Rich Cho has been one busy dude. Just three months after wrapping up a seven win throwaway season, the Bobcats general manager/internet phenom has executed a massive upgrade of the roster. How and what has he accomplished? Let’s have a quick recap:
TRADES:
Cho swung a pre-draft deal with former Executive of the Year/Chad Ford Idol Joe Dumars, sending oft-injured SF Corey Maggette and his expiring contract to Detroit in exchange for sharpshooting guard Ben Gordon and a future first round pick.
The aforementioned Mr. Ford panned the trade, questioning why the Bobcats were taking on Gordon’s extra year of salary. He failed to mention the fact that Cho copped a lightly protected draft pick and a better player out of the deal. As John Hollinger pointed out, the Bobcats NEED to add contracts over the next few seasons just to hit the league’s salary floor.
RESULT: Bobcats clear up SF spot, gain a potent 3pt shooting/scoring machine off the pine, add yet another extra first round pick to the vault.
GRADE: A+
DRAFT:
The Bobcats surprised everyone yet no one when they selected the second highest rated prospect with the 2nd overall pick in the draft. Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist immediately steps into the team’s starting lineup to provide lockdown defense, transition buckets and good vibes. Everyone seems to love the kid and if his first Summer League contest was any indicator, MKG might go down as the best selection in the team’s brief history.
With the first pick in the second round, Cho selected Vandy’s Jeffery Taylor, a sharpshooting swingman whose athleticism and on-ball defense all but guarantees him a spot in the rotation.
RESULT: Bobcats add potential star in MKG, future Bruce Bowen/Dell Curry hybrid in Taylor.
GRADE: A+
FREE AGENCY:
Let’s start with what the organization didn’t do. Eduardo Najera and Boris Diaw finally came off the books, freeing up around $11 million in cap space. D.J. White was not extended his qualifying offer of around $3 million and is likely finished in Charlotte. Derrick Brown was extended a $1 million qualifying offer but with the way both draft picks have played thus far in Summer action, I could see that offer being rescinded soon. Finally, D.J. Augustin was let loose after several failed sign & trade scenarios.
With this sudden influx of cap space, Cho inked Ramon Sessions to a two year $10 million deal, won the Brendan Haywood amnesty bid at $6.15 million over three seasons and has just enough juice left over (via cap exceptions or amnesty) to sign a veteran PF (Kris Humphries or Carl Landry).
RESULT: Sessions provides an immediate upgrade as a big backup to Kemba Walker while Haywood gives the Cats an inexpensive option to go big and experiment with Bismack Biyombo at the four.
GRADE: Incomplete. Cho isn’t finished. If Humphries or Landry signs, give him a solid “A” for addressing need with value.
COACHING:
It’s July and Mike Dunlap has coached all of two Summer League games but the buzz is undeniable. This guy is here to bust his tail developing prospects into players. The approach is inspiring and hopeful. This could be the rare coaching change that significantly upgrades the win/loss columns.
RESULT: Cho & Rod Higgins found their man. We’ll reserve judgement until the games start to count but thus far Bobcats fans have to be excited about Dunlap’s potential.
OVERALL:
Armed with few assets outside of the draft, Cho found a way to turn Najera, Augustin, White, Maggette and Brown into MKG, Taylor, Gordon, Sessions, Haywood and (potentially) Landry. This is a significant talent upgrade. Combined with the development of last year’s young players and a new coaching philosophy, this team should surprise a lot of people come November.
OVERALL GRADE: A+
-ASChin
great article!
while all the people are laughing at the signing of Brendan Haywood, I was laughing back at them in my heart.
We’ll let the games do the talking.
This roster is far much exciting than the previous roster. Even if we have to lose in a game, it will be some much more exciting games!
Can’t wait til MKG turns into something like gerald wallace and be the 4th person in NBA history to average 2.0 bpg and 2.0 spg in a single season!
I think this is a key point. Team will still lose a ton of games but at least they’ll be competitive and fun to watch. Keeps them on the scheduled plan of getting a high pick in ’13, then become big FA players come July of ’14.
Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine
Just going up online and via SportsCenter: Kris Humprhies is staying with Nets on two-year deal valued at $24 million
I just saw this…if that is the case then I can see why the Bobcats did not sign Humphries. That is way too much money for him, he is good, but not great…$12M per year is almost a Max Contract. The guyhasn’t even been mentioned in All-Star conversations and this is just his second year (out of 9) with a double-double stat.
Landry is still out there and the Cats have their $2.6m non-tax payer’s exception to nab him. Anthony Randolph or Hassan Whiteside might be cheaper alternaitves. Also, Reggie Williams is a bit redundant with Ben Gordon around so could see him shipped off for a big; he still has value as a bench scorer/shooter.
Car Landry should be the next target and he may sing a 1 or 2 year deal for about $5-$6M per year which is good and keep the financial flexibility intact.
Unfortunately the most Cats can offer him (barring creative cap magic) is the $2.6m exception.
I dont get this…how come the cats can offer kris 3 years 22m but can’t Carl Landry a better contract than the 2.6m exception??
They were going to use the amnesty on Diop/Thomas in order to sign Hump. Amnesty deadline passes tonight, team nearly at soft cap limit.
I think the Cats should seriously consider Anthony Randolph and perhaps Andray Blatche if he clears waivers (Caution with this last one). They are solid PF that can come in cheap and be solid offensive contributors off the bench. Blatche may even start if he gets his act together.
However, barring some major move, I think Mullens will be the Opening night starter at PF.
Starters
PG: Walker
SG: Henderson
SF: Kidd-Gilchrist
PF: Mullens
C: Haywood
Bench
PG: Sessions
SG: Gordon
SF: Taylor
PF: Thomas
C: Biyombo
Anthony Randolph went to Nuggets already, they cut Chris Anderson under the amnesty clause and add him.
As much as i like Blatche offensive arsenal, i don’t think he is a good candidate to add in our locker room which are filled with young prospects and positive attitude towards the game, with him coming in cat’s locker room, he will think he is the boss of this team and starts messing everything up.
I just don’t want another over weight, overpaid, under-performing power forward on the team. We don’t need his triple-double but someone who plays his heart out every night like reggie evans or carl landry…which are almost impossible to acquire.
looking at NBA free agent tracker, these players in the list below are the ones I would love to add to the CAT’s roster:
1. Amundson, Lou F 29 6yrs UFA IND
2. Hill, Jordan C 24 3yrs UFA LAL
3. Landry, Carl F 28 4yrs UFA NOH
4. Maxiell, Jason F 29 7yrs UFA* DET
5. Williams, Shelden F-C 28 6yrs UFA BKN
I’m liking Jordan Hill the most but it seems like he will get a good contract, I like having someone like Shelden Williams as he started as a C last year for the Nets which he managed to grab boards after boards. Maybe ASChin you can explain to me the possibilities of these signings?
I sure hope Mullens is not their thinking on a power forward. I watched the Cleveland game and he and Bismark
were horrible especially in the first half. All the local write ups are Rah Rah and you have to go on line to find out
what’s really happening.
What about the MLE that’s about 5.1. Don’t they still have that available or are they just throwing up their hands and giving up thinking fans will be happy with 15 to 20 wins?
And one more!
John leuer just got cut by the rockets!!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/andray-blatche-apologizes-for-the-effort/2012/07/18/gJQACHzZtW_blog.html?wprss=rss_dc-sports-bog
sounds good to me. If Blatche and Thomas participate in a weight-loss program together, we may have one of the toughest front courts in the east hahahaha
Leroy, if you are talking about Tyrus Thomas, I don’t think he needs to loose weight…he actually needs to add 15-20 and some muscle.
Who is ASChin? Is he a retired NBA Front Office guy, or some new age hippy living living in Santa Fe eating organic almonds like it’s his job? He seems to know a lot about the Bobcats. Either way, I enjoy reading his over hyped analysis of the Bobcats. I guess we’ll have to wait until 2014 to see if he is right…
A future Bruce Bowen/Dell Curry hybrid would be a future all star.