold the fourth overall pick in the June 28 draft. Relevant points below:

Draft Rumors: Hornets, Barnes, Cavs, Bobcats

June 7th, 2012 at 3:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets may be looking to find a way into the first round of this month's draft, but a number of teams are considering moving their first-rounders. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter), every club besides the Cavs that has multiple first-round picks is trying to trade one of them for a young player. The Blazers, Celtics, Warriors, Rockets, and Hornets all fit the bill, with two first-rounders each. Let's round up a few more of today's draft rumors….

Teams inquiring on the 10th overall pick are being told by the Hornets that taking on a contract like Emeka Okafor's or Trevor Ariza's won't be enough to land the pick, tweets ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

Southwest Notes: Okafor, Spurs, Odom

May 4th, 2012 at 9:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

The three Southwest Division teams that made it to the playoffs find themselves in three different positions at the moment. The Spurs look to take a 3-0 lead on the Jazz tomorrow in Salt Lake City, while the Grizzlies rebounded from their collapse in Game 1 against the Clippers to even that series at 1-1. The Mavs, meanwhile, are staring at the historically impossible 0-3 hole against the Thunder. Here's the rest of what's up in the Southwest:

Hornets coach Monty Williams says Emeka Okafor's recovery from a knee injury that ended his season will help determine the team's long-term plans for the center, John Reid of the Times-Picayune reports. Earlier today, Luke Adams wondered whether the Hornets would use the amnesty clause to waive Okafor this summer as he previewed the team's offseason.
In a Q&A on FIBA.com, Manu Ginobili says he thinks depth has been critical to the success of the Spurs this year (hat tip to Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News).
Thunder point guard Derek Fisher believes former teammate Lamar Odom is headed in the right direction as he looks to move past this year's lost season with the Mavs, as Jeff Caplan ofESPNDallas reports.

Hornets Rumors: Kaman, Ariza, Okafor, Jamison

March 15th, 2012 at 12:30am CST by Luke Adams

Chris Kaman is still the most likely trade candidate for the Hornets, but John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune says any of New Orleans' veteran players are available for the right combination of draft picks and expiring contracts. Here are a few more of Reid's Hornets rumors:

New Orleans is listening to offers on Trevor Ariza, though Ariza's agent David Lee said Wednesday he hasn't heard about any trade scenarios involving his client.
The Hornets backed out of trade talks with the Cavaliers involving Emeka Okafor and Antawn Jamison, since Cleveland insisted on acquiring one of New Orleans' two 2012 first-round picks. The Hornets continue to try to trade Okafor though.
There remains speculation that Mike Dunleavy, who is part of the group trying to buy the Hornets, may want to keep Chris Kaman around past this season. I can't see that having a major impact on the team's Kaman decision though, since the Hornets are still owned by the league for now.