Bobcats keep Okafor with $72M deal

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The Charlotte Bobcats ended a year of uncertainty with top rebounder and shot blocker Emeka Okafor on Tuesday by coming to terms on a six-year, $72 million deal with the restricted free agent.
The move comes a year after Okafor turned down a contract for similar money and assures new coach Larry Brown will have the team's top inside presence when he begins his record ninth NBA coaching job in the fall.
"It was very important for us to get a deal done," general manager Rod Higgins said. "He creates a sense of security around the basket for us. He's a guy that I think his skills are still developing in a lot of ways. Having Larry as our head coach now, Emeka will benefit having a great coach to teach him."
Higgins said Okafor should sign the deal in the next few days.
Okafor was the second overall pick in 2004 and the expansion Bobcats' first draft pick. He turned down Charlotte's offer of $12 million a year last year, but settled on the same figure a year later.
Few other teams have enough salary-cap space to offer restricted free agents big money. Many, including Andre Iguodala of Philadelphia, Josh Smith of Atlanta and Luol Deng of Chicago, remain unsigned.