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June 27, 2008
Few exempt from trade discussions
It might be too strong to say the Bobcats' Gerald Wallace is being shopped. It sure wouldn't be too strong to say his name is in play. The Bobcats were in serious discussions with the Toronto Raptors about a deal that could have swapped Wallace for T.J. Ford. It didn't happen, but that's the clearest indication yet how active the Bobcats are in seeing what their players might bring in trade. I assure you Wallace isn't alone. Raymond Felton could be moved, and so could just about anyone else with perhaps the exception of Jason Richardson. That's what happens sometimes when you make over the coaching staff. New management wants to start over, and the Bobcats ate up a lot of salary-cap room the past year to re-sign Wallace and Matt Carroll and add Richardson and Nazr Mohammed. Stay tuned.
Posted by rbonnell on June 27, 2008 at 09:46 AM | Permalink
Comments
Why the hell would you do a trade of Wallace for TJ Ford????
That is absolutely absurd!!!!!! That would have been a awful deal for us and I don't even understand why we would consider it.
Second, I understand that guys could be traded, but don't you think you could be blowing this out of proportion Bonnell?
Lots of team assess the trade value of their players leading up to the draft.... I feel like the Bobcats are a playoff team if they are healthy so why completely re-do the roster?
Give them one more year with these guys and if it doesn't work out then you can lets guys go. Wouldn't you agree?
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 27, 2008 10:02:40 AM
Why the hell would you do a trade of Wallace for TJ Ford????
That is absolutely absurd!!!!!! That would have been a awful deal for us and I don't even understand why we would consider it.
Second, I understand that guys could be traded, but don't you think you could be blowing this out of proportion Bonnell?
Lots of team assess the trade value of their players leading up to the draft.... I feel like the Bobcats are a playoff team if they are healthy so why completely re-do the roster?
Give them one more year with these guys and if it doesn't work out then you can let guys go. Wouldn't you agree?
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 27, 2008 10:04:09 AM
The Bobcats FINALLY listened to what I said last night and made the right moves, so here's hoping they listen again:
DON'T TRADE ANYONE.
YOU HAVE NOW FIXED THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE HAD LAST SEASON.
We have a competent coach that can teach and lead, and we now have a pass-first PG that is a born-leader that makes his team mates better.
THOSE WERE OUR TWO BIGGEST PROBLEMS.
THEY ARE NOW FIXED.
GO INTO THE SEASON WITH THIS TEAM. Hopefully puruse some PF options through FA, with our MLE.
IF THINGS DON'T WORK OUT, THEN LOOK TO TRADE PEOPLE DURING THE SEASON. DON'T TRADE THEM NOW. YOU MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ONCE, DON'T SCREW IT UP BY DISMANTLING THE TEAM.
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRADING WALLACE. RE-SIGN OKAFOR. KEEP THIS TEAM AS IT IS, UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE IT PERFORM. DON'T BE STUPID.
Posted by: Will | Jun 27, 2008 10:07:08 AM
Should've gotten CDR...
Posted by: Grant | Jun 27, 2008 10:13:47 AM
I can certainly understand them wanting to move Felton, which makes sense, and Gerald could be traded if it were for someone a little better than T.J. Ford
Posted by: matt | Jun 27, 2008 10:15:40 AM
Will, as you can probably tell from my post, I agree with you.
TRADE NO ONE!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 27, 2008 10:31:22 AM
Will, why do you consider Augustine a pass first PG? Is it because he took more shots than anyone else on his team last season? Is it because he led them in scoring? I think DJ is a fine offensive player and a good floor leader, although he is absolutely terrible on the defensive end. I just think people need to quit calling him a pass first PG. Also, look at his matchups against other top PGs, he usually doesn't fare too well. In the NCAA elite 8 game against Memphis, Rose scored a smooth 21 on 7-10 shooting and racked up 9 assists. Augustine shot 4-18 and had only 3 assists and 4 turnovers. Not very good numbers in the biggest game of the season for a pass-first PG.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 10:43:21 AM
It's easier to start with a clean slate guys. Players get stuck in their ways, and if somehow we go even younger, that might even work better for this team as some of Brown's best work was done with a young Clipper's team back in the day, not to mention a NCAA championship. I get the feeling, like it or not, that Brown has big plans to mold Augustin into a star guard in this league, and he also has other plans to make this roster look like what he wants and get guys that are going to play his way. I have been a strong proponent of giving Felton one last chance, but I must admit, this isn't a bad idea. Brown has his image on the line, as does MJ, and Brown getting another job depends on winning here. They aren't going to have a fire sale, I simply see Brown taking what works and dealing away what doesn't, which might be alot or nothing at all.
