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July 11, 2012
Coach Mike Dunlap: Bobcats who stay together...
LAS VEGAS -- Any NBA coach would be pleased with veterans flying in to practice with the summer-league team.
But the arrivals of shooting guards Gerald Henderson and Reggie Williams Wednesday also served a subtler purpose for new Charlotte Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap. He wants to create an off-season culture where 15 guys don’t scatter in 15 directions.
Dunlap doesn’t just want players in the practice gym at Time Warner Cable Arena; he wants them there at the same time each day, interacting and driving each other. So Henderson and Williams flying to Vegas and working out with summer-league guys set an encouraging tone.
“We’re always ready, whether it’s at nine at night to give a guy a burn, or with our group in static hours,’’ Dunlap said of the coaches’ availability over the summer.
But Dunlap prefers a group setting “where they can go twos, threes or fours, running up-and-down.’’
The difference?
“One, camaraderie. Two, technique and improvement. Three, there’s a family atmosphere you want to create,’’ Dunlap said Wednesday. “It’s peer pressure, in a way, where, ‘Hey, this is the road we travel to be good.’ Confidence is always built on a base of ‘How many reps did I get in and how hard did I work?’ ’’
Posted by Observer Sports on July 11, 2012 at 06:25 PM | Permalink
Comments
I was quick to scoff when news broke of Dunlap's hire, but I swear the more I hear from him, the more I like him and think that he has a chance to get it done here.
Posted by: Jordan | Jul 11, 2012 6:43:15 PM
Dunlap is awesome!
Can't wait to see our Bobcats take to the court
His drive and intensity is contagious
Posted by: Andrew Lail | Jul 11, 2012 8:07:35 PM
early indications were cats were going to be active in free agency? what have they done so far? make noise about 2 players they knew were a longshot to sign. court jaimison for hometown discount and maybe a few more tickets sold? jaimison is a class act and as a mentor, he would serve a solid purpose while still being a contributor more than a cheerleader from the bench; however, he clearly is not the future and the team still has a lot of needs. under the new cba, this will probably be the best off season ever to reshape a roster and they've done nothing to meet needs of low post presence and rebounding nor a point guard with some size. if no moves other than jaimison take place, they will come off as not being serious to pay free agents.
quality players available will get smaller each day so if they have any inclination to improve the team this year, they better get going
hickson-still out there
bayless-gone
ihamini-gone
ilysova-gone
humphries-likely gone
L williams-gone
need to get a move on
Posted by: fan | Jul 11, 2012 8:36:12 PM
So far I like Dunlap. Just look at the guy, he looks like a coach who's a coach.
Posted by: rb | Jul 11, 2012 8:57:06 PM
hickson now gone; rumor of possible pacers and cats trade for DJ Augustine. what does indy have to return? hansborough? newly acquired ihamini? what the plan for point other than walker? gordon's not a pg; pool getting smaller and even possible trade of jaimison from Clev to Nets?
cat's go zero and out in free agent market, they'll lose more fan interest. MKG may turn out to be a great player but fans can't endure another bottom dweller season
Posted by: fan | Jul 11, 2012 9:16:41 PM
can't believe Bobcats try to sign Lopez to a max deal...bring Felton back LOL
Posted by: JC | Jul 11, 2012 9:20:45 PM
JJ Hickson is off the market. He is signing a one year deal with the Blazers.
Raymond Felton will probably sign a deal with the Knicks now that Kidd is going to stay with the Mavs.
Tyler Hansbrough for DJ Augustin would be a terrific deal for the Cats.
...then draft a Point Guard in the 2013 Draft.
Posted by: Kurly K is a balony smoker | Jul 11, 2012 9:41:28 PM
Rick,
I have been holding my breath.....any movement on Jamison signing with the cats? The cats with all the cap space this year has been mute during this free agency. As the pool narrows, I think the team is not going to be better than last year. Same old people....DJ, Hedo, TT, Diop, Carroll, Brown, White, Higgins, Mullens, Williams,Kemba, Bismack, Gordon (addition) and the two draft picked. How is Jordan building this team?
If there's no money to run this ball club, Jordan and his investors need to sell the team to someone who will spent money to bring talents to Charlotte. We're tired being at the bottom of the league every season.
We need action.......Amnesty either of the two; Diop or Tyrus Thomas.
Posted by: bobcats | Jul 11, 2012 10:32:16 PM
sure hope cats are not going to be taken by swapping augustin for louis amundson in sign and trade. that would be a terrible trade for a journeyman power foward with little to no offense; otherwise can't see what's left on indy roster cats would want and can't imagine indy doing a trade including draft picks when they could sign DJ to an offer sheet and dare the cats to match;
pacers are signing gerald green so not sure what's left in the bank; again unless one of the newly acquired players from the maves; that doesn't seem realistic either since they were looking for a backup for hibbert and that's what they got in ihamini.
looking at the cats roster and trying to gauge talent upgrade, it's hard to see much of an improvement outside of possibly gordon as outside shooter; thought reggie williams would fill that role last year and he came injured; haywood to be amestied out of Dallas which might mean a cheap pickup and dropping diop under same rule; betting miami will jump on haywood the minute he hits unrestricted free agency;
Posted by: fan | Jul 11, 2012 10:35:27 PM
fan...Michael Jordan WILL NOT BE USING THE AMNESTY CLAUSE!!!!!
