Odom, Okafor, and Other Notes

by Jeff Clark on Jul 28, 2009 6:09 AM EDT in News/Links Comment 64 comments

More photos » by Brock Williams-Smith - NBAE/Getty Images

Center Swap

Some links and quotes from around the league rumors.

Odom meeting with Riley, Wade - CBSSports.com

Reporter Jim Hill of the CBS-TV affiliate in Los Angeles reports that Odom was scheduled to meet with Wade and Riley on Monday in hopes of finalizing the talented sixth man's departure from the defending champion Lakers. This comes after Wade escalated his recruitment of Odom on his Twitter account over the weekend, urging Odom to "come back to where it started for both of us.

Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat continues recruitment of Lamar Odom in LA - ESPN

One team source confirmed Monday that Lakers owner Jerry Buss, after pulling his initial offer off the table on July 14, is now offering "less" than the original three-year, $27 million deal that he withdrew when Odom pushed for a fourth year.

Sources: Hornets set to get Okafor for Chandler - ESPN

The New Orleans Hornets have agreed in principle to a trade that will send center Tyson Chandler to the Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor, signaling an unexpected shift in thinking that suggests New Orleans does plan to try to keep up with the contenders and spenders in the Western Conference.

Deseret News | Boozer says he doesn't plan to return to Jazz

Carlos Boozer has been rumored to be headed anywhere from New York to New Jersey to Detroit to Houston for the 2009-10 season. But the power forward has made it more than clear in recent weeks that he'd like playing in Chicago and that he'd really, really love playing in Miami next year. So, can he envision himself returning for a sixth season in Utah? When asked a similar question Monday by a Miami sports-radio host, the Jazz power forward-for-now gave a simple, four-letter, two-word response: "Um, no."

NETS EYE DAVIS TRADE; KNICKS, NATE IN LIMBO - New York Post

Maybe an inventive deal could be devised involving three teams. The Nets have a couple of trade exceptions from the Vince Carter deal that could come into play. The Celtics likely want a big man in return, the Pacers want a wing.

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Comments

as i pointed out yesterday ~

i have reason to believe the Cs are in on the Boozer situation, and considering both the Nets and Cs denial of a direct sign and trade, not to mention the points made here yesterday about Yi’s value to the Nets financially, i predict we see Boozer go there, Baby and change go to Utah, and Yi and Dooling come to the Cs.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 7:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just don't see it

Not only has Boston never been mentioned as a destination for Boozer, but there’s two inherent flaws with your hunch:
1) No way the Celtics pay Boozer that kind of money to be a 4th big, and..
2) “Baby & changed” would net a bench player in a trade. There’s no way that even comes close to equating to Boozer, an all-star.

by TomHamilton30 on Jul 28, 2009 7:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

three points

1) it’s not a hunch — i know Danny has been talking with Utah and trying to participate ina Boozer deal;
2) i’m talking about Boozer to Jersey;
3) Utah has poor leverage on a one year rental of Boozer right now.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

to be clear

do you have information not published elsewhere? or are you basing this off published reports?

thanks

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Jul 28, 2009 8:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i have information not published elsewhere

you can take it with the usual grain of salt if you like. but it’s indeed true. no details — could be to get him directly, could be to facilitate using baby. i suspect the latter.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but considering the teams that want boozer...

it makes plenty of sense. for example, haslem would be a good fit here, but baby nets the jazz a better investment than the haslem / dorrell wright deal the heat have been wasting their breath on offering utah.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ok i originally misread

For some reason I thought your post was that Danny wanted Boozer. Spend 19 hours traveling yesterday so I’m still too tired to read apparently lol.

That seems to make some definite sense, and I’d be for it.

by TomHamilton30 on Jul 28, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wouldn't rule out Boozer becoming a Celtic

why not? they’re going all in for number 18 THIS year.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

but not going for broke

No team would pay Boozer’s salary so he can be a 4th bigman. I just don’t see it. They’d be better of spending that money on a great SG/SF to backup Pierce etc.

by TomHamilton30 on Jul 28, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

for one year?

why not? minus baby’s potential salary it’s about 8mil.

if it helps win a championship it’ll be worth every penny to ownership.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want some sources. They sound crazy fun.

…or, do you stalk Danny Ainge? I mean, don’t get me wrong, that’s cool… hook us up with the info.

by stevenfuzz on Jul 28, 2009 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

sorry, no can do

but it is a first hand source (i.e. not a reporter or speculator)

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yi and Dooling are all we can get ?? !! OMG

by 33-32-00 on Jul 28, 2009 8:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i would only feel better if the nets were to throw in their first round pick as well

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yi and Dooling for Baby?

who do you think Baby is, Dave Cowens?

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought G-vitis Swift was Dave Cowens: only taller, tattooed, and without the talent.

Oh snap Swift.

by stevenfuzz on Jul 28, 2009 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okafor Chandler

Makes zero sense for Charlotte. Has MJ lost his mind? He couldn’t get an expiring contract for Okafor, or at least someone who is uninjured and can actually play?

