NBA's New Orleans Hornets agreed on Tuesday to trade center Tyson Chandler to Charlotte Bobcats for Emeka Okafor.

The 2.16-meter Chandler was the second overall pick in the 2001 draft and averaged 8.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over 45 games last season for New Orleans after missing time with left ankle injuries.

Okafor was the second overall pick in the 2004 draft, averaging 13.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 2008-2009 after playing in all 82 games for the second consecutive season.

The trade was dealt as the Hornets take on considerably more salary in obtaining the 2.08-meter Okafor, who signed a six-year, 72 million U.S. dollars contract last year with Charlotte, while Chandler is owed 12 million dollars per season for the next two seasons with the Bobcats.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2009)