As a sign of good faith the Bobcats exercised their option to keep Emeka Okafor  in Charlotte for a 4th year.  The 2007-08 season is a long way off, but now Okafor can put that $5 million plus in the bank.

"He's the guy we want to build our franchise around," general manager and coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "Emeka has done everything we've asked for, on the court and off the court.

"This is our way of letting him know of our commitment to him."

The option was exercised 16 months before the deadline, whether its swiftness has anything to do with the Carlos Boozer debacle that took place in Cleveland last year is not known.