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Jun 27, 2008 10:48:12 AM
I agree that Wallace is expendable if we get the right player back, but we are so lucky that Toronto wanted and extra pick to make the deal happen. What would the Bobs have looked like w/ Ford? Would he have ever gotten along w/ LB?
Will, we didn't fix all our problems. The coach and the PG situation does look better now but we really rolled the dice on our front court problems. Best guess is that will be a disaster.
Posted by: Jared | Jun 27, 2008 10:50:26 AM
BOBCATS once again are stupid! look at who had the best draft NJ NETS we gave them Brook LOPEZ and CDR, weaver couldnt even play good against unc in the tourney, once again MJ needs to go
Posted by: bobby | Jun 27, 2008 10:50:43 AM
check out any of his stats against good pg's that year. He was toasted vs. Mich St and their freshman pg.
Say what you want about felton, he never had a pg get the better of him.
And they keep talking about a pass first pg...they are the ones who made him an sg! tell him to pass and give him someone to pass to and you'll get your pass first pg!
Posted by: bonnell=procton | Jun 27, 2008 10:54:45 AM
Mason,
Augustine lead his conference in assists and played on a team that needed him to shoot. I think you need to look at the whole picture.
Posted by: Jared | Jun 27, 2008 10:57:59 AM
Bobby must be the only person on the planet not happy about Brook Lopez coming to Charlotte. Portland ends up w/ Arthur at 27 and Bayless. I think they had the better draft.
Posted by: Jared | Jun 27, 2008 11:01:36 AM
I'm not the only one thinking the augustin pick was stupid (Sport's Guy Draft diary):
5:24: Our first stunner of the night: Charlotte reaching for D.J. Augustin at No. 9, followed by a shot of a devastated Brook Lopez in the stands. Hey, any time you have a chance to grab a career backup with the ninth pick, you gotta do it.
(Do you think Charlotte's war room is located on the ninth hole at MJ's golf course? Like, it's basically him on his cell phone and two other guys on Treos trying to rush the pick in before they sneak in nine more holes? The Bobcats might be the worst-run franchise in the league. And that's saying something. If MJ's Bulls career was like Ted Danson's run on "Cheers," then his Wizards comeback was "Becker," and this current Bobcats debacle is definitely "Help Me Help You.")
5:26: Stu explains Augustin is only 5-foot-11, but he has the wingspan of someone who's 6-3½. Well, that changes everything! At the very least, he's wearing the most interesting outfit tonight: a gray suit with a purple shirt and a pink tie. That will be a good look for him when he's Charlotte's 13th man next season.
Posted by: bonnell=procton | Jun 27, 2008 11:10:22 AM
Bonnell, thanks for the info. I can see why they wanted a point guard, but I can't understand giving up a future 1st round for a guy that's not even going to come here for a few years with the 20th pick. If the Cats are trying to make moves to win now, why get a guy in the French league who only averages 5 points and 5 boards?
Posted by: Irony | Jun 27, 2008 11:11:28 AM
nba rules state 12 men are allowed on the active roster during games. which leads me to questions about the roster as it stands the day after the draft.
PG felton, augustine
SG richardson, morrison, weaver
SF wallace, carrol, dudley
PF okafor, may, davidson
C mohammad
(harrington, anderson, hollins, boykins are not back from last year, and ajinca will not play for next years team, instead growing overseas)
players can be stashed on the injured list(2 or 3 i think) but who are we planning on being the back up center? is brown expecting players to play two positions? maybe so, but this is a risk if left as is. i expect a free agent to come in but the list above is 12, were does that player fit? i expect changes to be made.......
Posted by: brendan | Jun 27, 2008 11:17:09 AM
HAHAHA
Felton never got owned?...Does anyone remember his Freshmen season against Jason Williams or his Junior season against Christopher Paul...Felton is a joke...
Ask Kevin Durant or Lamarcus Aldridge what they think of Augustin. They'll back him up. As far as Ajinca, watch the workout he had with Hibbert and he owned him. He can shoot, dribble and that's a lot more than slow me down hibbert can do. And he's coming this year, mark my words. He wouldn't have been at the draft if he wasn't going to play here next year.
Weaver was one of Bilas's sleepers and he is very much compared to Rajon Rondo. Rondo never had a shot until he got coaching and now look, he's a starter for the World Champions.
For the Bill Simmons comment, I love Bill Simmons but he also said Josh Smith would be terrible and said Emeka Okafor would be better than Dwight Howard (HA), hated the Ray Allen trade for his own celtics and questioned Kevin Garnett all year until he won the championship for the Celtics. He's the same guy that said DeLonte West was the biggest sleeper of his draft (partly because he went to the Celtics).
If y'all knew anything about basketball, you would see a turnover prone PG (Felton)is not what Larry Brown needs. Augustin (yes took the most shots on his team because he was the best player) is a pass first pg. He was coveted by Sacramento and Portland. This was a great draft in my opinion and if we can get rid of Felton would make it that much better.
