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April 16, 2007
Not the primo time for Primoz to test market
Bobcats center Primoz Brezec has a decision to make: Should he take a $2.7 million guarantee next season or opt out of his contract to hit unrestricted free-agency this summer?
My guess: He’ll take the sure thing.
Brezec and his agent, Marc Cornstein, will get together soon to talk about the situation. Cornstein made it clear Monday in a phone conversation that no decision - or really any leaning - has been made.
But I’m guessing, considering the circumstances, that the sensible thing is to put off free-agency another season. Brezec has had what Cornstein describes as a “frustrating, disappointing’’ season. That’s not what you want on your resume as you hit the open market.
Brezec was a victim of circumstance. The Slovenian national team worked him throughout the summer and the year-round basketball undermined his health. He was exhausted entering training camp, suffered a back injury at mid-season and never got his rhythm.
His numbers are underwhelming: Five points and 3.2 rebounds in just under 15 minutes per game. He started half the Bobcats’ games, but those were usually cameo appearances. It’s been pretty much a lost season.
If Bobcats shooting guard Matt Carroll is hitting free-agency at the optimum time, then you could argue Brezec would be hitting the open market at the worst time in his three seasons in Charlotte. Why throw away nearly $3 million for that?
Posted by rbonnell on April 16, 2007 at 02:56 PM | Permalink
Comments
Typical Bonnell reader response: Well duh, of course he's not in a good position to get paid. He had a bad season! Durr.
Fact is, however, Brezec might well feel he owes something to the Bobcats for picking him up off the Indiana scrap heap and making him a cornerstone piece for two years. Regardless of his current year's struggles, I still think he could be a solid piece for the Bobcats next year provided his excuse of exhaustion is true, which seems reasonable to me given his full schedule. Dwayne Wade, among others, has made this same complaint, and the some of the Hurricanes (do any other hockey fans exist?) cited their extended season as part of the reason for their struggles this year. Primo's defense has usually--and will probably always--lacked something when trying to guard the big bangers in the game, but his offensive arsenal is a unique gift that gives those same bangers trouble on the other end. I remember a win against the Heat in Charlotte in which he was absolutely on fire from the perimeter because Shaq would not--or could not--come out to defend him. These qualities are not necessarily those of a premium starting center, but if Mikki Moore can contribute, so can Brezec. I'm happy to have him back next year, hopefully as a reserve, but, if need be, he can at least adaquately serve as a starter, as he showed for two years prior to the current one.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 16, 2007 5:39:02 PM
"He started half the Bobcats’ games..." **shaking head** while one of the leagues premier shot blockers (Okafor) started each game marginalized at Power Foward. Don't get me started; at least its nearly over for this year. Hopefully, the next coach will do better.
...and ummm why not...Ray Felton is not a SG! :) there ya go...
Posted by: Bobcat Gamer | Apr 16, 2007 8:46:39 PM
Okafor IS a PF...he couldn't handle Shaq either. He's got the bulk, but some of the centers are simply too tall for him to handle.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 16, 2007 11:58:00 PM
Primoz has been terrible this year, but he may be, at the very least, serviceable next year. He does present match up problems for opposing centers with his shooting range, so a limited role next season wouldn't be so horrible.
Posted by: Bobcat Matt | Apr 17, 2007 10:40:15 AM
Primo is almost as dissapointing of a player as Darko only he cost less. He is one of the most non-impact big man I've seen with no true post presence or moves. It really is a waste of a roster spot to have to keep him another year. I hope he takes a chance as an FA and gets out of town, but his agent sounds too smart for that. Too bad...
Posted by: Don | Apr 17, 2007 10:58:09 AM
Primoz had a dissappointing YEAR, but he's hardly in the category of Darko Milicic. He was a late first round pick, rather than a top-3 pick, and was picked up by the Bobcats for NOTHING in the expansion draft. For the first two years fo the Bobcats' existence, he was a ROCK at the center position. Though hardly an impact defender, he offered fairly decent scoring, reasonable rebounding (especially on the offensive glass), and great shooting--51%+ both years--particularly given the number of outside shots he takes. The foul problems that have plagued him this year also were not an issue, as he managed to play 28-32 minutes with under 3 PF/gm. For a career 2 PPG scorer to come to the Bobcats and do this--transforimg himself into a top 15 center in the NBA--was hardly dissappointing. As I stated above, I'd prefer we replace him with a more traditional bump and grind center, but there's CERTAINLY a spot on the roster for him.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 17, 2007 12:36:34 PM
Primo has to go. He is one of the worst big men in the league. He gives the Cats nothing. Can't score. Can't Rebound
Posted by: Roy | Apr 17, 2007 12:41:42 PM
A few weeks ago a lot of the armchair GMs on here were trashing Herrmann as a wasted roster space, too ... how'd that turn out?
Posted by: BrockLanders | Apr 17, 2007 1:52:38 PM
Many NBA teams are going small at C, so long as that small can defend and run. Ok50 fits that well; he's an excellant defender, ala Amare. He may have PF size for sure, but it does not appear to be his best position, so far. I know it was not certain what his position would be coming out of UCONN, but I think we've found out; and its C.
Slow centers who lack defensive skills are not a high-valued commodity in the NBA anymore. Place one of those in the paint and move Okafor out to PF and what you've done is remove your defending shot blocker to the wing. Not intelligent.
Posted by: Bobcat Gamer | Apr 18, 2007 5:30:42 AM
Right, because most PFs these days are playing on the wing. Like Elton Brand, and Tim Duncan, and Carlos Boozer, and Zach Randolph, and Jermaine O'Neal, and Al Jefferson, and Udonis Haslem.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 18, 2007 9:34:19 AM
The issue of position is not so much about who and where Emeka will defend. Emeka often played the post player on defense regardless of his spot in the startinng lineup. One of the problems, though, was his penchant for picking up cheap fouls against really big guys. The issue is forcing him to go up on offense--particularly with his limited post game--against the biggest and strongest men in the NBA. I doubt Okafor will ever be a dominant force on the offensive end, but he would have a better chance to hold his own if he sized up better against his mark.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 18, 2007 11:25:54 AM
Case in point: Emeka+Eddy Curry=ugly.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 18, 2007 11:21:13 PM
Last night was the perfect example of Primo being a wasted spot. Okafor fouls out and we don't have a big man who can step in to stop Curry because Voskul is DNP and the ROCK of Brezec is worthless in the paint!
Primo Career #'s that matter
Avg Pts = 5 (vs 8.4 Average Center)
Rebounds= 3.2 (vs 5.8 Average Center)
Blocks = .4 (vs .9 Average Center)
All below average! And only 2.1 FT's per game.
I would rather add Paul Shirley and get an entertaining blog out of next season.
Posted by: Don | Apr 19, 2007 2:19:52 PM
I'm confused about where you're coming up with those numbers. You say they're career numbers, but they seem to somehow EXACTLY mirror this year's stats, which came in less than 15 minutes per game...you don't mention that part either. Curious.
When I take a look at his career stats, I see a guy who scores .2 more PPG and only has about 1 less RPG than the "average player." And those numbers are only in 20 minutes per game, dragged down a lot by his 3 years in Indiana, where he hardly ever played.
Next time you try to make a point, it'll be better made with accurate, factual information.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 19, 2007 7:13:27 PM
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