Emeka Okafor traded to Wizards

The Washington Wizards have reached an agreement with the New Orleans Hornets on a trade to acquire Hornets center Emeka Okafor.

The Wizards will get Okafor and Hornets forward Trevor Ariza for Rashard Lewis and Washington's No. 46 pick in next week's draft.

The trade will add two defensive specialists to Washington's roster as the Wizards continue to try to change their culture around prized young guard John Wall. Okafor thus joins Nene to give Washington two veteran big men after the Brazilian was acquired at midseason from Denver in a deal that brought an end to JaVale McGee's stay in the nation's capital.

Okafor has never lived up to being the second pick in the 2004 draft. He averaged a career-low 9.9 points and 7.9 rebounds last season, missing time with a sore left knee. Ariza averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds.

The move, meanwhile, sheds two long-term contracts from the Hornets' payroll while opening up minutes, through Okafor's departure, for Kentucky star Anthony Davis, who almost assuredly will be selected No. 1 overall by New Orleans in next Thursday's draft.

The Hornets, sources say, are planning to waive Lewis before July 1 to slice roughly $10 million off the $24 million that he is owed in 2012-13. He is entering the last season of a six-year, $118 million contract.

With the resultant financial flexibility, New Orleans is confident in its ability to re-sign restricted free agent Eric Gordon this summer to ensure it doesn't lose the best player it received in exchange for face-of-the-franchise Chris Paul in December.

The Hornets didn't have a second-round pick. They also have the first and 10th selections in the first round.

Washington also has the second pick of the second round.

I am not a legal expert, how many times do I have to say it?

Ariza can be pretty good at times but gotta think NO won that one.

I rarely troll.