It seems like the darkest of times for Bobcats fans.
Allen Iverson has agreed to join the Memphis Grizzlies, having been unable to come to terms with the Bobcats.
Meanwhile, rumors abound that the knuckle-headed Rashard McCants will be wearing a Charlotte uniform soon.
Fingers are still collectively being crossed in hopes that Tyson Chandler will be able play most of the upcoming season.
The team has yet to come to contract terms with Raymond Felton and a backup Power Forward has yet to be found.
Worse yet, Bob Johnson is still the team’s owner.
But I urge Bobcats fans to postpone the cutting and self-mutilation for at least a few more months because there is still some hope for the city of Charlotte’s 2nd NBA Franchise.
1. The Egos of Larry Brown & Michael Jordan.
MJ may well be a Hall of Shame evaluator of talent but he – along with Rod Higgins and Larry Brown – has shown a willingness to correct the roster in places where the roster needs correcting.
Last season it was an issue of passing and chemistry. The Diaw & Bell trade remedied the problem spectacularly.
Thus far this off-season it is an issue of scoring.
While McCants would help a bit with this as an eighth or ninth-man role-player, the team still needs a starter who provides scoring for 40 minutes a night.
The Monta Ellis rumors are surfacing again and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if such a deal were to occur before training camp.
With MJ being inducted into the Hall of Fame and Coach Brown still remastering his degraded image, it is doubtful that either one of them wants to be made a League laughingstock anytime soon.
Expect a move to be made.
2. Boris Diaw & Gerald Wallace.
Regardless of what transactions occur in the next few weeks, the Bobcats find themselves currently with one of the best Forward combos in the League. While neither player is currently an All-Star, they are both entering their primes as excellent complementary players: Wallace with his hustle, energy and defense; Diaw with his court-vision, high skill-set and underrated defense.
A scoring presence in the starting five would result in nothing but improvement from both of these players.
3. DJ Augustin & Gerald Henderson.
We’re not certain of what Henderson is going to provide at the NBA level but we know exactly what DJ is capable of. The 2nd Team All-Rookie shot lights-out last season and looked much more comfortable than most players (including Raymond Felton in his rookie season) leading a team at the point during his first year.
The fact that the Bobcats have two young, talented backcourt players on rookie-scale contracts will go a long way in remedying the current salary cap horror that the team finds themselves trapped in.
4. Sean May and Adam Morrison have been ejected.
No one likes to wear an albatross of past mistakes. Having both Morrison and May on the roster last season was a constant reminder to both management and the fans of what could have been and what should not have been. Yes, taking on Vlad Radmanovic’s contract for an extra year is a sour pill (especially when the team could’ve simply chose not to extend Morrison’s Q.O. last summer – giving them plenty of cash to sign Iverson this summer) but what’s past is past and Radmanovic is still young enough and talented enough to offer some value as a 7th or 8th man. Radman could be utilized this season as a type of Rashard Lewis hybrid-four, lessening the need for a traditional backup PF.
Sean May’s ceaseless “potential” will move cross-country to Sacramento, relieving the Bobcats of having to depend on one of the League’s most undependable. Let casino owners like the Maloofs gamble on May’s potential while Larry Brown finds someone who can provide consistent NBA minutes.
5. The Raymond Felton contract situation.
The current stalemate between Felton and the Bobcats speaks to a new maturity in the front office. The organization has finally come to its senses when evaluating its own players. Raymond Felton is reportedly asking for $7 million per season. Meanwhile, a similarly talented young player (Ramon Sessions) has signed a 4 year/$16 million contract with the T-Wolves. There is hope here that the Bobcats can either sign Felton for a contract closer to the value of Sessions than what Raymond is asking for or bundle Raymond as part of a trade for a scorer.
The cliche is that it’s always darkest before the dawn and I can’t see why it’s not true for the Bobcats.
There is talent, there is a Hall of Fame coach, and there are two basketball legends who are undoubtably concerned with their legacies. Expect something good and expect it soon.
Yes! Boris and Gerald are very underrated. If Chandler stays on the court, his fingers are way less buttery than Omeka's. We're all forgetting that Augustin may be the scoring option we've been missing. He's capable of 20+ if Boris plays some point forward. Felton makes a perfect back-up if signed at 4-5 million a year. Iverson does more harm than good. Vlade is our back-up power forward that takes defensive fours out of the paint with his shooting and clears the lane for Gerald or Tyson. Defensive wings with Henderson and Bell…..Larry Brown knows what he's doing. The pieces are there.
awesome post.
good point with the “darkest before dawn” thing. too bad its been dark for 5 years.
I like the optimism carter.
Considering the possibility of Monta Ellis coming to town, I’m really not sold on the idea. On the surface it sounds great. He brings all of the scoring that Iverson would bring and he’s much younger. But he’s never been much of a distributor. He also has a longer, more expensive contract.
If we’re making him our starting 2 and trading Bell, then I like it. If we’re shopping Felton to get Ellis, then I have some real concerns about the PG position.
what are the chances of Ellis comin to town? Im all for it if this happens but hes better as a 2.
If we bring in Ellis to play the 2 i am all for it. Our Deffense should lead to some exciting fast breaks.
Felton Ellis Wallace Diaw Chandler!!!
That is a lineup that is built to run! I think we should pick up the pace on offense this year. Great D should lead to easy points with a fast lineup.
If ellis comes who goes?
I think this sweet “Beale Street Blue” Gibson guitar is what sealed the deal for Iverson. . .
BB King, Graceland, Beale Street, and Three 6 Mafia were too much for him to turn down.
I wonder what Charlotte could have provided AI? Maybe a money clip and some khaki pants? Carolina BBQ sandwiches? Moon Pies and Cheerwine?
don’t forget a case of Texas Pete hot sauce.
Sweet axe!!!! If the Bobcats would have given him a season pass to Carowinds, he may have made Charlotte his home.
can someone please tell me how true this is i would love to get monte in hear as our go to scorer.