Butch Carter would be an odd choice for Bobcats

    Butch Carter?

    That’s the name floated for the Bobcats’ upcoming coaching opening, on Sports Illustrated’s web site. Ian Thomsen – an excellent writer-reporter – was told Carter will get an interview for the job.

    Thomsen is smart and responsible, so I’m guessing Carter would get an interview. But hiring Carter, former coach of the Toronto Raptors, would be an odd move. That’s because the Bobcats’ basketball operation has always prioritized harmony among players and coaches.

    Carter coached pretty well, but friction surrounded his tenure with the Raptors. He filed a lawsuit against one of his former players (Marcus Camby for calling him a liar) and he said he should also be the Raptors’ general manager.

         When Carter dropped the lawsuit against Camby, he issued a statement (reported by Associated Press) saying, "bringing the courthouse into the locker room was not the best way to address this particular matter."

         When Carter was fired in November of 2000, general manager Glen Grunwald praised Carter’s work but said his “success was clouded by off-court distractions that were disconcerting to ours fans and our organization."

    The strength of the Bobcats has been a “we’re-all-in-this-together’’ approach.

    You’re going to hear a lot of names attached to this opening because Bernie Bickerstaff became a lame duck with more than a month left before the end of the season. Coaches are lining up already, in search of an interview.

    I doubt anyone will be interviewed until after the season when Michael Jordan and Bickerstaff (he’ll stay in the front office) assemble a list of worthy candidates.