Charlotte, N.C. ? The first draft pick in franchise history was laughing and joking as sweat soaked through his jersey. There was little evidence that just hours earlier Emeka Okafor had turned down a contract offer from the Bobcats, making him a restricted free agent on July 1.

“I definitely want to be here long-term, and the Bobcats want me to be here long-term,” Okafor said after the workout. “It’s just the way things go sometimes.”

Still, the stalemate was unexpected. In a news conference in March, Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan listed “tying up Okafor” as one of the top offseason priorities. The day before training camp began, Okafor said “there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll get something done” before the Oct. 31 deadline.

But early Thursday morning, the key cog in the Bobcats’ defense was without a deal.

The 6-foot-10 Okafor will make just over $5.4 million this season.