Everyone questioning this draft are the same people that get mad when we draft local guys so we go outside the box and now you're mad too.
MJ, send Wallace for a 4 or a non-injury prone 3 and we might be a top team next year.
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 11:25:27 AM
brendan,
Carrol plays SG not SF, you could have J-Rich at Sg/SF though.
Posted by: Oh...We suck again! | Jun 27, 2008 11:44:46 AM
Wow Dougie, he was coveted by two teams drafting in the 12-14 range, not drafting in the 8-10 range. I'm glad that two teams drafting a few picks behind us wanted our guy. Yay for us!
I'm sorry, look at Felton in college and that is a pass first PG. Augustine has never been a pass first PG, even when he had Durant. We all know Augustine was absolutely owned by Rose (4-18 shooting as he could not shake free of Rose and at 5-11 could not shoot over anyone) but look at the rest of the NCAA tourney, Augustine didn't have a single good game. His team needed him to shoot, so he shot I guess. Still don't know how you would call him a pass first PG but I guess that is what you do when you have a 5-11 PG who plays terrible defense.
And Felton was forced to shoot b/c our offensive execution was terrible, Wallace can't shoot and likes to dribble the ball for 15 seconds before passing it out, and our post players have zero post moves. Until we solve those problems, whoever our PG is will be forced to shoot. Lets just hope his performance against Rose isn't an indication of how he will perform against most NBA PGs.
We should have drafted Bayless who was the top talent on the board. Bayless could have played both the Point and SG positions and in the least we could have traded him for more assets.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 11:45:54 AM
Oh and one more thing Dougie boy, Augustine had less than a 2-1 assist to turnover ratio, wow he is not turnover prone at all. Meanwhile, someone like Ty Lawson, who runs a fast break offense, so he should have more turnovers, actually had a 2.35 assist to turnover ratio.
Hopefully we trade Felton and get someone decent in the post. However, Augustine is going to need a lot around him in order to be an effective player due to him being a complete liability on the defensive end.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 11:56:13 AM
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/player/Matt-Carroll?statsId=3785
he can be both, so can richardson, but i guess this goes back to the topic i was getting at in my earlier post. larry brown has his fingers all over the upcoming roster, with players sacrificing themselves and playing 2 positions a lot. i theroy this is not a bad idea, getting the we not me vibe going, but it can creat unwanted injuries from out of positino play, thus crippling the roster because if one guy is to play 2 spot and that guy is hurt, then what.
example: wallace or okafor blow out a knee, both these guys will be expected to play two spots(a lot). then you have no (good) starting PF or SF, and no (effective) back up C or SG/SF/PF. playing more then one spot works in the NFL, not the NBA because the size of the roster is large. the NBA requires team to make sure the ducks are in a row before the season starts, for if injuries occur, then most seasons go south. see last year for the bobcats. team expect may to be spot starter at pf and primary back up PF and he goes down and this bring in (in part) a mohammad kinda player thats helpful but not necessary. same with morrison, expected to fight for a starting spot or score alot from the bench at SG and SF, goes down and team has to play oldy goldy derek anderson a lot.
Posted by: brendan | Jun 27, 2008 12:08:45 PM
Geesh! And NO WONDER people dont want to play here...my goodness! You are bashing our first round draft pick BEFORE HE EVEN PUTS ON A JERSEY!! He won the award for the nations TOP PG..not D.Rose! and D.Rose is a great player but not even he shined in EVERY game..damn even Kobe got shut down before..
The guy is what we needed, a true PG that can create his own shot, which is pretty reliable btw..I have been to plenty of Cats games and seen Ray either turn down the open 3 or have me clinging to my seat praying it goes in somehow..plus a lil competition may actually INCREASE Ray's play and be the motivator he needs...
Who the hell is Brook Lopez?? Why would anyone be upset over not choosing him?? Is he going to be Amare, Dwight, Bosh? Doubt it..last thing we need is a 7-foot slug people..the league is not predicated on 7 footers anymore..the Celts just won a title with Kendrick Perkins for goodness sakes!!
I did want to snatch Arthur or a big man that I actually HEARD ABOUT at 20 but hey...lets see how this works out though b4 we officially declare him Frederick "Vince jumped over me" Weis or any other foreign bum....
Not bad this year..I would say B-
Posted by: Bobcat Terry | Jun 27, 2008 12:25:03 PM
Hey Bonnell,
Any truth to the rumor that the Bobcats and Knicks are talking about a Raymond Felton for David Lee trade? What do your sources (other than ESPN Insider or Google) say?
