Hoops

Okafor and Ariza to Wizards

Got to say I think it is a good deal for both teams. Washington can't afford to have another year of Wall going nowhere; they need him to start developing at a much higher rate than he has so far. And that is only going to happen by surrounding him with quality team-mates who can play basketball (not Javale) and getting him in games that might actually mean something. I think with how weak the east is they could definitely push for a lower seed spot (6-8 range) if they make a couple of trades and have a bit of luck. And let's be realistic, no free agents where going to be chasing down the GM to let them play their.
New Orleans also has come out great with this as they can play Davis a ton of minutes and also tank for next season; they are at least 2 years away from being any good now. So another high draft pick next year and suddenly they have 3 positions covered for the next 8 years. Then they can build a contender. Good trade for both teams

Lewis can't be amnestied by the Hornets, but his $23.8million contract can be bought out for $13mil

The problem for me is that Washington are looking like they are happy to be a lower rung playoff team....I'm a Houston fan myself and i can tell you, having a team that is good but not great year after year is painful. you never get the high end guys through the draft, and you can't sign high level free agents unless your in a big market.

Also Ariza is horrible...the year he was in houston he shot us out of games on a regular basis....a handy defender but kills all his effectiveness on that end with woeful offence.

NO wins by a long way, they dump 2 big salaries and fully commit to the rebuild around Davis...I would think they are using the Thunder as their model to rebuild. I'd say Lewis will be bought out or stashed at the end of the bench while they go completely young as he doesnt really offer what a rebuilding team needs.

Also, can someone clarify if these players can still be amnestied? I was under the assumption they can't be after they have been traded.

Can see how both teams benefit. Wiz get a couple of solid pros to help wall and co grow for next two years and will be off the books before money is needed to extend their franchise player. Hornets looking for fresh start under new ownership will be happy to get rid of players assoc w past era and will do their best to tank this season to get another high pick to complement Davis and Gordon.

Just one thing Panther: Kaman is a free agent and may well decide to sign w someone else this season. I know there's a lot of Celtic fans hoping he could be enticed to help the big 3 contend one more year!

Yeah I feel sorry for Washington because from the sounds of it they couldn't afford to pay out Rashard Lewis so they opted to try and at least get 2 players who will be able to give them something over the next 2 years for their money.
Okafor is solid and will team up well with Nene, he's a really good defensive centre.
Ariza, he's an ok player but they obviously had to take him to even the deal.
New Orleans are tdefinitely the winner, they still have Kaman at the Centre and will now pick up Davis and can afford to make a decent offer to Gordon.

If they are slotting a rookie into their starting lineup then I doubt they will pick Kidd-Gilchrist (who is more of a SF at 6'8).

They would be much better off taking Bradley Beal to slot in as the starting 2 as he provides the one thing they are really missing... Shooting.
He is being talked about as the best pure shooter to come through the draft since Ray Allen.

With Wall, Ariza, Nene and Okafor the Wizards are clearly missing someone who can space the floor and shoot the 3-ball. There are questions over MKG's perimeter offense and his shooting technique, so why take a "project" (I use this in the loosest sense of the word) when you could slot a lights-out shooter into that spot.

Wall
Beal
Ariza
Nene
Okafor

This is a much more balanced starting 5, with penetration, post scoring, rebounding, defense and shooting all accounted for.

New Orleans win this trade by a long way!

It was clear to everyone that NOH were trying to dump the contracts of Ariza and Okafor, with talk being that they would use the #10 pick as the selling point for a team to take on the bad contracts (I think it's a combined $40mil over 2 years).

Washington traded a $23mil contract (only $13mil guaranteed) and a second round pick for two overpaid role players who don't help the needs of the team, or even elevate them out of the lottery running next year. It also eats up any cap space they had this year and next year because they took on $30mil of unneeded salary. Washington will potentially have to amnesty someone like Andray Blatche just to avoid the luxury tax in the next couple of years.

New Orleans on the other hand was able to shed 2 contracts they have been trying to dump, maintain the #10 pick, open up minutes for Anthony Davis, create the necessary cap space to make an offer (~$10mil per year to E. Gordon) and still have enough to offer a max deal to a free agent (after they waive Lewis and potentially amnesty Jarret Jack's remaining $10mil).

Given that neither of these teams are close to contending, the winner of this trade is clear.