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July 02, 2007
Bobcats would be smart to keep Voskuhl
Obviously free agents Gerald Wallace and Matt Carroll will get more attention, but the Charlotte Bobcats also have to concern themselves with re-signing backup center Jake Voskuhl. Voskuhl’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, called me late Sunday night to confirm Voskuhl had opted out of his contract to become an unrestricted free agent. Bartelstein said Voskuhl would enjoy returning to Charlotte, but he’s looking for a long-term commitment here or elsewhere. Voskuhl has been valuable here; he had a better season than Primoz Brezec and he’s physical in the lane in a way most Bobcats aren’t. He’s willing to take a hard foul to avoid a layup. Particularly with new coach Sam Vincent making defense his priority, I’d think Voskuhl is someone they better keep. We’ll see how they play this, having bought out point guard Brevin Knight to save money.
Posted by rbonnell on July 2, 2007 at 10:42 AM | Permalink
Comments
My take, do everything else that you need to do- sign Wallace, sign Carrol, address the backup point (did you here Bobby Brown from Cal-State Fullerton is going to be on our Summer league team? He should of gotten drafted) and extend Okafor. Then look at where you stand and maybe try to resign Voskuhl (for no more than a 15% raise). I agree that Voskuhl was a much better option than Brezec at the 5 last year (not saying much at all) and I also like his toughness but he doesn't bring anything that Brezec, Davidson, or OHarrington aren't capable of bringing.
The 'Cats would be smart to try and address their need at the center spot elsewhere (they have Brezec and OHarrington with expiring contracts and Morrison is looking more and more like the odd man out of the rotation- good trade bait).
More importantly, however, is what's happening with G-Force, Carrol, Herrman and our summer league roster. Little help Rick.
Posted by: BusatCat | Jul 2, 2007 10:53:59 AM
Do any of you watch the addidas commercials. "You are fooled if you think it was about me, cause it take 5. But you aren't a fool right?" Well you are all being fooled. Vince sanity was a free agent for 6 hours because he really wanted to sign with his team. Gerald has almost put his self above the team. And it should not be about going from $6 mil to $10 mil to do that. His kids must need to eat (ala Latrell Sprewell). F that, no player is above the team. Now that they have this piece (J-Rich) he should be ready to accept that they can make the playoffs and be happy, but no. I just don't like greedy players, period.
OH and rick, that I told you so on A squared is coming soon.
Holla!
Posted by: T-Dub (AA's Brother) | Jul 2, 2007 12:57:12 PM
LOL! "Vince sanity" ... dude, seriously, go back and get your GED. Regardless, the reason VC was a free agent for 6 hours is because the Nets gave him exactly what he wanted (4 yrs., $60M). If they made him a bad offer, guess what -- he'd still be a free agent. It's funny that you think VC is a team-first guy for accepting $15M/year, but Wallace is greedy for wanting $10M/year from one of the EIGHT teams that have contacted him. And he should settle for less than he's worth just to be a nice guy??? Please. It's a good thing you are Anderson's brother and not his agent. Holla!
Posted by: T-Dub is Illiterate | Jul 2, 2007 2:13:09 PM
Actually in april I received my Bachelor of Arts in Motion Picture from Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. Plus I have an AA in Television Production from Brown College. Check my resume T-Dub impersonator. LOL!!!!! $15m for and offensive beast is perfect if the team can afford it. Gerald is not that he is an athletic monster yes. But he needs to work on his shot from the perimeter. Plus with all his injuries. Come on get off your high horse and stop insulting an up and coming producer/director of the arts.
Plus I can change my name too, (does that make you happy lil kid) I hope reading and responding to this is not all you do all day. And why do you hate my brother so much. Oh, because you will never have the chance to be paid to play basketball, thats right. LOL again!!!
I told you so is coming soon!
Get at me!
(copyrights belong to the original T-Dub)
Posted by: T-Dub IS THE MAN!!!!!!! | Jul 2, 2007 2:29:51 PM
Agreed, Rick! Jake Voskuhl contributes both to offense and to defense. While Primoz may have better offensive skills, Voskuhl is a tougher, better defender and defensive rebounder. Among the Bobcats centers, the most important one to keep is Jake Voskuhl.
BustaCat, Othella Harrington is a power forward who was little used last year; I doubt he'll be a Bobcat next season. Jermareo Davidson will hopefully provide defensive toughness - at his position (PF).
Even if Voskuhl - a really good back-up player - will be with the team next season,
the Bobcats will still need another strong, rugged, center. The team may want to address
this need through a trade.
Posted by: sandy | Jul 2, 2007 2:34:55 PM
Plus to call your ignorance, other teams offered Vince, dunk over 7 footers, that amount but he agreed to his team right away. Not shopping like a desperate house wife looking to get more. Plus that dunk over the 7 foot guy was worth $15mil alone.
Posted by: T-Dub IS THE MAN!!!!!!! | Jul 2, 2007 2:34:55 PM
so this backcourt situation will become interesting....since we've already paid $1.5mm.....if we end up paying more than $2.7mm, would we have been better off just paying Brevin the $4.2mm and be done with it? it's the same amount of money at the end of the day.....better get something better than Brevin and better spend less than $2.7mm to get it!
Posted by: backcourt junkie | Jul 2, 2007 2:37:10 PM
Bobcats to-do list:
1. Lock up enough money to extend Okafor.
2. Resign Gerald Wallace.
3. Figure out a roster rotation that keeps Morrison off the floor.
The following team can make the playoffs:
5 - Okafur
4 - May
3 - Wallace/Hermann
2 - Richardson/Carroll
1 - Felton/Anderson
Just please, please stop playing Morrison. If you need a poor-shooting, poor-defending, non-rebounding, non-passing, non-clutch chump, please give me a call. I would gladly take all 2331 of Morrison's minutes for a fraction of the price.