Posted by: The Doctor | Jun 27, 2008 12:49:06 PM
Thank you Bobcat Terry, for the first sane comment on these boards. How can some of you call yourselves fans? You all simply bash every move our organization makes. Some of these NBA organizations have been through many and much more years of disaster than we have had to deal with. Yet their fans still stick by them, consistently.
For once, think realistically. Are we going to win the NBA championship next season? No. Are we going to be an elite team in the league next season? No. But Larry Brown is the perfect coach to come into this organization to set a standard that our teams can continue in the future to get to that level. We have youth who can develop and are getting better and better each year. Don't be so quick to dismiss players. Its a new coach, new staff, and new ideas. Let them work and then you can judge again, rather than complain about a kid that you don't even know. Hell, Utah wasn't exactly thrilled when Deron Williams was selected a couple of years ago and he blossemed into a star.
Be a real fan and stick by your team no matter what move we make. Until then, go complain somewhere else.
Posted by: True Fan | Jun 27, 2008 12:56:06 PM
yall think yall got it bad? I'm a lifelong Redskins fan and a newcomer Bobcats fan.
Redskins troubles far outweight what the Cats have had to deal with in their short history.
Posted by: Grant | Jun 27, 2008 1:14:30 PM
Come on Grant, as a fellow Skins fan you got to admit they've had their glory years which make it very easy to be loyal to them.
I agree Truefan that we do need to be realistic w/ our expectations and that LB probably has us heading in a better direction than before, but that's not going to stop me from questioning draft picks and trades that don't make any sense to me. People are being way too hard on Augistin, but I don't have any idea why we need Anjinca right now. His stats are poor, he's not expected to play for a few years, and he's never competed against high level talent in France.
A true fan can question moves that look bad(Ammo, Nazr, and now Anjinca). I hope Ammo comes back healthy and provides great scoring off the bench, I hope Anjinca surprises me and contributes to the front court this year, or turns into an allstar a few years from now, but part of being realistic is understanding that moves that look bad have a good chance of turning out bad.
It's no fun if we all just say "go cats" and follow blindly whatever move the team makes. The New York fans love the Knicks but they did everything they could do get Isiah kicked out of New York.
Posted by: Jared | Jun 27, 2008 1:26:34 PM
I like the first round picks this year. I have no idea what value Weaver adds to the roster though. I am going to optimistically assume that he had a great workout and that Coach Brown thinks he can make Weaver productive. I have only seen Weaver play once and that was against the Heels. He looked horrible in that game. I hope that performance was an aberration.
I really hope the guy the Cats drafted at 20 isn't a foreign version of Hollins. The Cats don't need a replication of a person with a limited skill set.They are probably going to send Weaver to the D-League like they did with Davidson and Hollins.
Posted by: Token | Jun 27, 2008 1:30:29 PM
Mark this day Mason.
I say Augustin will start by Janurary 1st if Felton is still around. Augustin's a defensive liability so what does that make Felton? I loved Ray Ray...when he was playing for Latta high school and could run up on everyone. But he can't do that anymore. Augustin's numbers freshmen year 14 and 7 and sophomore year 19 and 6...
Felton's never averaged over 13 ppg in college or 7 assists...
Augustin played with one of the best college freshmen ever in Kevin Durant and was still able to make a name for himself. Okay he got owned by Derrick Rose, the number 1 pick in the draft, just like Felton got owned by Chris Paul all the time and still to this day. Look at what Augustin did with noooooone around him for this last year. He carried Texas to the elite 8 where you keep saying he got owned by D. Rose. Rose had 18, DJ-16. Rose averaged 14 and 5 and DJ, 19 and 6. Maybe you need to go call Anthony, Mason...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 1:51:21 PM
I'm sorry, I guess I am not a true fan because I disagree with our first round draft picks. Doesn't matter that I actually go to Bobcats games and it doesn't matter that I actually watch the NBA. No, because I disagree with the move it no longer makes me a fan. I guess all of those Knicks fans who booed last night aren't true fans either. Oh wait, you didn't know they booed b/c you didn't actually watch the draft.
You people are riduclous sometimes. Yes, I agree that it is way toooo early to judge our picks, but it is never too early to give your opinion on the draft. Why do you think ESPN and other sports sites put up their analyst's draft grades. Its worthless information but we like to discuss our sports, thats the point of a blog correct?
If we trade Felton it doesn't mean that I will quit rooting for the Bobcats. I personally think he has been terribly mishandled and maybe a change of scenary would be a very good thing for him. I actually hope we trade Felton now for a decent post player as I don't want to spend the #9 or the #5 pick on a backup, which is what we did w/ the #3 pick three years ago.
Simply stated, DJ, in my opinion, manages the floor well and has good range on his jump shot. He also is terrible on defense and I think he is 100 percent not a pass-first PG. Will his outside shooting help this team, yes. Will he be a liability on defense against a number of teams in this league, yes. Will the Bobcats be a better team next year, hopefully.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 2:00:57 PM
I don't see DJ on this list so I guess I am not the only one who is not a huge fan.
