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June 16, 2008
Stray thoughts on Tar Heels, Bobcats ...
- I’m not at all surprised Wayne Ellington and Danny Green chose to return to the North Carolina Tar Heels. Ellington understood he’d be selling himself short and Green’s injuries reduced his prospects of being drafted at all this spring.
But Ty Lawson’s decision surprised and impressed me.
He sent out all the signals, at the Orlando pre-draft camp, that he was searching for a reason to turn pro. And he demonstrated the game - a Jameer Nelson-like speed dribble, for instance - that would have made him a first-round pick.
But I guess he decided that playing another college season, and maybe winning the national championship, would make a huge difference long-run. The 2009 draft isn’t supposed to be as strong as 2008. Lawson could well end up a lottery pick a year from now.
- I can’t vouch for what’s next, but it comes from a credible basketball writer working for a French publication: He says the Bobcats show interest in French pro Nicolas Batum, a 6-foot-8 small forward.
I’m not sure Batum’s game is worthy of being the ninth pick. The Raptors like him a lot, and could take him 17th.
- I’m betting Italian pro Danilo Gallinari got a top-10 promise before deciding to stay in the draft. There was a significant upside to him pulling out of the draft for another year and returning to Milan if a team with a high pick didn’t send the right signal.
New Jersey at No. 10 makes sense.
Posted by rbonnell on June 16, 2008 at 06:48 PM | Permalink
Comments
I may be interest in the young man. I will need to see a picture of him first. If he is black and can run fast then sign him up.
Posted by: BobJohnson | Jun 16, 2008 7:06:29 PM
Batum has a nice game, but he just doesn't fit into our already ridiculously overcrowded wing situation, barring a trade. He's an SF who could also be an SG, not an SF who could be a PF.
Oh, and I think my favorite part about Twonny Lawson coming back is that all the super-loyal Tar Heel fans will give him a hero's welcome next year despite calling him Joe Forte for the last month. He'll come off the bench against Winona State or some other season-opening powerhouse so that Roy can show that his underage DUI was no small deal against him, then it'll never be spoken about again. I bet John Kerry would feel right at home in Chapel Hill.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 16, 2008 8:19:35 PM
I guess a couple of ignorant racists end up in every blog. It's past ridiculous at this point. I have to laugh at people who are so insecure with themselves that they still have to dig at race to make themselves feel better, as if there is anything wrong with being a different color. I don't see how any of that even matters. If you want to dig at someone, use some actual intelligence and talk about something that really matters (b/c race doesn't) and talk about how Bob thought this was going to be an easy business and expected to keep his wallet closely guarded while the citizens of charlotte and the surrounding areas blindly opened theirs. Talk about how Bob shouldn't disrespect the Charlotte business community if he really expects his fanbase to grow. Those are legitimate things to discuss. But just because you're a lonely racist white guy with nothing better to do doesn't mean that anyone else wants to hear it.
Posted by: Eric | Jun 16, 2008 8:22:53 PM
Procton, 1st of all Lawson did not get a DUI. He blew a .03. Yes he was guilty of underage consumption and this will be handled accordingly which he made a mistake.
I do not know other than you could not hack it at UNC what your deal is with the school. UNC is a top notch instituition and maybe if you had tried a little harder you would have made the cut there.
Posted by: David | Jun 16, 2008 8:32:53 PM
I agree with the thought that Bob johnson is a racist but who said he was white? That accusation sounds racist to me also Michael Procton. I swear a white racist? A black racist? Where's the orentials and hispanics and hell where is my racist indian people? MMMmmmm Maybe we are not lol at least not here in NC. Yea Cherokee's!!!!
Posted by: boboetu | Jun 16, 2008 8:44:44 PM
OOOOPS! Mis-spelled orientals. Damn my bad.
Posted by: boboetu | Jun 16, 2008 8:46:34 PM
North Carolina Drunk Driving Laws:
When is a driver considered to be legally drunk in North Carolina?
* Non-commercial drivers age 21+ are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .08 or more.
* Drivers of commercial vehicles are legally drunk when their blood alcohol concentration is .04 percent or greater. In North Carolina, school bus drivers are commercial drivers.
* DRIVERS UNDER 21 ARE LEGALLY DRUNK WHEN THEIR BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL IS .01 OR MORE.
Driving with any alcohol in your system when you're not 21=DUI.
Posted by: Michael Procton, legal expert | Jun 16, 2008 8:54:25 PM
Except that he was charged with Driving after Drinking and not with DUI.
Get a life Procton..don't you have anything better to do then post ignorant comments on every single sports blog the Observer puts up?
Also, to the great wordsmiths BobJohnson and boboetu: I could have sworn that Buzz Peterson, Dave Hanners, Larry Brown, Lee Rose, Adam Morrison, Matt Carroll, Primoz Brezec, Paul Mokeski, Walter Hermannm etc. were all non-blacks to work/play for the Bobcats. How does this make them all black? Because the owner is black? Because of Jordan (who's jock I am sure you have been sniffing for the past 20 years) or Higgins?
Please get a life and go back to the 1850's.
Posted by: Michael Procton, local idiot | Jun 16, 2008 9:43:38 PM
boboetu, I am white, not that it matters, but what other race would bring the fact that the owner is black into this blog? I do agree that you can be racist no matter what your actual ethnicity is, but what black, oriental, hispanic, or indian person is going to take the time to write or even care about hiring/drafting black personell/players? Unfortunately we still have to hear this crap in 2008. I actually come to blogs to write about the topic (tar heels/batum), but I had to instead voice my opinion on something that shouldn't even be an issue.