My goodness. Okafor, Diaw and Bell for everyone on the Celtics named Allen would have gotten rid of TWO long contracts for expirings and would have made the team’s payroll structure much more attractive to potential buyers.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 7:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah MJ is awful as a GM

I just don’t get it either. If this were a fantasy league I would be obligated to veto that trade.

by TomHamilton30 on Jul 28, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly what i thought. okafor is 3x times better then chandler who barely has any offsense skills and never seems to be get rid of injuries one after another

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good Lord, MJ makes Chris Wallace look like Red.

by CoachBo on Jul 28, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

bob johnson is losing money and wants to sell the team

sure MJ wants to buy it, but he doesn’t have the money. so okafur’s injury history and long-term contract are clearly an issue here.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 8:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, But....

Chandler has two years remaining for big money and is injured. You may recall that the Hornets tried to trade Chandler to OK City for nothing, and OK City turned the deal down.

Charlotte should have done much, much better. Okafor is a good player.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

a fair point, though...

~ chandler if healthy would fit very well in larry brown system and is about 3 inches taller than okafor;

~ okafur also has a tricky injury history;

~ in this environment trading big contracts for a guy with that injury history and a questionable low-post game can’t be easy.

all said, i think jordan is indeed an aweful GM and his sideways moves have never made sense to me. i don’t really get this for either team.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe MJ could buy it if

he played a round of poker with Antoine Walker and Charles Barkley.

by VtCeltics on Jul 28, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I suspect that the order came from above him.

by BudweiserCeltic on Jul 28, 2009 8:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

larry brown is probably gon freak out. or maybe he did so already.

so maybe come to the Cs as an asistant coach? im kidding.

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

iirc he almost came here two years ago

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Larry Brown will only trade for talent.

Brown doesn’t understand the cap/financial side of trades, that much is 100% clear after the moves Charlotte has made over the past 12 months.

by Who on Jul 28, 2009 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i posted this yesterday in another thread

NO is said to be in bad financial trouble and in salary dump mode. getting okafor saves them $1.3m BUT….

here’s an idea although a long shot….

hornets and bobcats trade happens(chandler for okafor), okafor makes $10.5m, we trade baby and scal/tony for him. hornets can take back 25% less in trade. it gives us a defensive PF who is a great rebounder and shot blocker and frees up $4.2m for the hornets while making them younger

im gonna be all up on you like a spider monkey!

by remembering9ergods on Jul 28, 2009 8:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not sure that works

with the S&T for BBD, don’t we have to discount his contract 50% on the way out? Tony and Veal are about 5.5 mill (ballpark). to get to within 25% of Okafur, we’d have to sign BBD to about 4.2 mill. Not sure NO would take only 1 serviceable player for Okafur and that one player is a major dropoff in talent.

Would probably need to throw in Pruitt to make BBD’s contract more reasonable and give NO the opportunity to cut him before 8/1 so that they save even more $.

Still can’t see NO making that move but I do like it from the C’s perspective (naturally).

by slamtheking on Jul 28, 2009 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have to agree and a question

I would have never given up Okafor for Chandler.

Doesn’t this never ending saga of the bouncing Big Baby have to end by August 1st? Good lord.

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Jul 28, 2009 9:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Why Does It Have To End by 8/1?

The only thing that needs to be resolved by 8/1 is Pruitt’s status.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

there are a number of unguaranteed deals that seem to have a trigger of 8/1

bowen, outlaw, pruitt, etc. but baby’s isn’t related, unless he’s traded as part of a deal for one of them.

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK thanks

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Jul 28, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does Anyone Seriously Believe...

That Lamar Odom is going to play in Miami for 60% of the money he was offered in LA? I don’t.

I also find it extremely strange that the Trailblazers are not in the Omdom sweepstakes.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 9:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

they have Aldrige as their 4/3 and outlaw as back so they dont really need players like odom

players like millsap who is tougher in the paint area is more appealing to them, i would guess

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Blazers spent their money on Andre Miller so they’re not a player in free agency anymore … unless they’re willing to give up some of that young talent in a sign and trade which looks highly unlikely.

I find it strange too. Portland should have signed Odom, then tried to trade Przybilla and change for a point guard who actually fits their style of play (Hinrich).

by Who on Jul 28, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No One Wants to Deal with the Blazers

After they threatened to sue everyone in the league over Darius Miles. It looks to me as though they’ve been blacklisted by the other 29 franchises and player agents as well.

Frankly I’m surprised that Andre Miller went there.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

true that

by aeternus on Jul 28, 2009 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You shouldn't be that surprised

I can’t imagine Miller had an offer within $10 million of what Portland gave him. Even though there’s a team option on the third year, that’s still about $14 million guaranteed.

I don’t care how shady the front office is, if they’ll overpay you by six million dollars, you take that deal.

by Black Bird on Jul 28, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Considering state taxes

even if the laker’s number seem higher, at the end, its pretty much the same money (when considering California and Florida taxes).

by Celtic Justice on Jul 28, 2009 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I doubt if taxes make up 40%

For starters, you can deduct state taxes paid on your federal return.

by Brickowski on Jul 28, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's like 7%

by ssspence on Jul 28, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it is 6 percent actually

by lakersbluedevil on Jul 28, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

odom would only be allowed to not pay tax for the home games. when players are on the road, they are taxed by the state.