And if you look at Hollinger's rankings, Felton scored higher than DJ coming out of college. Just a thought.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Rookies-080627
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 2:08:09 PM
Will Felton's shooting hurt this team if he's here next year...yes. Will Felton's turnovers and defense hurt this team next year? Yes.
Adam Morrison could be a star. He was averaging 20 in the preseason until he got hurt last year and was a pretty decent scored when he started his rookie year. Now, he won't play in front of Richardson or Wallace (unless wallace is moved) but Morrison still has talent and doesn't need to be written off. Look at his stats in college against top talent. Stop hating.
And you can be a fan and bash on your team. But only on Sean May because he is the only player that deserves it on this team...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 2:12:46 PM
Felton also played with McCants, May, and Marvin Williams...and Felton was a year farther then Augustin. Augustin's only a junior.
I have something everytime you speak. You can't beat me...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 2:14:22 PM
Excuse me, he's only a sophomore, Felton was a junior...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 2:15:06 PM
Dougie, you are correct, everyone has a bad game. DJ had a great rest of the NCAA tourney correct? He shot 20 for 58 which equates to 34.5% from the field, averaged 6.5 assists and had 10 turnovers. Don't forget, Texas was a 2 seed so this includes a game against a 15 seed, where Augustin played 35 minutes. Wow, what an upgrade over Felton!!!
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 2:16:03 PM
hahaha, I like your style. However, Morrison will never be a star, that is an absurd comment. Did you know he had the lowest rebounding average for anayone above 6'2 in the league his rookie season? Wow, and JJ Reddick also was lights out in the summer league, does that mean he is going to be a star.
Waiting for your reply on Augustin's stellar 34% shooting in the NCAA tourney compared to Felton's NCAA performances???
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 2:19:21 PM
I forget to mention, but you can read almost every NBA analyst's opinions of Morrison and they are all the same: probably one of the top 5 worst defenders in the league, no rebounding abilities, and one of the worst picks this decade. Thank you!
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 2:21:50 PM
Congrats Mason for being a true fan! I'm proud of you. Once again, quick to judge... I did watch the draft, the whole thing, every single pick. I heard the fans boo the moment Stern took the stage, I heard them boo when they took the Italian, I heard them cheer when Arthur finally got to go up on stage...so don't judge me either. New York fans boo everything; its in their blood.
I don't mind that you give your opinion on a player, but the manner in which you (and by you, I do not mean you personally Mason)do so is laughable. Its almost like you have coached the guy before, so you know exactly how he is going to perform. ESPN and other analysts do give worthless information, which is what the majority of people on these blogs base their information, and precisely the reason why these blogs are such extreme garbage.
It isnt fun if we all just say "Go Cats!" but if you automatically base your predictions and assumptions off of this worthless crap then you can't call yourself a true fan.
We have no idea what it is like to run an NBA organization, to make player personnel decisions, to scout international players, etc. If we did, we would have been in the draft room last night and people would be screaming this morning to get rid of us.
All I am asking is that the true fans stand behind your team. Be proud of your team. Be proud of your new players. And be ready to have a better team. (And please some of you, get over the whole Hornets thing. Its in the past. Let it go. The Bobcats had nothing to do with them...)
Posted by: True Fan | Jun 27, 2008 2:23:47 PM
I agree with True Fan..I AM A NEW YORKER!! WE BOO EVERYTHING!!! LOL..
But seriously though, its ok to criticize the team bc I do as well...I'm just saying that the GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER! And who gives a rats ass about what some overpaid jerk on ESPN aka HYPE (thanks Packer) says?? They also picked the Panthers to go to the SuperBowl the past three years and the Suns or Mavs to win the NBA title..good job guys! Tim Couch was a "cant miss" prospect, just like that foreign bum the Nuggets drafted a couple years ago..their opinions are NO MORE VALID than any of ours who frequent this blog..
All I was saying is lets give em a chance BEFORE WAS BASH! thats all...May- bash him! Ammo-bash him! But dammit lets give the new guys a chance to flop first before we pick them apart..
FYI..college stardom DOES NOT translate to the NBA in ANY WAY! So please stop talking about what a guy did in college..PLEASE!!
Posted by: Bobcat Terry | Jun 27, 2008 2:38:23 PM
Yall are arguing over who had a better college career, Felton or Augustin?
....hmm, shouldn't yall wait 5 years and argue who has been more productive in the NBA? I really don't feel like taking the time to find a list of players who weren't that great in college who have had huge impacts in the NBA.
