New Orleans Sent Two Established Starters to Rework Its Books
On June 20, 2012, the New Orleans Hornets sent Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza to Washington in return for Rashard Lewis and the No. 46 selection in that summer's draft. The Hornets had just won the lottery and were preparing to select Anthony Davis, so moving the salaries attached to their veteran center and wing created room for a younger roster. Washington, by contrast, wanted established players who could defend alongside its developing backcourt. The transaction did not involve Davis's No. 1 selection; its draft consideration was a much later second-round pick.
Washington Received a Full Season From Okafor
Okafor made seventy-nine regular-season appearances for the Wizards in 2012-13, starting seventy-seven, playing 2,052 minutes and averaging 13.4 points with 12.1 rebounds per thirty-six minutes. His actual per-game rebounding average was 8.8, making him a sturdy interior option for Washington. A neck injury kept him off the court in 2013-14, so the center's direct Washington return ended after one season. Ariza gave the Wizards another 56 games in 2012-13, then played seventy-seven and started every appearance in 2013-14. That second year included 14.4 points per game and 40.7 percent shooting from three.
Lewis Was Waived, but Miller Became a Real Hornets Draftee
Lewis did not record an official New Orleans appearance. The team announced his release on June 30, ten days after the trade, which means his prior All-Star numbers and later Miami career were not incoming Hornets production. The No. 46 pick was used on Kentucky forward Darius Miller, who played fifty-two games as a rookie in 2012-13, forty-five in 2013-14 and five in 2014-15. Those first 102 games were direct development of the acquired selection. Miller subsequently spent time overseas and returned in 2017 under another agreement, so his later 151 New Orleans games should not inflate the immediate draft-return accounting.
A Salary Reset Could Not Equal Two Starting Contributors
The franchises received different kinds of value. New Orleans exchanged expensive established contracts for a veteran it could waive and a second-round player who served as a young reserve, which fit a rebuild around its incoming No. 1 pick. Washington obtained a dependable center for one year and a productive defensive wing for two, including Ariza's strong 2013-14 campaign. Those actual starting jobs were more than a marginal asset win. The trade therefore favors Washington even after crediting Miller's early development and the salary flexibility New Orleans pursued. Okafor's later absence still prevents an exaggerated multi-year center valuation.
Final Verdict
Wizards Win. Washington earns A- because Emeka Okafor started 77 games in 2012-13 and Trevor Ariza supplied 133 Wizards appearances across two seasons, with his 2013-14 shooting and defense proving especially valuable. New Orleans receives B- for contract flexibility and No. 46 selection Darius Miller, who played 102 games during his first Hornets/Pelicans stint. Rashard Lewis was waived without playing; Miller's later return followed another signing.