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April 12, 2007
Herrmann not due a payday - yet
Stray thoughts en route to the Windy City:
- Some of you wondered why I didn’t include Walter Herrmann in that graphic in Thursday’s Observer, concerning Bobcats who
could sign new contracts this summer. It’s because Herrmann isn’t due a new contract. Coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff had the foresight to get a team option for next season. Herrmann would make a little less than $2 million next season, assuming the Bobcats pick up his option, and I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t do so.
- This late in the season, there are a lot of non-playoff teams going through the motions (tanking, some would accuse) and even some disinterested playoff teams already locked into a seeding. That’s definitely not the case for the Chicago Bulls, Friday’s Bobcats opponent. Holding off the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second-best record in the Central Division would pay huge dividends in the Bulls’ playoff seeding. The NBA tinkered with its seeding system this year, to avoid a situation similar to last season, when the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs - arguably two of the three best teams in the league - met in the second round. Now a division winner is guaranteed no worse than the fourth seed but the second-best team in each conference can be seeded as high as second, regardless of whether it wins a division. That means Chicago or Cleveland will likely be the second seed with the lesser of those two dropping to the fifth seed. You would much rather play New Jersey in the first round and avoid Detroit until the conference final. The alternative (fifth seed) is likely playing Miami in the first round and the Pistons in the second. The Heat might not be finishing the regular season well but, trust me, you don’t want to face the defending champs with Shaq in playoff mode.
Posted by rbonnell on April 12, 2007 at 03:21 PM | Permalink
Comments
Good job Rick, I think you've done well all season in your coverage and getting the city stirred up about the Bobcats. If they win in Chicago Friday I'll really be impressed, because Chicago has a TON to play for.
Posted by: Original Bobcat Fan | Apr 12, 2007 4:53:29 PM
Never mind "idiot" (what an apt name!) Rick, you've done a stellar job. Other teams should be so lucky to have someone as good as you be the fan's "liason" to the team.
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: spectre | Apr 12, 2007 10:11:51 PM
I can't say that I agree with everything you say, but as far as what that idiot had to say... he was way out of line.
As far as Herrmann goes, I think that the Bobcats should at least see how he pans out by mid-point next summer. If he's good, sign him for four years. No sense in rushing into it... just because he had a solid second half.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 13, 2007 12:46:41 AM
yeah, im kinda with idiot, bonnell, ive been reading you for years and actually like your columns, but you write a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny, paragraph every other day and its kinda lame. you could write three times as much. you must be lazy. the little you do write is just your opinion (which i tend to agree with) that im sure you have ten times as many. you should state them more often. nobody pays you to write every hundreth thought that comes to your mind
Posted by: jt | Apr 13, 2007 5:35:48 AM
The regional reporting (including Charlotte) isn't bad, its just generally "sports lite" and so is Rick's reporting. In the words of a great coach...It is what it is.
The article on NBA teams tanking was just kind of a rah-rah job and really missed the heart of the issue - what compels teams to tank in the first place and what can be done about it - and what have the Bobcats lost in winning these last meaningless games? What they have gained is little.
On one hand we're so happy to have discovered Walter Herrmann but we're not so happy to extend his contract....well thats all nice, but I'd have much preferred a shot at Durant or Oden myself. I prefer the big game to the little one.
