May 22, 2013

New Orleans trades Okafor and Ariza to Washington

June 20, 2012 by 28 Comments

The Cavaliers have been rumored to be feeling out the Hornets for a trade at the number ten spot. New Orleans was insisting that any deal made would have to include the contracts of Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor.

That deal is out of the question now.

The Hornets traded Okafor and Ariza to the Washington Wizards for Rashard Lewis and the 46th pick in the draft.

It could also signal that the Wizards are ready to use the third pick on Florida G Bradley Beal. This is good or bad news depending on who you would rather see the Cavaliers get at four. It could mean that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will fall to four. It could also mean the top three are Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist and Beal.

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  • Natedawg86

    Hoping Jordan likes Robinson…

  • mgbode

    my initial thoughts on hearing this made me think that #10 is out of the running + NO wants Beal as well.

    but, thinking about it further, they could still want T.Robinson. There are lots of SGs available at #10 (possibly J.Lamb + Waiters + Ross + Rivers). They got the bump at SF now with Ariza (to go with Singleton and Vesely). And even with Nene/Okafor/Blatche/Booker they still need a frontcourt player who is good at both ends of the court.

    I think T.Robinson + best SG available makes them a backend playoff team in the East (which seems to be their goal by tying up their cap w/ those contracts)

  • Jaker

    and there goes my dream of okafor and 10 for 24 and walton

  • @wes_ryan

    worst case scenario: realized

  • Harv 21

    ok you baller experts, how does this benefit Washington? Don’t have to pay Lewis last year of big contract, NO gets his expiring. Ariza is ok, Okafor is decent, both have big contracts .. but what’s the main point from Wiz side?

  • NonDairyKreemer

    The #10 wasn’t involved. It’s still Washington at #3 and NO at #10. Now that Washington has SF covered with Ariza, Beal at #3 is probably a lock unless Washington (for some strange reason) trades out of the spot. I don’t see them adding another 4/5 player at #3 when SG is the biggest hole left in that lineup.

    It’s probably MKG or Barnes at #4 for the Cavs. And hopefully they are in that order on Grant’s list.

  • mgbode

    doh, don’t know how I screwed that up, yes they don’t have the #10. thanks.

    still, Crawford was okay at SG, though I agree it’s a bigger hole than PF. they could take Barnes and move him to SG as well (I think Barnes as a SG is the best chance for him to be elite)

  • mgbode

    hoopshype noted that NO can waive Rashard and save $10mil of the $24 owed to him? so, the savings are purely NO’s way.

    best I can think is that the Wiz really, really want to be a playoff team and don’t care if they are true contenders or not. this trade makes them better in the short term and provides more overall depth. really hamstrings them moving forward.

  • Jack

    Trade with Charlotte to ensure Beal. Need swagger.

  • NonDairyKreemer

    I agree, someone could take Barnes and move him to SG. I know his combine was off the charts, but from actual game performance, I don’t know if he has the lateral quickness to defend quicker SGs on the perimeter. But then he also has a considerable size advantage, so who knows? And the rumor is that he’s received a promise from someone in the top four. It could be Washington.

    In that scenario, I think I still like MKG over Beal if both are available for the Cavs, but it’s much closer than MKG vs. Barnes.

  • Pat

    Wow…what…huh…? How does this help the wiz?

  • Lunch

    Beal possibly going to Washington? Sad Panda! :(

  • Mike E

    There is no way Barnes is a SG in the NBA.

  • mgbode

    I disagree completely. Barnes incredibly optimistic ceiling is Kobe. he is lankier and smooth for a bball player, which plays better at SG than SF (more rough and tumble position). SG gives him an advantage in length he wouldn’t have at SF.

    his biggest weakness is his handle, but it has to improve in either slot to achieve his ceiling.

  • Dinner

    Lunch, look on the bright side, the Cavs fans will want the team to tank intentionally again so that they can draft Shabazz Muhammad in next years draft. No biggie!

  • MrCleaveland

    This will sound contradictory, or perhaps just stupid, but despite wallowing in money, the NBA is one of the most screwed-up businesses around.

    In no other field of commerce do employers eagerly sign employees to staggeringly rich contracts and then try like hell to dump these contracts after a few years. This is insane.

    Also, these owners give obscene amounts of money to selfish, petulant divas who won’t listen to coaches, won’t play team ball, and absolutely don’t care if they win or lose.

    The owners deserve the screwing they give themselves.

  • MrCleaveland

    Of the three major sports, the object of basketball — to put a ball through a hoop — seems the most pointless.

  • Dinner

    Wow!! Even nbadraft.com agrees with me. (as of 6/20/12):

    http://nbadraft.net/2013mock_draft

  • Believelander

    I am mildly disappointed. We are awash in cap space, and if Ariza and Okafor’s contracts could have helped us improve our draft, both of these men are solid as contributors and depth at areas of need, also.

  • Believelander

    Okafer and Ariza both expire not after the upcoming season but the one after. The Wiz now have some depth contributors who aren’t old, and a few top end draftees over the last several seasons. Right around the time Washington’s young core, including next week’s pick, hopefully matures into a dynamic championship core, the guys who may help those youngsters get playoff experience now will come off the books and make room for potential FA acquisitions.

  • Believelander

    Wouldve been great. Would have even been willing to suck up Ariza to boot if the money could have worked.

  • mgbode

    the Cavs drafted Drummond?

  • Believelander

    Don’t. Say. That. Our frontcourt would lead the NBA in upside and tragedy.

  • Steve

    It’s how the system is set up, it’s not the owners fault (well they do negotiate the CBA, so I guess it is, but indirectly). You have to give huge contracts out if you want to start/continue winning right now. If you don’t give them out, your cap space gets eaten up anyway until your big contracts come off the book. And since you can clearly trade almost any bad contract, its really not as much of a long-term hindrance as people make it out to be, so what’s really the worry?

  • mgbode

    true on the contracts though Ariza’s is a player option after ’13 for $7mil. a decent year and he could opt-out hoping to get a similar deal but more years.
    i think you are being quite optimistic on the projection, and even if you were correct the cap room that came off would be to pay the salaries of their young corps.

  • Steve

    That would be one of the worst things I could think of. Do we really like Eric Gordon that much?

  • swig

    As opposed to hit this ball with a stick and see how far you can run?

  • MrCleaveland

    Yes.