Posted by: Grant | Jun 27, 2008 3:03:17 PM
Trade wallace n felton too the knicks
Posted by: JoNOOt | Jun 27, 2008 3:06:54 PM
You guys are 100% correct, no reason to bash a guy before he has even played. I was not trying to bash DJ, he was a very good college player and is a great leader, I just don't think he and Anjica (sp?) were the best picks. I would have preferred a different combo. As it is, I hope we can trade Felton for an athletic PF who excels in the pick-n-roll and pick-n-pop game. In my opinion, that was this team's biggest need and we have not addressed that in the least. If we can't get the type of value we want from Felton then we will just have the two of them compete for pt, which isn't a bad thing, and cross our fingers that Okafor, the $10MM dollar man, learns how to hit a jump shot so we can utilize the pick-n-roll or pick-n-pop.
I will continue to bash Ammo b/c it was an awful pick, truly awful, and will bash May b/c he prefers to eat and play basketball on his PS3 instead of on the court. And I will cross my fingers and hope a guy who averaged 5ppg in the French league can someday be our starting center.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 3:16:16 PM
Good call, Mason:
ESPN.com: Similarities: Larry Bird or Wally Szczerbiak (both NBA All-Stars)
nbadraft.net: NBA Comparison: Larry Bird
Strengths: A special talent
draftexpress.com: Best Case: Dirk Nowitzki
Worst Case: Glenn Robinson
(Both NBA All-Stars)
collegehoops.net: Adam Morrison - *****
(*****=Superstar/All-NBA Potential): " Morrison's killer instinct and ability to score will make him successful in the NBA...if his health (diabetes) stays in check he should have a long and successful pro career."
Everybody in the world definitely thought he was going to be a flop.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 27, 2008 3:20:44 PM
Hahaha, you think Ammo is going to be an all-star? Procton you kill me sometimes. That's awesome.
Fox Sports rates Bobcats as one of the draft night losers:
Charlotte Bobcats: Drafted D.J. Augustin (No. 9) and Alexis Ajinca (No. 20)
"The Bobcats have a young point guard in Ray Felton and a glaring need at center. Drafting Augustin, a good college player whose lack of size and athleticism will hurt him at the next level, was a mistake considering Jerryd Bayless was on the board. They compounded that error by using the 20th pick on Ajinca, a very long, very unpolished prospect who averaged just five points and five rebounds per game last year in France."
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 3:25:19 PM
Start with trading that big snowflake of a French center you wasted a first round pick on last night for oh, I don't know, someone who won't fall over when the wind blows. Oh my bad, he averaged 5 points a game in the French league, so he must be amazing. Bobcats are gonna rue the day they passed on Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts. But oh I forgot, Michael Jordan is running the show now. Guess we can look forward to them trading Okafor and 6 first rounders for the rights to Kwame Brown.
Posted by: Trade Idea | Jun 27, 2008 3:27:35 PM
college players who made a splash in the NBA after mediocre to decent college careers(off the top of the head, no google):
Andre Iguodala, Chauncey Billups, Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Steve Nash, Shawn Marion, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Redd, Caron Butler..thats all i could think of right now
Some of these guys may have been known bc of the school they went to but..none were expected to be the players that they are currently..
Posted by: Bobcat Terry | Jun 27, 2008 3:37:34 PM
Procton..here we go again..I guess u didnt read my previous comments...you were probably too busy searching online trying to find the FEW good articles about Morrison...DUDE--WAKE THE F UP!! HE IS GARBAGE!!! You quoted online sites, I recall SEVERAL former NBA players saying he was not going to be effective in the 'A'..but I guess they dont know as much as some pencil neck geek writing online articles though..
My issue with Ammo (we should call him empty shell casing..lol) He CAN'T get his own shot, he CAN'T defend my little sister who is 16, he CAN'T set solid screens, he has NO feel for the NBA game..I attended at LEAST 30 Cats games the last 2 years so I'm not someone who speaks from ignorance..I am an AVID supporter of the Cats from DAY ONE..so Im not hating either..
I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND why ppl like you want us to "give him a chance"..how bout you EARN YOUR CHANCE?? And why are you using only the good comments? If you had THOROUGHLY researched you would have found that Morrison was the LEAST EFFICIENT player in the league his healthy year..this is of course using the efficiency ratings which function similar to QB rating (hard to understand how its computed)..not that I hold much weight with that but it does say something about his production or lack there of...
Posted by: Bobcat Terry | Jun 27, 2008 3:48:34 PM
The Truth personally would have picked DeAndre Jordan at #20 even though there must be a reason he fell so far back.
The Truth thinks maybe taking Lopez, DeAndre Jordan, and then CDR would have been a good draft. The Truth would recommend to the team that they should have signed a backup PG in free agency and gone with those three players.
The Truth has great ideas!
