More Emeka Okafor To Toronto Support

[Balls of Steel]

This is interesting. The idea of having a TPE is to get players from teams that are willing to UNLOAD CONTRACTS. Yes, Okafor is without a doubt overpaid. Yes, he's a bit robotic and not much of a scoring option. However, there are many factors that point to why he needs to be here in TO:

1. He's overpaid however, Colangelo's not the one who signed him. We're merely using the TPE for exactly what it is. Technically, Bosh is overpaid as the third banana in Miami so why is everyone freaking out about this?

2. He's the exact Center that we need - can score in the post, clog the laneway, block shots and rebound. Look around the rosters out there and there's not much like him! I mean you got Noah but we all know he's not going here!

3. We can slide Bargs at 4 and he can continue to camp out beyond the rainbow while Okafor will be in the post. Please stop looking at him and criticizing his offensive game. WE DON'T NEED OFFENCE!!! Also, remember that he worked with 2 of the fastest PGs in the game in NO - Paul and Collison. He's not there for speed and fastbreak points - no center in the league is there for speed and fast break points. ALSO, he's played all 82 games the past 3 season. We can't say that about Bosh now can we?

I feel that the recent development with Paul makes the Raps a partner in this. If we can somehow unload Calderon + TPE to get Okafor, why not. If BC can also land Wilson Chandler (SF) using the TPE, he will be God...

[planetmars]

I think the Raps should have gone after AJ when they had the chance, however we do need a defensive minded center that can score. I am not the biggest fan of Okafor's contract, but we have money to spend, Okafor is still young, and he can help Bargs out on offense by staying in the post. I also hate the idea of waiting for FA. Raptors will get burned. There is no way Perkins or Yao will come to Toronto. And Dalembert is no Okafor. We should not gamble on FA, it just won't work, trust me. A trade is the only way to get this team into the next level.

The problem that no body seems to realize is that why would NO want to get rid of Okafor? He is their only center. If we took him, then NO would have to use someone like David West or Darius Songaila at center, and they are both undersized big men. David West is more like a SF than a PF anyways. The only way I see NO accepting our TPE for Okafor is if we had some kind of a 3 way trade with another team that can offload a center. Also NO will want to keep Paul happy, and removing Okafor for nothing is just not going to work for him.

[Sam]

I think Okafor's contract is too long to make him worth picking up now. He's less of an obvious fit than Chandler and, as others have said, he reduces flexibility in coming years. You've got to take a long-term view with this team. Apollo's right that it's not our money but the cap (which is likely to get tighter with the new CBA) restrains even the richest teams. Orlando would've loved to have gotten something for Matt Barnes but nothing fit under their cap. Why tie you hands to the degree Okafor's contract will when he's got such big question marks?

Remember that guys like Joel Pryzbylla and, possibly, Nene will be FA's next summer. So will Tyson Chandler. I think the best route is to lay off for now. Everyone will have a better idea of which youngsters are likely to pan out next summer and that puts management in a better position to build with a plan. Given the length of his contract Okafor may well be available, even if New Orleans trades him this season.

[Own Up]

Okafor...it all depends on your vision for the Raptors:

1. If you want to be more competitive now, get Okafor. (And get bounced in the playoffs)
2. If you want the Raptors to grow and be more competitive later, be patient, save your cash, and see what's available before the trade deadline when there's more availability. (And most likely not make the playoffs, but continue to build a strong foundation that doesn't hamper your payroll, so that one day you'll have a contending team.)

[j bean]

There is a good reason Okafor is available without any takers.

[Apollo]

Okafor...it all depends on your vision for the Raptors:

1. If you want to be more competitive now, get Okafor. (And get bounced in the playoffs)
2. If you want the Raptors to grow and be more competitive later, be patient, save your cash, and see what's available before the trade deadline when there's more availability. (And most likely not make the playoffs, but continue to build a strong foundation that doesn't hamper your payroll, so that one day you'll have a contending team.)

Kleiza and Barbosa are both around Okafor's age. Both are going to play key roles. So you feel "one day" is within the next four seasons?

There is a good reason Okafor is available without any takers.

We don't know that.

[DanH]

I realize that and they get around it by splitting up the trade into seperate trades. It's happened many times in the past but is usually reported as one big trade. I understand it. Have read Larry Coon's FAQ many times. Thanks though, maybe my post could have been more detailed.

EDIT: Another thought. If Paul is on the way out and they want to rebuild then even grabbing TPE's and letting them expire could be in play for the Hornets.

They can't get around it any way but the way I showed - which does NOT preserve their large TPE, as you suggested in your original post. It shrinks and splits the large TPE into a 3M and two 5M TPEs, and there's no way around it. It was your suggestion that we could keep the large TPE and use the small TPE that was incorrect.

[Own Up]

@Apollo, re: "Kleiza and Barbosa are both around Okafor's age. Both are going to play key roles."

Yes, they will play key roles, but Kleiza and Barobosa don't have $11.5-14.5 million contracts.

"So you feel "one day" is within the next four seasons?"

