Emeka Okafor Not Worth Keeping?

[BobCatsFanInTx]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns

Reading this article it really seems obvious the Bobcats are not the team Emeka describes. Not at least this season. He pretends to hope for a big signing here but I don't feel he desires remaining in Charlotte all that much. If MJ doesn't fire Sam "Fine Ham Biscuit," Vincent, I can't see any of the players wanting to remain in Charlotte.

I hope MJ soon goes if he insist on rewarding ineptitude. I can't wait to see what this team does in the draft! If FHB is kept the team may go after something FHB feels fits him as coach. In other words a dud!

I predict we will be STUCK with Emeka since he won't command the kind of money he thinks he is worth. Since he is inconsistent and uninspired most nights since FHB became coach that would suck for us. That is because I doubt FHB gets fired.

[Mustachio]

you know.. im starting to think that way too.

i think we will be able to resign Emeka a little cheaper than we all thought. which would be amazing.

he is a good player. not an all star and not gonna win us a championship alone. but say we wrap him up to a 4-5 year deal for decent money. then we never have to worry about that position for a while at least.

[MattD]

hmmm. Maybe, but what position are we talking about, pf or center? its been a big question as to what he plays and how long etc etc.

Also the lack of passion he showed on the court this season really disgusted me. I dont care about Vincent, you still have to work hard. I have since become disenchanted with Mek and want him gone.

I think his defensive presence is incredibly important, but with clever off season moves, we can be fine without him. I have my moves detailed in the trade thread.

Locking him up for several years will only guarentee one thing. We are begining to have to cap crunch, not something I am happy to do with only a mediocre player like Emeka. I mean hell, we could just have Mikki Moore or Rodney Turriaf play as solid low post d and get the points from somewhere else. Thats my main worry.

[ohara831]

AAAHHAAA!!! The answer at last!! It seems there was an issue with the way Coach was using him. I think it just got to him more than I imagined, or maybe any of us imagined.

I may have to reconsider resigning him if Vincent gets canned. He may come out and play like a Beast for us to prove his value.

Very interesting interview he gave.

[Slam]

If MJ keeps Buzz around I really think that no matter what sort of money we throw at EO50, he'll want out of Charlotte.

I think that Buzz has offended him that greatly.

[ammofan]

I dont know if Mek is worth it or not, honestly. He is DEFINATLEY not living up to being a former No. 2 Overall pick in the draft. I would say keep him if we get pick #3-down, because there is no way we could get Beasley. If we get Beasley i say we either just let Mek go all together and sign a free agent big man or do a sign and trade sending Mek away for another Big.

[TheBeagle]

If he isn't re-signed, where do they spend the extra money? I've flip-flopped on this issue the majority of the season, but I think re-signing him at a reasonable price is a top 3 priority for the season. Sure, his numbers have gone down, but I imagine it has to do with the coaching as much as anything else. Mek will always have stone hands, an awkward post game (probably, unless he actually got a coach who could teach the post), and won't demand the ball, but it could be so much worse; I mean really, there just aren't that many good true post players in the league anymore, so I'd just as soon keep Mek as "try out" somebody else. If there's a realistic scenario where we improve by not signing him, I'm all for it, but I'm not savvy enough (if there is such a thing; are there degrees of savvy? anway) to see that happening...

I dont know if Mek is worth it or not, honestly. He is DEFINATLEY not living up to being a former No. 2 Overall pick in the draft.

I don't know; there are so few guarantees in any draft, I don't know how you'd go about defining how a player lives "up to being a former No. 2 overall pick in the draft." One thing I believe is that Mek sure hasn't been a bust, or a disaster by any means. Has he been the franchise player he was billed as? No; but the organization is more to blame than Mek. I thought it was a great pick when Bernie traded up and got him, and I still do.

[murphman]

I've bumped this thread rather than start a new one to get everyone's opinion on Okafor's current value. I still don't think he is worth 12 million a year despite the fact that he answered one of his biggest questions marks by staying healthy all season. However his agent probably thinks differently. It appears he is thrilled with Larry Brown as the coach and the feeling is probably mutual. But what is he worth? Every GM admitted the Bobcat's offered him too much last year. Would he accecpt the same offer this year? I doubt it. Perhaps 12.5 million per? Still overpriced but I think the gap narrowed slightly this past season.

[ohara831]

I've bumped this thread rather than start a new one to get everyone's opinion on Okafor's current value. I still don't think he is worth 12 million a year despite the fact that he answered one of his biggest questions marks by staying healthy all season. However his agent probably thinks differently. It appears he is thrilled with Larry Brown as the coach and the feeling is probably mutual. But what is he worth? Every GM admitted the Bobcat's offered him too much last year. Would he accecpt the same offer this year? I doubt it. Perhaps 12.5 million per? Still overpriced but I think the gap narrowed slightly this past season.

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I agree he is not worth paying $13 mil/season. His true value is probably around $11 mil in my opinion, but if we compromised and gave him 6 yrs rather than 5, then maybe $11.5 gets it done? After that Contract was up, he'd be in line for another respectable payday, so it might work.

[Slam]

I'm guessing he'll get his $13 mil a year but it will be a short term contract - like 3 years with he 3rd being a player option.