| 2007-2008 Season Preview: Charlotte Bobcats Authored by Dennis Silva II - October 3, 2007 - 5:30 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Breaking Down The 2nd Round After a somewhat surprising first round of the 2008 NBA playoffs, we find ourselves with even better match-ups in the Round of Eight.
Prospect Report: Brook Lopez Of StanfordFor a team looking for a well-developed offensive game at center, Brook Lopez is the 2008 Draft’s best option.
| |
For fans, the growth process has been draining and tedious, but the young foundation of talent is there.
Charlotte has improved in wins – 18, 26, and 33 last year – all three seasons and continues to be on the rise.
They are highly regarded around the league for their effort and exuberance towards the game, and that can be credited to the young talent that boast winning traditions from college programs such as North Carolina, Connecticut and Gonzaga.
The Bobcats had security at the three primary positions – forward (Emeka Okafor), wing (Gerald Wallace), and guard (Raymond Felton) – and depth was added to that core in the off-season.
Established veteran and dunk magnifico Jason Richardson was acquired in a draft-day trade that cost Brandon Wright.
In his first trial as the team’s President of Basketball Operations, Michael Jordan (remember him?) added Richardson, familiarity (ACC standout Jared Dudley out of Boston College) and a new coach in Sam Vincent who has been tutored by the likes of
Avery Johnson in the coaching ranks.
Jordan re-signed sharpshooter Matt Carroll, and is expecting young talents like Walter Herrmann, Sean May and Adam Morrison to continue their progress.
The Bobcats needed a leader. They got that in Richardson, who immediately becomes the team’s go-to player on the perimeter.
But they also need more time to grow and mend. NBA watchers have been intrigued and respective of the collection of talent acquired by Charlotte through sly draft choices and smart free-agent pickups.
This is the year Bobcat fans see some sort of payoff.
POINT GUARD
Raymond Felton is the team’s floor leader. He’s quick, feisty, a tough defender and a strong court presence who is beloved by fans ever since his North Carolina days.
But the 6-1 guard is a jump shot away from being amongst the position’s elite.
He shot a ghastly 38 percent from the floor last season, which was actually a drop from the 39 percent marksmanship he showed during his rookie season.
With the attention that will be drawn to Richardson, Okafor and Wallace, Felton will need to hit open jump shots.
His other assets (seven assists per game; 3.4 rebounds per game) are healthy. He can lead a running game or be a steady hand in the halfcourt set, which is admirable for a point guard entering his third year.
Felton’s backup last season was veteran Brevin Knight, a marvelous passer and the definition of what a point guard should be.
But Knight latched on with the Los Angeles Clippers this past summer, and with the returns of Derek Anderson and Jeff McInnis (both veterans who saw significant time at the position) still uncertain, there is no established, legit backup for Felton at the time.
Unless a plug can be acquired from the waiver wire or though trade, the Bobcats will be in a heap of trouble should Felton miss any extensive time due to injury.
GRADE: C+
SHOOTING GUARD
The 6-6, 225-pound Richardson’s presence adds credibility and purpose to a position that has seen a wave of applicants in the past.
Richardson averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in an injury-plagued season for the Golden State Warriors last year, with whom he has spent his entire six-year career.
With troubled knees, Richardson’s athleticism is not what it once was, but he has become a more consistent jump shooter and still attacks the basket whenever possible.
He’s just as comfortable shooting 3s as he is posting up smaller defenders for easy baskets.
His addition means there won’t be such a heavy reliance upon 6-6 swingman Matt Carroll.
Carroll started 47 of the 72 games he played last year, easily the most of his journeyman career.
He averaged 12.1 points and shot 41.6 percent from 3-point range. He’s a needed specialist among a team of slashers and post-up players.
Jordan loves Carroll for his moxie and toughness, and has always been fond of players who hit open jump shots and understand their roles.
Carroll not only shoots a high percentage from 23’9”, but he also drives and creates offense as well, as proven by his 208 free-throw attempts last season.
GRADE: B
SMALL FORWARD
The 6-7 athletic dynamo Wallace signed a six-year, $57 million deal to re-up with the ‘Cats this summer.
And he’s worth every penny.
Wallace is an aggressive, passionate individual who loves every aspect of the game.
One of the best all-around players in the league, Wallace averaged a team-best 18.1 points, along with 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and two steals per game.
He’s a defensive stalwart who can shut down any perimeter player and always plays with reckless abandon.
The past two seasons, he has shot 53 and 50 percent, respectively, from the floor, and has averaged 37 minutes per game.
After an obscure 3-year stay in Sacramento to start his career, he’s become the face of the Bobcats.
Morrison experienced a horrendously difficult rookie season, averaging 11.8 points, shooting 37 percent from the floor, and showing no grasp of NBA defense whatsoever.
But he showed up to the 2007 summer league bulked up and more focused, which serves as a good thing for Charlotte.
At his best, the 6-8 Morrison is a deadly scorer; a great offensive mind.
With Richardson on board, and Wallace’s return now certain, he can relax a bit and study harder now that he won’t be expected to be the franchise’s scoring savior.
Not this year anyway.
At 6-7, the rookie Dudley is more suited to a power game but will have to show skills at the 3 spot in the NBA.
He’s a tough rebounder and a heady interior scorer. And we all know Jordan loves those ACC kids.
GRADE: B+
POWER FORWARD
This position is unsettled since the Bobcats don’t know what to expect out of 2005 lottery pick Sean May.
With the team expecting to move Okafor over to the center position, Charlotte is hoping May can secure a stranglehold on the power forward spot.
The 6-9, robust May has been ravaged by injuries in his two years, playing in just 58 out of a possible 162 games.
He’s shown flashes of being worthy of a lottery selection. He holds career averages of 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in just 21 minutes per game.
But he has not controlled his weight, and that has led to injuries that have seriously halted his development.
His backup is second-year forward Walter Herrmann, a big body who enjoys life on the outside.
He saw time late in the season and produced, averaging 9.2 points while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 46 percent from 3-point land (53-of-115).
Twelve-year veteran Othella Harrington is also serviceable as a third-string forward who can provide spot minutes at both power forward and center.
Harrington is a rugged rebounder and sneaky scoring presence.
GRADE: C
CENTER
At 6-10, 252 pounds, Okafor is undersized for the center position. But he has all the skills that say he can be a great one.
After an injury-riddled 2005-06, Okafor posted 14.4 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game in 06-07.
All but the scoring were career-bests.
He’s one of the top big men in the NBA, despite being in relatively obscurity in Charlotte.
And while Wallace, and now Richardson, might be the faces of the team, Okafor is the heart and soul.
As he goes, so do the Bobcats.
He could afford to become more efficient at the charity stripe (59 percent), but that’s nitpicking against a myriad of skills.
The 7-1 Primoz Brezec is a solid, stable backup that can score the ball.
But what he provides on offense, he severely lacks on the other end of the court.
He had standout years in his first two seasons for the Bobcats (13 and 12 points per game, respectively) but was, like others, bit by the injury bug and posted lows of five points and three rebounds per game.
If he can provide anything around nine points and five rebounds as a backup, this position will be as good as gold for Charlotte.
Seven-foot rookie Ryan Hollins had a stellar career at UCLA and figures to challenge for minutes at center as well.
But he’s still a year or two away from being a significant contributor.
GRADE: B+
2007 PROJECTED RECORD: 39-43 |