Posted by: The Truth | Jun 27, 2008 3:55:38 PM
The Truth thought Morrison would be a very solid NBA player and that JJ Redick would not. The Truth says 1 out of 2 ain't bad! The Truth laughs - ha ha ha!
Posted by: The Truth | Jun 27, 2008 3:57:01 PM
Way to back peddle after all that DJ bashing Mason.
No one on here should apologize for their opinion on a player. I'm not waiting 5 years to voice my opinion on Anjinca. IFfwe waited 5 years there's a good chance we won't even remember his name.
June 2013:
Hey guys maybe the Bobcats will finaly get a decent center and a point guard this year. Who was that French guy we picked?
I sure as hell don't want to be saying that in 5 years.
None of us are experts and that's why we're on this message board and we're not getting paid, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have opinions about the team that we like. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to inform our opinions from information that's available to us.
We're here because we like to talk about the Bobcats, if you have a problem with someone's opinion of the team, then either make an argument why you think it's a bad opinion, or stop reading and go check out www.cuteoverload.com
Posted by: Jared | Jun 27, 2008 3:58:46 PM
want to bring up the boston business model here. going into the 2007 draft they had a lot of blue chips to package and one lone all star to keep. they were agressive in their approach, kept a select one or two of those blue chips and gave it a defensive approach once the stable of players arrived. WE HAVE NO ALL STARS, but one or two (wallace or richardson) who are real close. we have lots of blue chips to dispense and now all we need is the aggression. i really believe we are gonna see one year with this stable of players, and not a full year either. by mid-season if the mix is bad, the transition to a different mix will begin. brown, by all accounts is here to set things up, like bickerstaff, and get this team playoff bound. by all accounts this current mix is, best case, reaching for a 8 seed all the way to april, but would be lucky to get there. listen im a diehard NBA fan and really like the bobcats players, but dont know if the mix is right. those who have watched okafor know that he is not a 4 but a 5, and would be best suited there long term. if he is the one all star to keep, get to moving the pieces in around him. pieces that will make him a 5 and focus on defense and minimal scoring responsibility. because thats not his game. pairing him as a 4 with another 5 is just cloging the lane. and who in this after draft lineup is stepping out 10 ft to guard the PF's like bosh and garnett and odum and r wallace and turkaglu and...... ? its not okafor, and brown wont magically change him into something he is not. it sure is not the 1 center on today's roster mohammad. its not ajinca when he gets here. which leaves davidson and may. are they held accountable for guarding todays PF like the list above? i hope not. okafor, mohammad, and ajinca are all low post, 10ft in players, and thats fine. since the team looks to move on from hollins, ajinca will slide right in and at the least provide the same things. he could also replace mohammad when his contract expires, which means he will provide some returns. and i would not look to far into his existing numbers, hes young raw and so was hollins. talking back-up defensive low post presence as far as his job description goes. but we need to start with one of the guys who are considered near all star level(like okafor for example) and move out the rest and move in the parts necessary to create CHANGE. you only ADD to a mix if its winning. we are not. period. so that approach is not gonna cut it here. be bold and blow it up. keep a youngster like morrison or richardson(yes he is still young) and ship out wallace, felton, may, carrol, augustin, davidson, mohammad, ajinca, dudley, and weaver and see what they can return and add the missing parts. this is not impossible, cleveland, new jersey, chicago, and dallas did it mid season, boston did it preseason last summer,and portland has been doing it for two years now. we should be aggresive too.
Posted by: brendan | Jun 27, 2008 4:02:00 PM
Paul Pierce, what are you doing here?
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 27, 2008 4:03:30 PM
The Truth thinks Ajinca could guard PF's like Bosh and Sheed.
Posted by: The Truth | Jun 27, 2008 4:41:27 PM
Smart move by the cats. The frenchman will sit out for a couple years and not get paid coupled by no first rounder next year and Bobcat Johnson saves millions
Posted by: steve | Jun 27, 2008 4:47:07 PM
Mason,
Augustin shot 34.6% because he had to shoot. Texas was an overrated 2 team that he had to carry. All Felton did and all he had to do was pass the ball. Ask any NBA expert and you'll find Augustin is ranked as a better shooter coming out of college than Felton. As for Morrison, you can't say he's a horrible pick. You just can't. A torn ACL and you are ready to throw in the towel. He averaged 12 a game coming off the bench including some huge games against Indiana and Minnesota that year. Someone else said he can't create his own shot or come off screens. How did he score in college? I remember watching him score bunches and bunches of points against top 25 talent (not in his division) but against Memphis, UCONN, UCLA, MSU, etc. Also, if you go back to that summer's workout circuit, he was owning Rudy Gay in every workout to where Rudy Gay stopped working out against him.
