NBA Trade Update - Marcin Gortat For Emeka Okafor; Washington Wizards Get Scoring Center, Phoenix Suns Get More Picks

A trade has been finalized just before the start of the season. The main pieces are Marcin Gortat of the Phoenix Suns being traded for Emeka Okafor of the Washington Wizards.

The other trade pieces involve guards Malcolm Lee, Shannon Brown and Kendall Marshall of Phoenix also moving to Washington to make the trade work on paper. Okafor's salary is the highest, so additional players must be included for the salaries to match. The Washington Wizards will possibly waive all three since they are loaded at the guard position.

The Phoenix Suns will also receive the Washington Wizards 2014 first round draft pick in return. This will allow them to have four first round draft picks next year, which is projected as the best draft in the past decade.

The General Managers of both sides gave brief statements. Ernie Grunfeld of the Wizards is pleased to have Gortat because he is a "very consistent and productive inside presence" who "pushes us further toward our goal of becoming a playoff team."

For Phoenix Suns GM Ryan McDonough, it's all about starting from scratch and a better chance for a complete rebuild: "We are excited to add another first-round pick in what is shaping up to be the best draft in a decade. We now have a chance to make four first-round selections in 2014. Emeka Okafor is a solid veteran center who will help solidify our front line when and if he is able to return from injury."

Emeka Okafor is the second overall draft pick of 2004, picked right after Dwight Howard. He was actually a match for Howard, and he was a champion in college as compared to Howard back then--a physically gifted but goofy and immature center.

However, in the NBA, physical gifts matter more, are maturity can be developed through experience. Howard is now the top center in the NBA, while Okafor succumbed to injuries and is only an asset for his expiring contract.