Posted by: Bobcat Gamer | Apr 13, 2007 8:16:46 AM
BG: Tanking is certainly no guarantee to improve your draft stock at all, as even the worst team in the league gets only a 1 in 4 chance at the #1 pick. Furthermore, to have tanked the end of this season would have been contrary to the core that Bickerstaff and the team have build over the course of three years. This team goes out and plays hard every night, regardless of whether people think they are overmatched or have no chance of winning. What we gained? A reasonable shot at the playoffs late into the season, the great accomplishment of setting the standard for modern exhibition teams (under just as many or even MORE restrictions to picks, salary cap, etc.), a shot of life to the sagging fanbase who needs to see the team succeed on the court more than just playing hard, and a team that's learning how to win. Do you remember how we lost every game in which we had a late lead because a team would make a run and we'd just collapse under the pressure? That doesn't happen anymore (See: Heat, Miami). Durant and Oden will be great, yes, but this entire draft class is deep, and NO player is a guaranteed lock to be a future great by ANY means. Our shot at them (if Oden even comes out this year) still exists, just as it is no lock that Milwaulkee will get the 1st pick. With two 1st-rounders and at least one FA signing, the Bobcats will be fine. Just give them a chance to be. Put another way...was the Panthers' quick pounce to barely above-average worth the misery of the years that followed with a bare cupboard and in cap hell?
--MAP
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 13, 2007 11:22:22 AM
all the bobcats need is one more big man (Oden, Hibbert, Thabeet, Noah, Horford, or even McRoberts) and a go to scorer. which they can address with their 2 first round picks. bring back wallace and carroll, extend okafor and pick up herrmann's team option. and let brezec go in FA after we get another solid big man. maybe we shouldnt even spend big money on a free agent (unless its vince carter). does anyone else feel brevin knight is expendable w/ Mccinnis on the bench? im sure there are teams with point guard needs.
Posted by: kyle | Apr 13, 2007 11:55:16 AM
The notion that we should keep Jeff McInnis over BK is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. McInnis has looked nothing but AWFUL all season long since he came over from the Nets. BK is STILL the best point guard on the team.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 13, 2007 12:33:45 PM
"Idiot": While I have never actually seen Rick's gut's, I'm sure they are not hate worthy. Maybe they are a little "flabbier" than he would like, but hate worthy?
I'm sure it's easy for you sitting on the outside looking in to be critical. Of course, you are just an arm chair critic pumping his own wheels in a comments section by abusing someone with little else to contribute.
What's say next time rather than using the tag "idiot" you use your actually e-mail address or real name?
Thanks for the reports Rick and for always responding to the e-mails I send you, no matter how long winded they are (you e-mailed me during the week about "Jumpman Area" and the naming rights.
Posted by: Slam | Apr 13, 2007 12:35:43 PM
Hah...you can bet Idiot and Hi Slam (the same guy, probably) are pumping more than their own wheels.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 13, 2007 2:35:19 PM
Anyone who thinks Bonnells articles are good needs get a clue. They are short coomon sense articles that any casual fan could write. I would love some good information on the 'cats that can't be found on the forum or that is not an opinion. Maybe I am asking too much. i don't know, but come on Rick kick it up a notch!
"Hi slam", that was a mature thing to do. I guess all you had to do was click favorites on your computer. Everyone has a right to there own opinion. By the way this is not my real address so don't waste you computer lab time.
Posted by: Dave | Apr 13, 2007 10:46:49 PM
I applaud the Cats for not tanking, as other teams have done, especially Milwaukee and Boston. What a disgrace they have been. Having said that, this is a crucial offseason for Charlotte. As everyone knows, we have to lock up Okafor and Wallace, and should also sign Matt Carroll. Just as importantly, Felton, May, and Morrison must take a step forward in performance next year, or else fans are going to remember that we COULD have had Chris Paul or Deron Williams instead of Felton and May, and could have had Brandon Roy instead of Morrison. Those guys have to step up to justify the Bobcats' faith in them if we are going to make a serious run at and into the playoffs.
As for the draft, well, we've likely played our way out of contention for Durant or Oden, either of which would vault us not only into the playoffs immediately, but within a couple or three years, would have surely put us in the hunt for division titles and championships. OK, so maybe lightning strikes and we get one of them. If not, we still have some appealing options. Do we go big with Noah, Hibbert, Hawes, or the Chinese guy, all of whom would be a tremendous improvement over Brezec and allow Okafor to move back to power forward? Or do we go with Horford or Brandon Wright at a spot where we are already considered pretty strong? Corey Brewer, hoping he can play the two? Intriguing possibilities abound. And with the second pick, we look for a great shooter, or depth.
