[khaled_a_dParticipant]

I think the Wizards should have asked for the 10th pick too

[WrecklessParticipant]

NBA source tells me Emeka Okafor and Trevor Arizona have been traded to the Washington Wizards for Rashard Lewis and the #46 pick (Per draftexpress via twitter)
Thoughts? The Wizards now take on huge salaries but they dump the salary of Rashard Lewis. I think its a bad move for Washington.
Also, does this means Beal to the Wizards and Barnes to the Cavs? Is is an MKG drop to Sacramento more realistic now?

[sksa4y5abw4tParticipant]

Looking more and more like the Hornets will take two big guys with their lottery picks now.

[rickybobbyParticipant]

 It looks like Beal a lock to go #3 now. A Wall/Beal/Ariza/Okafor/Nene lineup looks good and should be solid both offensively and defensivily.

[sksa4y5abw4tParticipant]

I was just about to say that lol yeah now the Wiz have Vesely, Ariza, Booker, Seraphin, Okafor, and Nene on their frontline. Beal seems like the best choice now at #3.

[benny15Participant]

i think they most likely did, but the hornets, rightfully so, declined knowing that theres not a lot of takers for Rashard despite his expiring contract status. the thought of paying him, even for one season of 20 million for his kind of production is very very hard to swallow. say what you want about okafor and arrizas contract, they still do more on the court. last year when Rashard was in washington, he had free reign to play his game and just couldnt produce close to what he was, and to make things worse, his production is mostly comming from one side of the court.

if this trade is true, then the wizzards in one season was able to swap Wall’s key teamates from Mcgee, Young, Blatche, and Lewis to Nene, Okafor, and Ariza. given the possibility that they draft Beal, they get a bench rotation of Crawford, Singleton, Vesley and Seraphin. lot of young talent surrounded by veteran presence with a lot of good defensive players on that rotation.

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Hornets win this trade.  They will have tons of cap space in a year now.  They could be a major player in free agency after next season.  This trade will certainly please Eric Gordon.

I am not sure exactly why the Wizards do this.  Ariza and Okafor combined make about as much as Lewis (obviously since the trade works) and each of their contracts last for two more years rather than just one.  That seems like a steep price for the 46th pick.  Why couldn’t they get a better pick or young piece than the 46th pick.  Plus, the Wizards already have Nene and Seraphin at center.  This trade may help the Wizards win over the next year, but it hurts them as a player in free agency.

I am guessing the Wizards have more deals on the table, but I don’t know how this trade works.

[joecheck88Participant]

 Yea, I really like what the Wizards are doing. Nene, Okafor, & Ariza aren’t guys that will help them win in the future but are pros that will help mold this young talent. This team is more than 2 years away from thinking about contending so the money doesn’t matter. I think they need a vet PG to help mold wall. To push him in practice with veteran savvy. Someone like Derek Fisher or maybe Keyon Dooling. 

[sksa4y5abw4tParticipant]

I wouldnt be surprised if Okafor moves again before the start of the 2012-2013 season. Call it a hunch.

[220Participant]

It’s a win win. Washington knows they aren’t going anywhere too quickly and the Hornets get out of their bad contracts a year sooner. Washington also gets two useful players for one they weren’t even playing.

[joecheck88Participant]

 Yea, I really like what the Wizards are doing. Nene, Okafor, & Ariza aren’t guys that will help them win in the future but are pros that will help mold this young talent. This team is more than 2 years away from thinking about contending so the money doesn’t matter. I think they need a vet PG to help mold wall. To push him in practice with veteran savvy. Someone like Derek Fisher or maybe Keyon Dooling. 

[220Participant]

Both Okafor and Ariza are more useful players than Rashard Lewis at this point in their careers and the Wizards badly need some players from winning cultures. Both of them should benefit greatly from having a good point guard around in John Wall. He’s certainly not as good as Chris Paul at this point in his career but he has the makings of an All Star point guard. Both of their shooting percentages should go up getting some easy fast break dunks.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

Hate to say it, but the Wizards will still lose a lot of games next year.  Veterans can be picked up through free agency for much less money that Okafor and Ariza will make.  Improving the team chemsitry for one year won’t matter if they can’t aquire impact players to help them actually contend.  

[don042488Participant]

The Wizards are really trying to have a more mature team, but Okafor & Ariza weten’t thr answer…The Hornets won this trade…They can amnesty Lewis, resign Gordon, resign Kaman or make a run at Hibbert, and still have enough to go after a small forward like Nicolas Batum

[Winning_TimeParticipant]

 I feel like T-Rob takes a slide if the Bobcats don’t draft him, I think he may even slide down to Golden State. CHA- In my mind they take Barnes over Robinson, they started Maggette and I’m guessing Biyombo will play more. WAS- Beal is pretty much a lock at 3 now. CLE- No way they pass up on MKG at this point, and if they did I think they would go for more size with Drummond next to Thompson rather than T-Rob. SAC- I think they are possibly the only team that drafts T-Rob before GS unless they wanted to go huge with Drummond which I could see, plus if Cousins wants a trade they may want a backup plan with Drummond. POR- would address the guard position before the PF. Then there’s Golden State. What do y’all think? Could T-Rob slide that much just from one team not picking him?

[mj23mj23besteverParticipant]

 not sure what the wiz are thinking here great trade for the hornets freeing up those 2 big contracts bringin in okafor and ariza actually stunts the developement of the wiz young players like vesley booker seraphin and singelton just a terrible trade for the wiz

[JordoParticipant]

 As a fan it’s finally good to see a guy that got paid 40 million the last 2 years and was always hurt and not productive gone…but it came with a price. Wizards still have a Amnesty clause though…

[OldSkoolBasketballParticipant]

Hm I think Hornets might grab Leonard with the 10th pick and pair him with Davis. Looks pretty good on paper. 

[vulture711Participant]

 What’s the win for the Hornets ?  Lewis can’t play and the 46th pick is useless – and for that you give away two pretty good players

[King CaluchaParticipant]

The Hornets get cap space. Now they can sign more productive players with the same amount of money. But first, they have to let Lewis go.

[benny15Participant]

they get cap space and the allure of possibilities to come with it.

[lilballa141Participant]

after initially reading that i was like..wtf new orleans? i understand the salary dump but u gave up omeka and ariza … for a guy who can barely hit a three anymore…and thats his specialty..and really who wants to come to new orleans as a free agent when they already didn’t when CP3 was there. It looks like the hornets will take 2 big men but the way mocks are looking is it possible for damian lillard to fall to the hornets? 

[surveParticipant]

 I just saw on Forbes that Rashard Lewis is #88 on the top 100 highest paid athletes in 2012.  For basketball he is right after Deron Williams and a little before Pau Gasol.

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