How the Houston Rockets Can Get Emeka Okafor

The Houston Rockets started out the season as one of the up and coming contenders for the Western Conference crown. The new general manager Daryl Morey promised to completely change the philosophy of the Rockets team from the grind it out, defensive, half court team coached by Jeff Van Gundy. This change was epitomized by the replacement of Van Gundy with Rick Adelman, who promised to bring a new emphasis on a running, motion offense which would put an end to the often stagnant ball movement that occurred under Van Gundy.

However, as surprise teams like the Hornets and the Blazers have rushed into the playoff picture, the Rockets have had to struggle to keep pace at number ten in the conference. Now is the time for the Rockets to save their season by addressing the largest personnel hole on their current roster. The Rockets simply do not have a solid power forward to rely on consistently. The Rockets have had to rely on Chuck Hayes and rookie Luis Scola to share time at the position. However, the Rockets have a panoply of options at the guard position, with a total of seven guards on their roster (including Tracy McGrady, who often plays most of the game, when healthy).

An excellent option for the Rockets would be a trade of Mike James for Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats. This trade would greatly benefit both teams. First, the salaries match ($5.4 million for Okafor and $5.8 million for James). For Charlotte, James fills fits the running game that they are trying to emulate. He serves them the important role of a secondary scorer, after Jason Richardson. According to ESPN.com, James has a career average of 11.2 points per game. A closer inspection reveals that when James becomes an integral part of the offense he flourishes, such as when he played for the Toronto Raptors two years ago and averaged 20.3 points and 5.8 assists over the season.

For Houston, Okafor is the ideal player to fit the niche that they so desperately need filled. Okafor, according to the Bobcats' official website, averages 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2 blocks. This multi-faceted ability helps Houston in several ways. First, Okafor gives Houston a solid option for a number three scorer (behind Yao Ming and McGrady). Equally important, he gives Houston a solid rebounder and secondary defender in the paint, which takes a substantial amount of the load off of Yao, who is currently their only consistent rebounder and defender in that area. In the end, this is a trade that will greatly benefit both teams, as they look to make a push toward the playoffs.

National Basketball Association, "Houston Rockets Roster- 2007-2008", ESPN

Houston Rockets, "Mike James", ESPN

Charlotte Bobcats, "Emeka Okafor", ESPN