Emeka Okafor Traded to Hornets for Tyson Chandler

Just in from our friends at the mothership, ESPN, Tyson Chandler has just been traded from New Orleans to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor.

This trade is huge for the Hornets, who were dominated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2008-09 NBA playoffs. Tyson Chandler, while injured during the series, and was about 75 percent when he did play, could not make it up and down the floor, and really isn't that agile when healthy either.

Chandler's career numbers are 8.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks, in eight seasons as a pro. In comparison, Okafor averages 13 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in his five year career.

Chandler has reached his ceiling, and has some injury problems to worry about, while Okafor is young, he is already a better player than Chandler, and could still improve.

Okafor will benefit the Hornets because he can play down in the post, adding a better option to pile up assists with, and he is an improvement on defense as well. Okafor, at 6'10" 255 pounds, isn't as tall as the 7'1" Chandler, but he outweighs him by 20 pounds, giving Okafor the beef to battle with a center like Nene from the Nuggets (6'11" 260 pounds).

Okafor though, is in the second year of his six-year, $72 million deal, and Chandler is owed over $25 million over the next two years, but $13.2 million of that can be cancelled early in 2010-11.

So, for the Bobcats, it was a salary dump, in anticipation of the many jewels of the free agent market coming next year. LeBron in a Bobcat's jersey?

I think not.

For the Hornets, this is a genius move, maybe the one that pushes them over the top in the ridiculously tough west. A post player, something David West nor Peja Stojakovic are, and a rough defender, something the Hornets were void of before this trade.

Finally, look for the Hornets to improve around five games (from our friends at the ESPN Trade Machine) in the win column giving them a record of 54-28, the same as the second (Nuggets), third (Trail Blazers), and fourth (Spurs) place teams last year.

Meaning, the Hornets are a true contender to win the West right now.