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Report: Emeka Okafor will not play this season, still a trade chip

When the Phoenix Suns acquired Emeka Okafor from the Washington Wizards before the season, they knew there was a strong chance he would never suit up for them.

The UConn product hasn't appeared on an NBA court since last April due to a herniated disc in his neck, an injury the Suns were aware of when they dealt for him. If that sounds strange, consider two very important factors in the decision to take on a high-paid, injured player:

  • Okafor has a $14.5 million expiring contract, making him a substantial trading chip, especially to teams looking to shed future obligations.
  • Because Okafor has missed over half the season, an insurance policy now pays for 80 percent of his contract. So, while his cap hit is $14.5 million, the salary owed to him is offset by an insurance payment of roughly $141,000 per game missed the rest of the year.

The second point makes the first point even more important, as Okafor's large expiring contract can now also be used to save a team money at present. For example, a team could trade a $15 million salary for Okafor straight-up, saving themselves roughly $141,000 in real dollars per game the rest of the season.

However, any team acquiring Okafor with the hope of having him return to health for the stretch run can get that idea out of their head - according to Paul Coro of AZCentral.com, Okafor will not play this season. The assumed is now the certain, in other words.

That doesn't mean Okafor's name will be out of the rumor mill, however, as his contract remains a major chip ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. The Suns surprisingly find themselves pushing toward the playoffs, and swinging the big man could return an appreciable asset for the back half of the season.

Okafor, meanwhile, will continue his rehabilitation with an eye towards the summer, where he'll have to show interested teams that he's healthy.

In nine seasons, the 31-year-old pivot has averaged 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Most recently, he averaged 9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and one block in 79 games with Washington in 2012-13, shooting 47.7 percent from the floor.

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