Please get it out of your mind and remove the words from your dictionary. It is NOT going to happen. Diop, Thomas, and Carroll will remain on the roster for 2012-2013 season. Jordan needs to spend a minimum amount...the maximum is of no concern. The hard cap is at $74 mil
Posted by: Kurly K smokes baloney | Jul 12, 2012 12:29:47 AM
I think Jamison would be a good move but I would rather see them grab somebody younger who is still cheap. I never liked the move of letting Felton go to keep Augustin so a sign and trade with them for some size would be nice. If that happens, they have to get a backup point guard and, if they do, it should be a veteran to help mentor Kemba. The Bobcats were so incredibly bad last year that almost any roster changes help as long as they don't pick up terrible contracts like Diop, Carroll, or Thomas.
Posted by: buckshot jenkins | Jul 12, 2012 8:47:39 AM
MJ will not amnesty anyone...and he doesn't have to. Carroll, Diop are expiring contracts, and as for Tyrus Thomas ther is some hope under a new coach.
Going after Brendan Haywood makes sense, he will be amnesty by Dallas, meaning he will cost about $3M or less. That is a good price for a backup 7-footer who is a true Center, and can give you 8ppg and 6rpg in 20 mpg, plus he is a big body.
Ramon Session will be great, since is a fact that DJ doesn't want to be here. Sessions is as good as DJ, but bigger and plays a little defense. He can also be a good long term PG and play along side with Kemba if necessary. Then trade DJ and sign Jamison and that's a pretty decent team.
Sessions, Walker, Gordon
Henderson, Williams, Carroll
Kidd-Gilchrist, Brown, Taylor
Jamison, Thomas, Mullens
Biyombo, Haywood, Diop
That team should make some noise in the East, get another Lottery Pick next year and still have some solid Cap Space for next summer.
Posted by: RobC | Jul 12, 2012 8:59:09 AM
I like that lineup Rob C but I would have Gordon coming off the bench for Henderson.
Posted by: apauldds | Jul 12, 2012 9:31:53 AM
So, points-wise:
Sessions and Augustine both average about 11 pts per game...a wash.
Jamison, if they sign him, got about 17 pts/game last year for Cleveland. Henderson was one of the only Cat scoring option last year and ave. 15/game. Gordon can add 10 a game. That's a combined 53 pts. a game if everybody hits his average every single game. K-G is a good defender...but Biyombo at center for 82 games? Even if they sign Jamison, they are looking at 40-50 losses by over 35 points. Another 15-20 losses by 20 or less. They win 10-15...given the fact that some NBA teams - hung over, tired, in a hurry to meet jumps, etc. - come in just waiting/hoping you'll outrun and beat them. Sadly, it's obvious we need more components than even Jamison and Sessions to be remotely competitive.
Posted by: Pat Riley | Jul 12, 2012 9:32:32 AM
I'm so excited about Dunlap! He'll easily account for an extra 3 wins this season. Getting to 10 total wins is quite the accomplishment!!
Posted by: Fast Freddie | Jul 12, 2012 10:14:43 AM
this is the perfect time for teams like the Bobcats to PANIC.. like the fans on this blog are doing..The reality is that a 7-59 team is going to have a difficult time attracting quality FA that can contribute and any available FA are using the 'Cats as leverage to up their price (i.e. Lopez)..BTW max contract for Lopez, ridiculous, that's on the Nets.
Anyway back to the point, Cho and MJ need to stick to the plan and don't PANIC, b/c that's when you get Tyrus contract. Get FA that want to be here, but don't overpay. Don't use the amnesty clause on TT or Diop, b/c it's not worth it at this point, especially since there isn't anything left in the FA pool. Improve the team to be a 20+ win team.. that'll be a major step forward
Posted by: El Toro | Jul 12, 2012 10:23:19 AM
Clearly there is a crack epidemic in Charlotte based on these posts. Hope DJ goes to Indiana where there are knowledgable basketball minds and fans who will appreciate him. Charlotte deserves Kemba (a.k.a. Nate Robinson lite).
Posted by: TrueBBallFan | Jul 12, 2012 11:57:35 AM
TrueBBallFan -
You talk about DJ as if he was some sort of Super Star. Hey, the kid can play and he is an above average PG. But the truth is...HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE HERE...(by the way shame on him).
Also, the Bobcats offered DJ a HUGE contract last December. It was 5 Years and around $35M, which is about $7M per year and he declined. I think that was the most stupid thing he could have done. I highly doubt he would get anywhere near that money.
Posted by: RobC | Jul 12, 2012 12:42:37 PM
Rob C
Never said he was a superstar just that he has the mindset of a point guard a la Nash, Rondo and in Charlotte that skill is unappreciated byt 90% of the fans. Indiana fans are more appreciative of the skills of a true point guard. Quite frankly I don't blame DJ for not wanting to be here, he has been jerked around every year that he has been here. He is one of those guys that will flourish from a change of scenery.
Posted by: TrueBBallFan | Jul 12, 2012 12:53:27 PM
Where are the quotes that say he doesn't want to be here? Only quotes I ever saw said he was hopinng to resign. Somebody please point me in the other direction.
I like augustin a lot more than sessions, but if we can get sessions for less and trade augustin for a true asset, thats not a horrible scenario. It could be worse.....we could have signed brook lopez to a max deal.
For augustin, the right move for him is new orleans or houston. Home town or close to it. Indiana has george hill making big money now.
Posted by: charlottean | Jul 12, 2012 2:53:46 PM
aplaudds is a idiot and not knowledgeable in basketball.
Posted by: gamechanger | Jul 12, 2012 10:14:50 PM
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