Check out Bobcatsplanet.com to see videos on Ajinca. He's going to be better than expected. 2 weeks ago, the Bobcats were looking at him with the 9th pick so be hapy.
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 5:12:22 PM
NBa TV had Ajinca going 13th...13th!!!
Think a 7'1 Boris Diaw...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 5:25:13 PM
Dougie, since you are an expert in all things apparently, Ajinca looks amazing, but why only 10 mins/game in the french league?
There has to be a story here and if he can only do 10 mins/game in france, how the hell is he ever going to help the bcats?
Posted by: bonnell=procton | Jun 27, 2008 6:13:33 PM
Dougie, some guys are workout warriors, other are ballers, some are both. Ajinca is obviously very young and 3 years down the road maybe he is Andruw Bynum. More than likely 3 years down the road he is the 12th man on the team, and we gave up next year's first for that. I don't know what kind of protection the pick has, but we could turn out giving up a lottery pick for a scrub. We shall see, I would have preferred someone who could have come in and helped, such as Arthur from Kansas who destroyed my Tar Heels in the NCAA tourney.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 27, 2008 6:13:49 PM
Felton needs to get more consistent, particularly with his shot. But he was 7th in the NBA in assists with a 2.75:1 A/TO ratio, and lets be honest on a team that isn't built for great PG assist numbers - Wallace doesn't lend to assists, Okafor isn't a great post scorer, etc.
I have never understood how anyone looked at his play (crappy shooting, high assist numbers) and said I'm not sure this guy is a PG. I just flat out don't get it.
And those who say he shoots too much, I've seen felton play probably 150-200 games in college and NBA, he shoots when he needs to or feels he has to but is happy to run an offense. His problem with the Cats has been he's been asked to score too much.
The team had huge issues last year, I am with those that say give them a chance with a real coach and figure out what you've got. It's make or break season for a lot of guys including Felton.
Posted by: John | Jun 27, 2008 7:35:55 PM
Yeah, let's take Arthur and his kidney condition. Ajinca can play man. Just wait. Tony Parker, Diaw, Mikeal Pietrus, France puts out some studs. A lot of players don't play overseas before they come over. Actually, they were talking about it the other night at the draft that Gallinari is one of the only players in the past couple years to get PT in Euroleague games. A lot of foreign players are raw and not strong when they first come over. But more than not, they work out for the best. Nowitzki, Ginobili, Diaw, Barbosa, Nene, Kristic, Parker, Gasol, Gasol 2, Pietrius, Turkolugu, Stojakic, etc...
Foreign players, are risks and sometimes they don't pan out, but Ajinca will...
Posted by: Dougie | Jun 27, 2008 11:57:15 PM
I'm okay with everything the Bobcats did, however I hope they could just give away Nazr and his contract. Same for Carrol and Morrison if you had to. Package em to the Blazers for Frye and Webster? Frees up salary and we gain a big man who can play offense in the post and more than 20 mpg.
With that, I'd also like us to explore trading Felton only if we get equal value. Trade Felton/Nazr to the Cavs for D. West/ 1st Rounder.
And the Wallace trade for TJ Ford is ridiculous. They better not trade Wallace and especially not for a guy with the intention of having them "split time".
Posted by: Nick | Jun 28, 2008 10:07:29 PM
Michael Jordan is a cancer to the Bobcats! He screwed up the Wizards organization when he was over them and now he is screwing up the Bobcats organization! This guy is was the best player in the world and here he is drafting a French guy with the 20th pick that sucks over the big guys from Kansas and Ohio Stae! What was he thinking drafting Weaver over Chris Douglas-Roberts??? Who wants to be like Mike??? Sure not the guys that are Head of Operations of the rest of the teams in the NBA! I say trade Michael Jordan to Boston for Big Baby Davis and a second round pick for next season! hahahahaha
As long as MJ is making the decisions....the Bobcats will never make the playoffs! You see the Wizards didnt make the playoff until MJ left!
Posted by: Duston | Jun 29, 2008 8:42:15 AM
i really wanted to give jordan benefit of doubt, but getting really concerned now
granted none of these trades happened, but wallace for tj ford is grounds for dimissal
and lets not forget felton is better than half of PGs in league today. Yes, needs to improve, but lets not lose our heads here
where i was optimistic with LB coming on board, I am very scared about the upcoming team decisions over the next 2 weeks or so
Also, the french center at 20 better pan out fast, looks suspect to me at that high of a pick
Posted by: howfast | Jun 30, 2008 11:29:29 AM
This is the way the draft choices should have went.
Brook Lopez at 9th. insted of D.J. Augustin
or even Roy Hibbert. Emeka really needs some HELP!!!!!
If D.J. was available take him 20th if not we should have gotten Mario Chalmers.
Posted by: ITSADUNN | Jun 30, 2008 11:46:44 AM
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