The Hornets have been trying to unload the 7-foot-1 Chandler for several months.
On Tuesday the Hornets have officially found a taker in the Charlotte Bobcats, trading for fellow center Emeka Okafor.
Charlotte coach Larry Brown was willing gamble on the injury-prone big man. It comes at the expense of Okafor, who at 6-foot-10 is smaller than Chandler and had trouble guarding the NBA’s top big men.
“We’re getting a young kid who is long and athletic and can play multiple positions and fills a need that we obviously have,” Brown said.
The Hornets were intrigued by Okafor’s superior rebounding and durability, giving New Orleans a reliable big man with a longer contract.
“Emeka is one of the premier centers in the NBA with All-Star caliber scoring and rebounding averages throughout his career,” Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said. “His potential to improve is endless once you put him on the court running with Chris Paul.”
Okafor averaged 13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds last season, but his style didn’t mesh with Brown. The coach questioned his basketball fire at the end of last season.
Chandler averaged 8.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in only 45 games last season. He then underwent procedures on his left ankle and toe in May after being ineffective in the first-round series loss to Denver.
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