November 11th, 2007 
CJ 
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A question that has been bounced around is about the recent news of Charlotte Bobcats forward-center Emeka Okafor declining to sign the, in my opinion, very generous contract extension offered to him.? The question is simple:? Why?
The reaction, as would be expected, is shock, both from Bobcats management and scouts from around the NBA.? I would be surprised too, especially since the extension ($12 million a season for a undetermined length of time) is a major upgrade from what he currently earns as a Bobcat ($5.4 million a season).
There’s risks involved, to be sure: by and large, unlike NFL and MLB contracts, NBA contracts are guaranteed.? I cannot say for certain if Okafor was aware of that fact or not, but because he was a finance major at UConn, it had to have at least crossed his mind.? If, God forbid, Okafor had been injured after signing that extension, the team would’ve been on the books for that entire amount.
Perhaps Okafor’s mindset is that he will perform so well that the Bobcats will open the bank vault for him (read: offer him the max deal allowable?per NBA rules).? But one could argue that Okafor is not a Hakeem Olajuwon-type player, but more of a Buck Williams type.? Whether that equates Okafor deserving a maximum deal or not will always be up for argument.? Only time will tell.?
