ESPN: Hornets may package Collison with poison pill.

[MYoung23]

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-freeagency-100612/coaching-carousel

........The Hornets remain a leaguewide curiosity because, even after last season's virtual giveaways of Rasual Butler and Devin Brown to avoid paying luxury tax, New Orleans is back in tax territory with a projected payroll of more than $70 million in 2010-11.

So …

Rival executives will continue to try to convince the Hornets to make Chris Paul available in trades, pointing to the fact that Williams can simply slide the promising Darren Collison and his modest $1.4 million salary into that spot. When those teams get shot down, look for the Hornets -- based on the hints we've received from more than one exec -- to make Collison available as long as the interested party is willing to take back the cap-clogging contract of Emeka Okafor, James Posey or Peja Stojakovic with Paul's backup........

 

[Ziggie123]

Is that something the Cavs would be interested in? and at what price?

 

[DonGilbert]

Okafor and Collison? I'll take it....

 

[Man Called X]

Wait, they're seriously willing to give up Collison? Sign me up.

 

[elcheato]

I would love to get Collison, not to sure about taking Okafor but if it came down to taking him its a no brainer.. I wouldn't mind James Posey.. Think he just needs a change of scenery.

 

[Ziggie123]

what is the salary match the Cavs would have to meet?

 

[bubba52782]

I'd take collision and okafor's contact. He isn't great but is a decent defender and rebounds at an above average rate, but adding collison would be huge to putting talented youth around Lebron

 

[Chris]

I'd do this.

 

[Ziggie123]

Also, everyone says that Gilbert and Grant are looking to make a big move this summer. That doesn't seem to qualify but might nevertheless might be a good deal. Can Okafor still play?

 

[Otsego Mar]

what is the salary match the Cavs would have to meet?

Okafor makes $11.5 mil next year, then 12.5 the next, 13.5 the next, and 14.5 the next

Peja makes $15.3 mil next year and is an expiring.

Pose makes $6.5 mil and then 6.9.

 

[MYoung23]

I knew people would look at those bad contracts and pick the worst one.

 

[chrisrich91]

I knew people would look at those bad contracts and pick the worst one.

It's a catch 22. Okafor's got the worst contract, but as a player, disregarding money, he would be the best acquisition of him, Peja, and Posey. Okafor can be a really solid young backup center. I'm not going to pretend he can defend Dwight, because he can't, but you cannot deny he'd be a good backup C.

But that contract is God awful. At least Peja's would be a GIGANTIC expiring.

 

[MYoung23]

It's a catch 22. Okafor's got the worst contract, but as a player, disregarding money, he would be the best acquisition of him, Peja, and Posey. Okafor can be a really solid young backup center. I'm not going to pretend he can defend Dwight, because he can't, but you cannot deny he'd be a good backup C.

But that contract is God awful. At least Peja's would be a GIGANTIC expiring.

Okafor makes 50M over the next 4 years so you cannot disregard money. The no-brainer, if one would consider this, would be Posey. He allows you, if you believe Collison's 19-9 as a starter wasn't a fluke, to get the most desired player the cheapest.

 

[Quavvy]

Depends, MYoung. The more bad contracts we take on, the more payroll we can take on in the future in the form of even worse contracts!

I'm so excited, I think I might wet my pants.

 

[CBBI]

MYoung is 100% correct here.

Its Posey, then Peja, then Okafor in terms of desired contracts to take back and it really shouldn't even be an argument.

It amazes me how many people can't seem to grasp that Okafor sucks.

That said, I'm sure New Orleans isn't sacrificing Collison just to dump Posey's contract. That seems too good to be true.