As for free agency, I would give Rashard Lewis a serious look only if we cannot sign Gerald and would pass on Vince Carter, who would not be a good fit for our young, developing team. Lewis would give us the deadly outside threat we need so badly, but will also demand a huge contract, and I'm not sure we need him that much. I see him as more of a complementary player than a franchise player. Plus, if Herrmann continues to develop, our need for a player like Lewis diminishes greatly. It is more likely that we keep our powder dry for another year, or parlay our cap room to some advantage in a trade, as I believe many big names will be moving this summer. Does anyone really believe that Carter or Lewis is the right move for us?
One thing is for sure--this is a pivotal offseason, and the brass needs to get it all right: selection of a new coach, choosing the right guys in the draft, and making smart decisions with our cap room. I hope May and Felton step up, but I admit I am worried that we will regret not trading up for Paul for years to come, as well as not taking Roy. Please prove that wrong, guys.
Posted by: walter | Apr 14, 2007 10:07:24 AM
Hi Hi Slam,
That's great, thanks very much.
Looking forward to seeing pics of your Mom how she has aged and who is up her.
Posted by: Slam | Apr 14, 2007 10:27:46 AM
Bonnell: I don't agree with some of your wiews but, hey, you are the one writting (getting paid) and not me. I'm a jounalist too, and friends are not something we get if we say what we think.
I'm from Argentina, love Herrmann and I think that you still don'y buy him. It's okey, you and Charlotte will within time.
PS: Basketball and the NBA are a show, "just" sports. We should have fun with it, real life is for worry and anger.
Posted by: Federico | Apr 14, 2007 12:18:23 PM
Walter -- good post. I agree with you. Failing Durant or Oden, I hope we go with a PF in the draft and leave Okafor at C. He just seems to dominate there.
And I must apologize. This is Rick Bonnell's Blog and he certainly doesn't deserve anything but positive and respectful comment or criticism. As Federico said, its a show.
Players cannot tank games, they gotta play; and its sad that so many NBA managers (for good reason) are compelled too. Hopefully the NBA will take measures that make this less likely. Bill Simmon's (ESPN) suggestion to make all lottery teams have equal opportunity for the top picks is a good one I think. Throw away the weighted lottery. It's proved itself worthless this year.
Posted by: Bobcat Gamer | Apr 14, 2007 4:06:43 PM
Federico - You must be quite a "WRITER" if you can't even spell "WRITING" correctly. Moron.
Posted by: Good One | Apr 14, 2007 4:57:13 PM
That, or English is his second language because he's from a different country. Jackass.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 14, 2007 5:42:12 PM
Seriously Bonnell,
Most people in Charlotte that I know hated you since the Hornets days, why don't you go somewhere else? Yeah, let's just give up on our last 2 first round picks and dump Morrison & Felton, toss them in a trade for.... say Mike Bibby! Great! Nice job... you bald headed geek!
Posted by: CHill | Apr 16, 2007 9:20:24 AM
So what is it about Morrison and Felton that has shown them worthy of keeping? Particularly in the case of Felton, who shoots frequently and poorly (a deadly combination), turns the ball over at a ridiculous rate, and has never shown himself capable of efficiently running an offense at the NBA level. Mike Bibby would be the kind of clutch, veteran player with playoff experience that could take our team to the next level, which it seems more and more likely that Felton will never do. Additionally, getting rid of Felton would set him free of the lame-ass UNC fans who he tries to please every night with some White Chocolate, And-1 bullshit in between jacking up enough bad shots to make him look like the second coming of Rafer Alston. I'd start BK today in a playoff games, and with a 2nd-year, top 10 pick, that's a problem.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 16, 2007 11:23:20 AM
Sean May must GO!
Posted by: sec101nmad | Apr 21, 2007 10:13:22 AM
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