The Florida & NBA Tax issue: Will He Be Saving a Ton of Money Because Florida Has No State Tax?

There also seems to be some major confusion by readers about the whole NBA state Tax issue. It truly is not as big of a deal as people would lead you to think – the players are taxed per game at the rates in the states they play. Meaning, when the Heat come and play the Lakers, Wade will get taxed at California rates. When the Lakers go to Dallas, they get taxed at Texas rates. Basically, to play in a state with no income tax impacts only 50% of your checks, and while there are some savings it???s not as dramatic as some lead to believe.

so the gap between the two contracts are very wide despite what espn wants you to think. the media continue to point out the “no tax” in miami, and don’t bother to go in depth. if they would people would know, its not that big of a deal.

by shoothoop on Jul 28, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Miami is Actually Offering More

Buss only offered 3yr/27 mil, and then pulled it off the table. There was no 4/36 or 3/30 option like others are reporting.

Miami on the otherhand, is willing to go beyond 30 mil in a variety of ways. Either 5yr/36 or 1yr full MLE followed by a bird rights extension. LA has never gone north of 30 mil and now is offering less than 27 mil.

If you’re Odom looking at the next 5 years of his career, essentially the last opportunity he has to make big $$ in his lifetime, the money over 5 years in Miami could be worth about 10 million more all things considered.

If he takes that 3yr LA deal (or the smaller one that is reportedly now on the table), years 4 and 5 will earn him significantly less when he is again in the FA pool. Considering the cap is shrinking, he’d be smart to take Miami’s guaranteed $$ now.

by D Dub on Jul 28, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope Danny is not part of the Lamar Odom sweepstakes

by johnnymost on Jul 28, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You mean

You don’t think it’s in the Celtics’ best interest financially to go after him, right? Luxury tax etc, right?

Cause we could possibly lock up Banner 18 if we didn’t have to give up too much manpower and/or money for him.

by Tai on Jul 28, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hello tai - Isn't there a balance in all of this???

while the goal is Banner 18, putting all your chips in the center of the table to win #18 with mostly aging veterans is not a long term balanced approach is it?.

You simply have to also plan for future years in cultivating and growing some young talent. For awhile we were too young as we slowly gathered chips and now we have pushed all those chips to the center of the table with a roster of mostly mid 30 year olds.

I am not saying I have any answers to this delimma, nor do I want the job, but it is a tough balance to find. Bringing in someone like Odom or Marbury while letting young talent like Davis slip away possibly is certainly risky for the long term. Tough choices and choices which have consequences no matter which way you go..

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Jul 28, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right on. Ainge has one eye on the future as well

I believe he wants to hold on to both Walker and Giddens if at all possible. He’s given up on Pruitt, IMO, but we will know for sure by Friday. That leaves a young core of Rondo, Perkins, Daniels, Walker, Giddens, not too shabby.

This team does not need Odom to win #18 with Wallace and Daniels incoming and likely a vet PG as well (maybe not looney bin Marbs but possibly Ty Lue). Scal is your 4th big until the trade deadline or maybe Baby gets resigned after all.

Bench:
Wallace
Baby
Daniels
House
Lue or Marbs

by Surferdad on Jul 28, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You don't think

we should try to help get him out of LA?

by aboubata on Jul 28, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Celtics Roster

All the rumors seem to be centering on sign and trades and finances. Many want every player on the free market to come to Boston. Take Odom for instance and also let’s, for argument sake, forget about age and player development. The one item I haven’t seen discussed is team chemistry. Not so much from the personal side, but from the roster side. We can only have so many high quality players. Forgetting BBD for the moment, how does a guy like Odom or Boozer fit in here. We might have the best starting five in the league. They don’t fit there. We had Sheed and Daniels and House as, imo, consistent bench players. (I may be forgetting someone). My point is that we need to bring in players who will fit our roster. A guy like Daniels is a middle of the road player and a terrific fit. We need middle of the road players to fill out the roster. There is such a thing as having too many Stars. If we do bring in players, we also need to move some out. The ones we would want to move out are not high on other team’s wish lists if they are looking to be competitive. Our team has improved tremendously with Sheed and Daniels and KG’s health. So in a way, our choices are also limited even though we still have needs. Just for completion I would love to see BBD back. His role diminishes with the acquisition of Wallace, but in a few years he will become more important to us.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Jul 28, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dude, off season means that all the rabid bored fans think about their team like it’s their fantasy team and dream up trades and ideas from there.

Although, to be fair, I believe this thread was talking about using Boozer in a three way trade to settle the Daniels or BBD situation, which makes more sense….

by stevenfuzz on Jul 28, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's All Fine And Good

But, I haven’t heard one Paul Pierce trade rumor. The machine must be broken.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Jul 28, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually just heard from one of my sources that Paul Pierce has got an offer from the clippers to play with Lebron next year. Of course, I can’t give away my sources. Let’s just put it this way, consider it done.

by stevenfuzz on Jul 29, 2009 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs