Emeka Okafor

by Kantut on Apr 14, 2007 10:29 AM CDT

If the Bulls won't be able to get Oden or Horford in the draft, we could hope that Charlotte gets Oden and Chicago trade for Emeka Okafor. Maybe the Bulls' 1st round pick, Nocioni/Khryapa/Sweetney and Duhon will be enough. Okafor might be injury prone but he's more ready to contribute than any of the 2007 first round big men other (than Big Greg and Big Al). What do you guys think?

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We need a center

Tyrus is the Bulls starting Power Forward for the next ten years. Ben Wallace is at the end of his career. We need to draft or trade for someone who can take over the starting Center position within the next two years.

by Incognito on Apr 14, 2007 10:38 AM CDT reply actions

Okafor can play Center

He's done so quite well in Charlotte when healthy. You can compare him to a slightly taller Ben Wallace with more offense.

by Kantut on Apr 14, 2007 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe

He is listed at 6'10" an he rebounds very well. I suppose it could work but I would rather see them draft a project like Roy Hibbert 7'2" or Hasheem Thabeet 7'3" and let them develop under Wallace for a few years. Short centers are always swimming upstream and only a few have had long term success. Plus if we build through the draft we can keep our strong bench in place.

by Incognito on Apr 14, 2007 11:20 AM CDT reply actions

I really hope that Bulls advance in playoffs

Maybe the Bulls could win the championship! Wishful thinking? But the Suns might win it all with their group of Bigs all under 7 ft. If that happens, then having 7ft bigs might not seems so necessary, if you really can't obtain one the fits the bill.

by exult463 on Apr 14, 2007 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions

short centers.....

aren't necessarily "swimming up stream"...
Hakeem may have been listed at 7'+, but he was only 6'10", 'Zo is 6'10"... so I struggle to see how you're justifying this one... and if you wanna go back, Mikan was 6'10", and Bill Russell was 6'9"...

by peterbredenberg on Apr 14, 2007 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions

6'10

Do you have a link for Hakeem being only 6'10 because I think that would be pretty "big" news to anyone interested in the draft. There have been a few great centers that are 6'10 and under. However, an athletic guy who is 7'3

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/hasheemthabeet.html

has a better chance of dominating than a 6'10 guy. With that said Hakeem seems to be dropping in the pre-draft standings and maybe a deal could be put together to package our two second round picks and get him in the late first round. Then you could still trade our high first rounder and the bench for Okafor if that is what you want to do.

by Incognito on Apr 14, 2007 4:42 PM CDT up reply actions

He meant Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon.

That's my guess.

by tyger1147 on Apr 14, 2007 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Especially since Hasheem's name is Hasheem...

not Hakeem. Which would also be big news.

by tyger1147 on Apr 14, 2007 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions

probably just take him in the second

he's bean pole.

by bullshooter on Apr 14, 2007 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions

no haseem

hes played b-ball for all of like 3 years....we need someone who can produce now

by milesgmsu on Apr 14, 2007 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Not really...

We have two players, one a star now, one who will probably be a star that are under 22. While having someone produce "now" would help, any guy in the draft won't be a major factor on this team for at least 2 or 3 years. There's no reason to shirk talent for production "now". (this completely disregards the specific comments about Thabeet--I just don't think this team has to have someone to win "now")

by tyger1147 on Apr 14, 2007 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I'd love Hibbert

Maybe the stats don't back me on this, but he has seemingly gotten better and better each year playing at Georgetown. He's got a nice post game -- he's developed a real nice jump hook, and when smaller big men play against him, he's able to overpower them just by using a drop-step.

I'd be ecstatic if the Bulls got Hibbert. He would in no way be rushed into action as he'd have a year or two to 'ease' into the league under Wallace.

by CWSKeith on Apr 14, 2007 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm going to be ecstatic

when this shit is finally over and we can all stop talking about shit that's not in our control.

Obama 2008 Obama 2012

by Colossus @ Blog a Bull on Apr 14, 2007 11:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Fucking moronic retard....

But absolutely NOTHING that has to do with the Bulls is "in our control." Except for paying for the salaries with tickets and merchandise.

Sorry for the language (not really), but that was one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

by tyger1147 on Apr 15, 2007 2:44 AM CDT up reply actions

You're right....

let's just keep talking about this shit all day long. Day after day after day.....

That'll get a lot of production done.

Yep, you're a genius.

Obama 2008 Obama 2012

by Colossus @ Blog a Bull on Apr 15, 2007 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions

As I said...

As fans, talking about the Cubs in any manner is without production or without point or "out of our control". The statement defeats itself. So if you want people to stop talking about this, then they may as well stop talking about anything on here. I beg you to prove me wrong.

I did think, after I posted the original comment, that you may have meant "we" as in "the Bulls". This would excuse the absolutely stupidity of the comment, although put you in the class of obsessed-I'm-part-of-the-team fans. Which I suppose is fine. If you want to say that's what you meant.

But if you didn't mean "we" as in "the bulls", then your statement was pretty idiotic. :)

by tyger1147 on Apr 15, 2007 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't see that happening.