As for "one day" and when it is...if I could tell you that, I wouldn't be tapping away here on the keyboard while I'm supposed to be studying. I'd be getting ripped/praised on forums.

[j bean]

Kleiza and Barbosa are both around Okafor's age. Both are going to play key roles. So you feel "one day" is within the next four seasons?



We don't know that.

We know that he has been available for a month without any takers which says something doesn't it?

[Raptor4Ever]

Okafor...it all depends on your vision for the Raptors:

1. If you want to be more competitive now, get Okafor. (And get bounced in the playoffs)
2. If you want the Raptors to grow and be more competitive later, be patient, save your cash, and see what's available before the trade deadline when there's more availability. (And most likely not make the playoffs, but continue to build a strong foundation that doesn't hamper your payroll, so that one day you'll have a contending team.)

Ok, Lets take the 2nd option. Now, tell us who are in your list that you think Raptors should go after as their starting center.

Then we can see how realistic is their availability.

I don't think there are that many centers in this league who are good rebounder and defender and have a reasonable contract and are or will be available !!

[Own Up]

Ok, Lets take the 2nd option. Now, tell us who are in your list that you think Raptors should go after as their starting center.

Then we can see how realistic is their availability.

I don't think there are that many centers in this league who are good rebounder and defender and have a reasonable contract and are or will be available !!

I don't know.

The $14.5 million TPE lasts for a whole year and may wind up being more valuable at the trade deadline when teams find themselves out of the race and looking to shed salaries, than it is worth now in the summer when teams are either pretty happy with what they have now or are looking to dump contracts now, and as you said, there's not much available right now.

So again, as I said to Apollo, if I had an NBA crystal ball, I'd be able to tell you who will be in or out of the playoffs this year, and I could tell you who would be available today by trade deadline. As I'm not privy to such a mystical entity, I'm unable to tell you who the Raptors should go after. Give me 6-8 months, please, and then the crystal ball that I do possess will come more into focus.

Bottom line: if you're retooling, i.e., looking at success down the road rather than immediately:

a) take a chance on Okafor's big $52 for 4 years contract, or
b) you can do what you haven't been able to do while Bosh was around, which was to immediately bring in any and all pieces to satisfy one guy, but instead stand pat with that big $14.5 million TPE and see who's available come trade deadline.

Perhaps being patient may pay off with a better player for the Raptors, esp. seeing first how they come together and gel as a team (if they do at all) to see what kind of centre we need, rather than satisfying our instant-gratification side to get something done asap. Just my 2 cents.

[Bendit]

Is no one giving Dwayne Jones (who?) ...you know? the other guy in the Hedo trade...a chance here? Of course not starting material else he wouldnt be a throwin...but I havent seen him mentioned at all in all the discussions re the centre position.

This guy had the rebounding record in the D League and was a pretty good shot blocker in college. His team (w/Jameer Nelson, Delonte West and him ) went deep in the ncaa tournament...and he was signed to backup Lopez on the Suns last year. Just saying. He might not be an absolute scrub.

Does anyone have anymore details about him? I read where he is working out w/Davis.

[black angus]

Is anyone else curious as to why Dalls signed Haywood and traded for Candler this summer - they now have two legit starting centres, who will be fighting for plyaing time. Either one would fit in with the Raptors. Are they looking to see how things pan out during the season and then dump one of them at the trade deadline? Or is one just an insurance policy for the other?

[grindhouse]

I wouldnt take him chris paul for sure doesnt want to be here.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Is anyone else curious as to why Dalls signed Haywood and traded for Candler this summer - they now have two legit starting centres, who will be fighting for plyaing time. Either one would fit in with the Raptors. Are they looking to see how things pan out during the season and then dump one of them at the trade deadline? Or is one just an insurance policy for the other?

I think it is a combination of adding quality depth and unloading a bunch of crap (useless players / bad contracts) on Charlotte

[Raptor4Ever]

I don't know.

The $14.5 million TPE lasts for a whole year and may wind up being more valuable at the trade deadline when teams find themselves out of the race and looking to shed salaries, than it is worth now in the summer when teams are either pretty happy with what they have now or are looking to dump contracts now, and as you said, there's not much available right now.

Fair Enough. So let me re phrase my question:

Lets put the availability of the centers to the side, Name few centers in the league who are solid rebounder and defender that you like to see as a Raptor ?

Then, we can look at their salaries.

So Come on People, start to the list

[Raptor4Ever]

Is anyone else curious as to why Dalls signed Haywood and traded for Candler this summer - they now have two legit starting centres, who will be fighting for plyaing time. Either one would fit in with the Raptors. Are they looking to see how things pan out during the season and then dump one of them at the trade deadline? Or is one just an insurance policy for the other?

Because to compete with Lakers you need length and toughness in your ftont court. Plus, with Tyson, the injury is always an issue so Dallas wanted to have some insurance.

Dallas is a team that has to WIN NOW or it is going to be late in 2 years.

[Own Up]

Lets put the availability of the centers to the side, Name few centers in the league who are solid rebounder and defender that you like to see as a Raptor ?

Then, we can look at their salaries.

So Come on People, start to the list

perhaps this would be better as a new thread.