The Mild 'Cats: One-sided Okafor Trade Brings Charlotte Back To NBA Mediocrity

(Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

After the Charlotte Bobcats traded away their star center in Emeka Okafor for an oft-injured Tyson Chandler, many questions popped up across the NBA world. Why would Charlotte trade away a possible playoff spot for a possible setback?

Why now, when the team appears to be making some progress in the Eastern Conference after five years of mediocrity?

One thing is for sure though—the Bobcats are back to square one as a franchise, a team that is going to be left in the basement for another year while it attempts to build itself up again.

Since the return of basketball to Charlotte in 2004, the team has never made the playoffs, and until last year, was barely recognized at even attempting to make a leap into one of the lower spots. This past 2008-'09 season, they set a franchise record at 35-47 with signs of progress.

The team appeared to be in sync—it had its usual flaws as any team trying to get off the ground does, but nonetheless, it was proving itself as a competitor and even took a few games from the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Trading away Emeka Okafor is nowhere near the answer that the Bobcats were looking for, and in fact, set themselves back now with Tyson Chandler as its new starting center.

Comparing the two puts Okafor far out of Chandler's league. The former No. 2 overall pick has averaged a double-double throughout his five-year career, and has only had one injury-plagued season while not missing one game for the past two years.

Chandler, who was also a former No. 2 pick, has had only one season where he averaged double digits in scoring, and has never recorded a full season. This past season, he only played in 45 games where he averaged a little under nine points and nine rebounds per game.

Tyson can credit any of his success the past few season to New Orleans Hornet point guard Chris Paul, who constantly feeds Chandler for alley-oops night in and night out.

Okafor will be now be on the receiving end of those alley oops and will be experiencing the postseason for the first time, while Chandler will most likely experience nothing much after the regular season.

Emeka has been able to create his own shots, and with Paul as his new point guard, a huge jump in points could be expected out of the 6'10'' center.

This leaves the Bobcats with an injury-plagued center who has trouble creating his own shot. While the team does have a lot of young talent in players such as Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton, and DJ Augustin, Chandler will only keep this youthful team in the basement, not to see the light of day for a few more years.

With the entire Eastern Conference appearing to strengthen its roster, the Bobcats only weakened themselves and are now back to where they were five years ago.

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