Posted by: Bannon | Jul 2, 2007 3:09:25 PM
I concur wholeheartedly. Voskuhl is one of the kinds of players every young team needs. Plenty of experience and knowledge as to how to act on AND off the court, and he can still contribute with great energy on D and hitting the boards. I'm one, though, who thinks we shouldn't give up on Brezec, who provides great matchup issues on offense, particularly given that we have Emeka to anchor the frontcourt D. If he flops again this year, Primoz is--and should be--gone, but in the two years prior to last, he was a top-15 center in the league, and given his price and the expectations on him, I'll take that any day.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jul 2, 2007 3:18:01 PM
PLEASE, people. STOP listing starting lineups that include Sean May. Let's see him in uniform more than three times a month before we anoint him as the prototype PF.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jul 2, 2007 3:19:49 PM
Why does the player have to be better AND cheaper? I'll settle for better OR cheaper. If we get somebody better, great. If we just get somebody cheaper and that helps us re-sign Wallace, extend Okafor and make a run at a major free agent acquisition, I say bon voyage Brevin.
Posted by: Bye Bye Brevin | Jul 2, 2007 3:21:40 PM
Voskuhl, McInnis, Brezec, and Harrington were all terrible last season. The Bobcats should cut all of them.
Posted by: Bannon | Jul 2, 2007 3:29:56 PM
sean may should be the first one gone!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: kirk pittman | Jul 2, 2007 5:02:56 PM
There won't be any ambition without Gerald Wallace. He is the key player, above Jason Richardson. But I understand that Gerald 'd like to go in a better team. Please stay Gerald.
Posted by: George Bailey | Jul 2, 2007 6:34:32 PM
It is stupid to call a player greedy for going to another team for more money. It's a business T-Dub.
Posted by: Lee | Jul 2, 2007 7:53:20 PM
Dear Bobcats Management,
PLEASE PACKAGE MORRISON AND MAY FOR CASH, BACKUP PG, AND 1ST ROUND DRAFT PICK!
Sincerely,
Concerned Fan
Posted by: BobcatsFan | Jul 2, 2007 10:25:50 PM
I have to agree with you, Bannon, that we need to :
1.sign Okafor to an extension as he is the key inside force for the Bobcats.
2.Sign Wallace. He is my favorite player on the team, and the most valuable wing player we have.
But, I would add that we also need to resign Matt Carroll. If anything were to happen to Jason Richardson, Morrison will not be quick enough to guard opposing 2's.
:>) Oh wait, that was your point.
All seriousness aside, I have to disagree with pt. #3, because we need Adam's all court scoring. He increased his stats substantially each year at Gonzaga, and don't be surprised if he does the same here.
Without making any further changes, IMHO, the best lineup to start the year is Okafor, Herrmann, Wallace, J Rich, and Felton.
Bench:May,Morrison, Carroll,Voskuhl, and back up point guard.
Reserves: Dudley, Davidson, Anderson, Hollins and Breznec.
As people get injured, the reserves move up in the rotation. If Primo gets healthy, he could replace Voskuhl as Okafors backup.
If Morrison struggles with his shooting again this year, Dudley could get some of his minutes, as well as Mays minutes, if he gets injured again. 106 out of 164 is a more than I realized.
If we can resign Wallace and Carroll, then I think we can win 40 to 45 games next year, which would put us in the playoffs. plus, it depends on how well Coach Vincent and the players mesh and execute together.
.
Posted by: peapod | Jul 3, 2007 11:16:20 AM
Rick, you also mentioned in your October 31 blog that the Bobcats should have cut Walter Hermann. I strongly value your opinion when it comes to basketball moves. Keep up the good work. Oh, and you might want to keep updating your resume. I hear that Tiger Beat magazine is hiring.
Posted by: Jefferson Davis | Jul 3, 2007 3:45:39 PM
Jefferson Davis, Bonnell is always dead on the money. For example, remember right before the draft that he heard from a very reputable source that Richardson would not be traded to the Bobcats? You have to give him credit for calling that, right?
Posted by: LeeL | Jul 3, 2007 4:12:53 PM
can someone please tell me who this AA is that this T-Flub is always obsessing over. does it stand for alcoholics anomynos?
T-Flub get a life all you ever talk about is aa, who or what is aa?
Posted by: george | Jul 4, 2007 12:51:19 AM
gerald will be wise to leave this bunch of losers. this clan of johnson, jordan, whoever this coach is they hired and his crackhead assistant. we tax payers had to pay to have this cancer come here. no free agents will sign here, they will have to be traded here. none of the bobcats will resign here, all this absentee group of ignorant owners are interested in is padding their pockets at our expense.
Posted by: kevin | Jul 4, 2007 12:58:46 AM
Best to ignore George and Kevin (same racist dude anyway)
Posted by: BustaCat | Jul 4, 2007 9:21:24 AM
Don't be so quick to throw Primoz under the bus. Many of the guys that played international ball last summer struggled with injuries and fatigue. He's skipping the Euro tourney this year. I suspect he'll be back to his 2005 form.
We're going to need him to take some heat of Emeka. With his back issues, the more we can spell E, the better.
Posted by: USC88 | Jul 4, 2007 9:59:04 AM
my favorite comment was the one about vince being a "team player"....seriously ask anyone in toronto.
Posted by: aee | Jul 4, 2007 10:29:51 AM
Wow, just wow. Bonnell with more great writing!
Posted by: Will | Jul 4, 2007 12:36:09 PM
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