Posted by: Eric | Jun 16, 2008 10:18:45 PM
Eric,
It is a sad reality of the board. I can agree that the only way the Cats look at Batum is with some serious wing packaging in mind.
On on another note. I'm wondering what folks think about Javale McGee as a candidate if we traded down in the first round?
Posted by: jperry | Jun 17, 2008 5:17:39 AM
Again, Procton wrong with his facts.Lawson did not receive a DUI, he was charged with driving after drinking and the courts and Coach Williams will handle this I believe the court system has a better knowledge of the law than Procton's search engine
Posted by: Gus | Jun 17, 2008 7:45:33 AM
All this draft speculation is starting to worry me. I really hope the Bobcats make a good pick. I think the right pick could make the Bobcats a 40 win team, which would get them in the playoffs.
Posted by: Token | Jun 17, 2008 8:27:04 AM
Don't let speculation worry you because that's all it is, speculation. Bobcats work out all kinds of players, including possible undrafted free agents to be ready for multiple types of scenarios. I read on ESPN that we even worked out Lameer Goldwire from UNCC. Doesn't mean we'll draft him. Also remember that Brown said he has no problems drafting a player that declines to work out for the team. I'm confident in Brown's drafting abilities (not necessarily Jordan's). I still feel that Randolph, despite his weight, is our best bet if still available. Yes he's young and still has developing to do, but so does 85% of the draft, including Beasley. Not saying that Randolph and Beasley are on the same level, just saying that Beasley too still needs to develop his game more. I think that Randolph could really thrive on our team. My lineup- Felton,Richardson,Wallace,Randolph,Okafor.
Posted by: Eric | Jun 17, 2008 9:13:53 AM
though a trade like last year cant happen with salary space not being a luxury as much, the bobcats would still benefit from a move. they just have to be a little more crafty in the move. the impact from players available at 9 just seems less then the impact that a current nba player can have.
a starter at 4/5 is what is needed, more so then a young player who would play mostly from the bench. the bench could also be augmented from free agency with the right moves. we have young chips at our disposal along with the pick, which could return any number of possible current nba players at 4/5. jordan and brown wont wait around to see if things are "growing". they crave a winner, as do the fans. i believe the time to make small moves like drafting and developing is passed for charlotte. there is enough of a young core and not enough of a vet presence. vets who are 4-6 years into their nba life and have been to the playoffs and gone far if not all the way.
Posted by: brendan | Jun 17, 2008 9:25:07 AM
It's not a search engine, dickhead. It's NORTH CAROLINA STATE LAW. I've worked in court for several months. .000001 BAC under 21=DUI.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 17, 2008 9:43:46 AM
Procton,
I thought you said that .01=DUI for under 21. So why did you then say .000001 now equals a DUI? Maybe I'm confused, but it's more likely that you're an idiot. By the way, having to be in court several times in one month for being an idiot doesn't equal working in one. Plus, why would you brag about something like that? It's not like you're a lawyer. You couldn't even get through one year at UNC. And, even if you were a lawyer, who gives a crap?
Posted by: Irony | Jun 17, 2008 9:57:36 AM
Procton, Gus stated Lawson did not get a DUI which is correct. Calling the man a dickhead when he was correct shows your lack of maturity and you have a problem when someone disputes your facts. You owe Gus an apology.
Posted by: jeff | Jun 17, 2008 10:04:42 AM
I'm french, I'm a Bobcats fan, don't ask me why. What the fuck is wrong with you people ? Everytime I'm on this blog, I read racists comments ! Can anybody do something so that we don't have to read this kind of crap ! Are you a bobcats fan or not ?
For all the others, the fans, I can only say that I'd like one day to go see a game at Charlotte.
Go Bobcats !
Posted by: Nicolas | Jun 17, 2008 10:54:31 AM
By the way Procton, I certainly hope you are not being paid by the Court for your work. Because I see a lot of posts from you during the day, and if it's either on State time or on a State computer (by the way county courts are run by the Administrative Office of the Courts, which is a State agency) then that's a misappropriation of tax dollars. Compounded by the fact that you're an idiot, it's an even more egregious offense.
Posted by: Irony | Jun 17, 2008 11:00:28 AM
No way bcats pick up the french guy. More of a chance than Augustine, though.
So are bonnell's current guesses that the bcats will pick augustine or batuam?
What?!?
Posted by: bonnell = Procton | Jun 17, 2008 11:07:22 AM
Do we know who the Bobcats plan to bring in over the next couple of weeks for workouts and when they are bringing them in?
Posted by: Mason | Jun 17, 2008 1:06:56 PM
Can anyone else see Bonnell with a bag of Cheetos laughing at these blog comments everyday?
All I'm gonna say is if the Bobcats don't draft Batum and he turns into rudy gay everyone will be po'd and if he is drafted everyone will whine about too many wing players, so LB and MJ do whatever.
Posted by: BroD | Jun 17, 2008 1:18:11 PM
Rick,
You need to police this blog. The foul mouthed pre-teens and this "proc the croc" are ruining your blog You should delete their posts. I'm sure the Observer wouldn't like to be associated with profanity even though they must put up with the ignorant posters.
Posted by: ddt327@gmail.com | Jun 17, 2008 1:22:21 PM
Can't we just talk ball? I suggest ignoring all the stupid shit and only replying to posts that are on topic and worthy of attention. That way we won't have to skim through half the page trying to find a post not related to irrelevant race issues or the definition of DUI.
We can't stop people from posting stupid shit but if we ignore it then we won't have to read 15 replies that give a stupid post more attention than it deserves
Posted by: Jared | Jun 17, 2008 2:06:19 PM
Jared, good point (minus the profanity)about sticking to basket ball.
Posted by: paul | Jun 17, 2008 2:17:22 PM
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