The Charlotte Bobcats acknowledged as much, agreeing to a six-year, $72million deal with center-power forward Emeka Okafor.

The contract will be signed in a few days, assuring the Bobcats retain the player they chose with the second overall pick in the 2004 draft.

Okafor was prepared to sign a one-year qualifying offer, worth about $7million, that would have made him an unrestricted free agent next July. Under that scenario, Okafor could have eventually signed elsewhere without the Bobcats receiving any compensation.

Instead, the Bobcats would now be obligated to him through the 2013-2014 season. By then, Okafor would be 31, having completed 10 NBA seasons.

Okafor's agent, Jeff Schwartz, could not be reached.

The average salary – $12million – is consistent with what the Bobcats offered Okafor a year ago, before he became a restricted free agent. However, this contract is longer by a year.

This is the largest player contract in the Bobcats' four-season history, speaking to the importance of retaining the team's best big man.

“Any time you have a player like Emeka – a rebounder, a defender at the rim, it's imperative for a team to keep a guy like that,'' said Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins, confirming a deal had been reached.

“You need that big guy to defend the Tim Duncans, the (Shaquille) O'Neals, the (Kevin) Garnetts,'' Higgins said. “The big guys control the game in the post, and that's our guy when it comes to doing that.''

Okafor averaged 13.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.68 blocks last season.

He's one of four NBA players to average a double-double each of the past four seasons.

There was a real possibility Okafor would leave.

The Bobcats were offering less at the beginning of the month – roughly $10million a season, according to one source – and Okafor's camp wanted the Bobcats to explore sign-and-trade options.

Higgins said he wouldn't do that, telling the Observer Friday he still “held out hope'' a deal could be made to keep him here long-term.

Comparable contracts signed by fellow big men Andrew Bogut of Milwaukee and Andris Biedrins of Golden State appeared to peg $12million as a fair average salary for Okafor.

Adding another season to that average number apparently bridged the gap between the two sides.