Okafor is too good to be traded even with Oden coming in because there's no way Wallace is going to stay with the Shitcats. They'd need to replace him somehow and that'd be Oden. Okafor would still be needed.

Obama 2008 Obama 2012

by Colossus @ Blog a Bull on Apr 14, 2007 11:59 AM CDT reply actions

Charlotte takes Durant not Oden

They need a star,a scorer, and a replacement if Wallace leaves.

by Scotter on Apr 14, 2007 1:12 PM CDT reply actions

agree

I think Mike would agree with taking the smaller player in the draft. It would be pretty ironic if Charlotte passed on Durant and he became a legend.

by Jesse07 on Apr 16, 2007 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions

No one is passing on Oden

Boston is also eyeing Durant but I doubt any team will pass on Oden. Charlotte needs help in the backcourt and might bite at a chance to draft SG Nicolas Batum along with a backup PG (Duhon) and a SF replacement for Wallace. Walter Herrmann could play PF while May and Brezec are their backup PF/Cs. How may more bigs do they need?

by Kantut on Apr 14, 2007 4:20 PM CDT reply actions

Sounds like a plan

Okafor and Oden would block too many shots. You can't win championships with a two really good bigs that do different things offensively, and play good defense. Charlotte would be crazy not to trade Okafor.

by Paxson Jackson @ Blog a Bull on Apr 14, 2007 5:00 PM CDT reply actions

I've never heard of that either?

Two guys who are great post-defenders, rebounders and block shots, and they'll both probably score 15-20 per game? That's just ridiculous. Whoda thunk of that?

by tyger1147 on Apr 14, 2007 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions

One big is enough

When was the last time two great big men went to the finals? Houston's pair of Olajuwon and Sampson reached the finals but since then, one big is enough. In 1993, Orlando traded Weber for Hardaway because they believed Shaq and C-Webb combo wouldn't work out. At least Shaq and C-Webb had differences in their game but Oden and Okafor have almost similar skill sets. We also traded Chandler because we don't need a Big Ben Lite.

by Kantut on Apr 14, 2007 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions

David Robinson and Duncan come to mind.

It's not that they don't work (really) it's more that it's rare that you get two guys who are very productive. Most teams struggle to get one "great" big, let alone two. Sure, if you're the Phoenix Suns, you don't want that, but pretty much anyone else...

They'll Brezac or May or whomever before they trade Okafor. I mean, by your logic, if things fall right, the Bulls should have no problem getting Oden. Memphis (Gasol), Boston (Jefferson), Milwaukee (Bogut/Villanueva), Portland (Aldridge, Randolph) all have productive bigs and won't draft Oden (or will at least trade one of those other guys).

by tyger1147 on Apr 14, 2007 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Forgot about SA

You're right. I forgot about Robinson and Duncan. Robinson, however was past his prime when Duncan came along. A short 1998-99 season helped keep the Admiral ready for the playoffs. In the Spurs' 2003 championship, Robinson was just along for the ride but did contribute in the plaoffs especially in the Finals. But for two young big men to coexist in their primes hasn't been a regular occurence.

by Kantut on Apr 14, 2007 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Right on

Too many rebounds and points in the paint could hurt the Bobcats.

by Paxson Jackson @ Blog a Bull on Apr 15, 2007 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions

don't forget

You can't win championships with all that defense in the paint, lol

by NY Chicago Fan on Apr 15, 2007 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Again....

...it's almost not at all can they exist in their primes (as a practical basketball matter), and almost solely about getting two young big men with very good all-around games. There just aren't that many. They are in short supply and thus command a high price. Not only that, but there just aren't that many.

You'll see a lot of past, old bigs on teams (Webber this year, Zo and Shaq, Malone and Shaq) because one will take less money to be on a better team.

But there just aren't that many where teams even have the chance to get two productive bigs.

Anyway, okay, you're right. Two bigs together in their primes doesn't work. All those other will trade away one if they get a chance to draft Oden. Of course.

by tyger1147 on Apr 15, 2007 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Kareem & Magic and Worthy

Bird, McHale and Parrish, Wallace and Wallace, Reed, DeBusher (Spelling)and Bradley. Gee, almost the rule.

On another subject,, the draft, I offer the following arguement. The Bulls are looking very much like the Suns. In the near future the matchup between the Bulls and Suns could look like this, without regard to traditional positions

Stoudemire Thomas
Merion Deng
Jones ?????
Bell Sefalosha
Nash Hinrich

Diaw Nocioni
Barbosa Gordon
Thomas Wallace

So who should the Bulls draft to fill the void--the most athletic, SF available. It also means they shouldn't/won't trade anyone.

by hlac on Apr 15, 2007 12:19 AM CDT up reply actions

suns

Thats a great comparison with the Suns. Skiles will prolly never implement D'antoni's offense, but the Bulls could pull it off if he did. And Tyus would be unreal in that style offense.

by ricky5483 on Apr 15, 2007 1:42 AM CDT up reply actions