• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Emeka Okafor Interest

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Randolphkeys

I'm Just Second-hand Strus
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Aug 20, 2005
Messages
36,534
Reaction score
93,224
Points
148
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/report-cavs-interested-emeka-okafor-201024664.html



According to a reporting from ESPN's Marc Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in free agent center Emeka Okafor, who in recent years has been troubled by injuries.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Cleveland Cavaliers are among a number of teams that are interested in free agent center Emeka Okafor. Okafor, 31, missed all of last season while recovering from a serious neck injury and likely won't sign until midseason. According to Stein, about half the league is interested in Okafor's services. Two teams that are interested are the Cavaliers and theMiami Heat.

"He'll be in high demand when he's back," a source told Stein. If he is healthy and can play - and that's a big if - Okafor would be a fit with Cleveland due to his shot blocking ability.

If healthy, Okafor would be highly useful to the Cavaliers. Even after acquiring Kevin Love from theMinnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland is thin in the front court and especially so at the center position.Anderson Varejao is currently pegged in as the starter and the Cavaliers also have Alex Kirk andBrendan Haywood under contract. Tristan Thompson can and likely will also see some significant time at center, particularly in small ball lineups.


Varejao, however, has a well-known history of injuries. Kirk, an undrafted rookie, struggled with the Cavs' Summer League team and might not even be with the team after training camp. Haywood, although only 34, missed all of last season with a stress fracture in his foot. Other options, such asGreg Oden or Ekpe Udoh, don't appear to be on the Cavs radar.
 
If he's healthy? Sure, why not.
 
Okafor is often thought about in negative terms because of what he didn't do. He didn't outplay the other top draft class center Dwight Howard. He didn't lead Charlotte as a franchise player out of the dregs. He didn't outplay Chandler in the Dallas/New Orleans trade.

What he does is defend and rebound at center very well. I thought he came into his own in Washington, but the injury derailed it.
 
He isn't even going to be ready to suit up until December at the earliest. It's more likely he'll sign a deal after the trade deadline. I'd take him at vet min, but I think that neck has ruined his career.
 
Okafor is often thought about in negative terms because of what he didn't do. He didn't outplay the other top draft class center Dwight Howard. He didn't lead Charlotte as a franchise player out of the dregs. He didn't outplay Chandler in the Dallas/New Orleans trade.

What he does is defend and rebound at center very well. I thought he came into his own in Washington, but the injury derailed it.

All about expectations and frankly I'm one of those guys who thought he'd better then he was. He was always considered a good rebounder and defender and that translated well to the NBA. Unfortunately, the flashes of a post game in the NCAA tournament with a nice turn around jumper in the post (ala McDyess) didn't translate. In fact, he just didn't do well on offense as his lack of consistent jumper on top of not developing a post game hurt against modern defenses which will pack the lane and a place a premium on spacing

Funny if had been drafted in the late lottery, he would have probably have been considered a good big (career PER of 17 with good defense). Reminds me in some ways as a better version of Tristan: offensively challenged big men who were drafted too high for their talent level. Okafur was better due to his size which probably finish inside a lot better then Tristan
 
The big takeaways for me from the article were Miami Heat and Cavaliers as front runners out of the ten interested teams, and our lack of interest in Ekpe NoGoh.

I can't get an accurate number on Miami's salary. I have no clear numbers on Birdman and Haslem. They might have more to offer Okafor than the minimum.

I see that Phoenix waived Okafor's cap hold. That limits what we can do in the way of a sign and trade.

The Cavaliers lack of interest in Udoh has been discussed, but here we see it from plugged in sources.
 
The big takeaways for me from the article were Miami Heat and Cavaliers as front runners out of the ten interested teams, and our lack of interest in Ekpe NoGoh.

I can't get an accurate number on Miami's salary. I have no clear numbers on Birdman and Haslem. They might have more to offer Okafor than the minimum.

I see that Phoenix waived Okafor's cap hold. That limits what we can do in the way of a sign and trade.

The Cavaliers lack of interest in Udoh has been discussed, but here we see it from plugged in sources.

All Miami can offer is the vet minimum at this point.
 
I've been pimping this guy for 2 months now. Why not sign him now, and let him rehab here ala Leon Powe.
 
I've been pimping this guy for 2 months now. Why not sign him now, and let him rehab here ala Leon Powe.

Perhaps... because of Leon Powe. :chuckle: Haywood is already a fifty/fifty shot for being able to resume his career. If Varejao goes down with a serious injury early in the season and Haywood can't play, The Cavaliers would be without an able bodied center and out of wiggle room.
 
The big takeaways for me from the article were Miami Heat and Cavaliers as front runners out of the ten interested teams, and our lack of interest in Ekpe NoGoh.

I can't get an accurate number on Miami's salary. I have no clear numbers on Birdman and Haslem. They might have more to offer Okafor than the minimum.

I see that Phoenix waived Okafor's cap hold. That limits what we can do in the way of a sign and trade.

The Cavaliers lack of interest in Udoh has been discussed, but here we see it from plugged in sources.

Manning was just repackaging Marc Stein's reporting. Neither Manning nor Stein said the Cavs were front runners. Stein just said that the Cavs and the Heat were in the mix, and he probably specifically mentioned them because of the obvious interest in the Cavs-Heat history/rivalry.

Interesting point about a possible sign and trade. Even if PHX has renounced Okafor, since they are still well under the cap (even if they were to re-sign Bledsoe for the max, which they aren't), I believe the rules still allow them to execute a sign and trade with the Cavs, presumably using the Utah guys, to offer him more money (Coon addresses this point, and it came up briefly in the Marion thread). I think it is highly unlikely this happens though since Okafor isn't ready to play yet, and there would be no incentive for PHX to do this unless they got something in return (unless they want one or more of the Utah guys).

As far as the Cavs' apparent lack of interest in Udoh, I just sense Manning is surmising this from lack of reporting connecting the Cavs with Udoh. Manning writes for Fear the Sword, and my understanding is he is based in Athens, and I never got the sense he is more plugged in than many contributors to RCF (apologies if I am wrong on that). Anyway, I'm not a fan of Udoh, and feel the Cavs can do better -- Stiemsma is still out there and has been working out for the Lakers.
 
Perhaps... because of Leon Powe. :chuckle: Haywood is already a fifty/fifty shot for being able to resume his career. If Varejao goes down with a serious injury early in the season and Haywood can't play, The Cavaliers would be without an able bodied center and out of wiggle room.

Exactly. We'd be screwed if we signed him now & Andy had his yearly injury early in the season.

I think they go Okafor (mid-season) if they're unable to trade for Mozgov.
 
I vote to bring back this big fella:

act_marreese_speights.jpg


Partly as a tribute to the classic AB #15.

In all seriousness, though, a move certainly needs to be made for someone. And it seems like it's in the works with this + the Mosgov rumors. I think we can count on picking up one more big man before this is all said and done.
 
Speights looks so intimidating, but he is a marshmallow.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top