Strengths: Williams was signed to a two-year deal last summer to come in and be a 3-point specialist- a player that could stretch the floor on the offensive end and knock down open shots. Unfortunately, for Williams and the Bobcats, he was injured for much of the season. Williams has proved to be a good shooter in the past. In his season with Golden State, the year before he came to Charlotte, Williams was 42.3 3pt% and attempted an averaged 3.0 3FGA/game. In Charlotte last season the story was much different, but it was the first time in Williams career that he was forced to be a ball handler much of the time and less of a spot up shooter. In pinches Coach Silas was forced to play Williams at the point and the stats proved that it was clearly a detriment to his offensive production as a player. You can argue that the switch up in roles for Williams was good for the maturity of his overall game, but personally I believe it further cemented his fate as a true role player in this league- a spot up/catch and shoot threat.
Weaknesses: Starting with this season, Williams struggled in many categories, but most noticeable was his pedestrian shooting averages. Williams shot just 30.8 3PT% and 41.6 FG%. Both of these averages were drastically lower than his first two seasons in the NBA. Again, much of Williams struggles evolved from the fact the he was forced to be much more of a ball handler last season, but a drop in numbers/production is never a positive sign for a guy in his third year. Williams lacks athleticism, and with the ball in his hands this season he was forced to settle for many bad shots, unable to score on more athletic defenders. He also struggles on the defensive end with his lack of lateral quickness and slow first step.
Reasons for Optimism: With the Bobcats set to draft at least a top-4 prospect this summer and assuming the team will be able to stay healthier next year, Williams should become more of a true role player, which he is more comfortable with. With a healthier backcourt Williams will be able to be more of a shooter and less of a ball handler. This should help Williams to become a much more efficient player for Charlotte and produce the numbers he displayed in his first two seasons in Golden State. Williams market definitely fell off after his numbers this season and he now has one year left on his contract with the Bobcats, so a solid 2012-13 campaign could land him another contract with Charlotte. I believe that Williams can be a great role player moving forward for this franchise, especially at the price that the Bobcats should be able to re-sign him for.
Reasons for Pessimism: The numbers this seasons are bothersome if your the Bobcats front office. As I’ve pointed out, there is certainly an explanation for the drop off, but nonetheless, this isn’t the foot anyone wanted to see Williams get off on in a Bobcats uniform. Williams also never got back into shape after his injury last season, so that was discouraging, and also led to him getting burned on the defensive end often.
Forecast: There are more positives than negatives to focus on with Williams looking ahead. He was simply too good of a shooter in his first two seasons in the league to not return back to that form. 22.5 MPG, 11.5 PPG & 47% FG is certainly reasonable for this guy and I would expect him to be much better next season. Williams first concern must be to get 100% healthy and back into shape. If he comes into preseason camp well conditioned then Williams should be a steady contributor off the bench, offensively, next season.
‘Small Market, Big Heart’ is a film made for the city of Sacramento and their passionate fans of the only professional franchise in the city, the Kings.
James Ham, who covers the Kings for the ESPN TrueHoop network ‘Cowbell Kingdom’ is the producer of the film and as you’ll see after watching, has done a fabulous job.
Charlotte fans can relate to Sacramento in a sense that we both exist in small markets within the NBA scenery, but Bobcats fans are not dealing with the agony of possibly losing their hometown team. Please enjoy this film and the tale of a franchise who may not have any championship banners to marvel at, but who’s fans have stuck with them through thick-and-thin.
Strengths: Byron Mullens started the season off on an offensive hot streak that had the internet lauding the Bobcats savvy acquisition. Byron showed a good looking jumper out to just short of the three-point line. In part because of his offensive repertoire, Mullens was solid with the ball, turning it over with a turnover rate of just 10.5. Additionally, Byron is very large – this makes it easy for him to get his jumper off, rebound when he chooses to focus on it, and a decent shot blocker…
Weaknesses: …When he is in the right position on the court. Which is not often. Byron struggled mightily to play team defense this season, with the team allowing 110.2 points per 100 possessions with Byron on the court, but just 107.8 without him. Yeah – the league’s worst defense was even worse with Mullens manning the middle. As seen above, Byron surrendered an atrocious PER to his opposition, and the Net PER mark allowed was 445th of the just over 500 players this season in the NBA. Two other primary areas of weakness: Rebounding, at both ends of the court, and offensively, Byron’s habit of catching the ball at the top of the key, holding it for several seconds, surveying the court, and ultimately putting up the jumper was not the most efficient offensive move.
Reasons for Optimism: Byron showed improvement on the boards over the course of the season – he went from bottom quartile over the first half of the season to right around average in the second half. Oh, and that strong shooting start to the season is another reason for optimism – it was a string of strong performances from Byron and provides reason to think he could continue to do it in the future. And again, Byron provides size on the defensive end, he just needs to learn to use it.
Reasons for Pessimism: Byron’s defense this season was horrible. It’s hard to think about just how lost (and, at times, lazy) Byron looked in pick and roll coverage, and feel optimistic about him becoming a starting center. The same effort thought creeps in when considering his overall rebounding numbers – does Byron really love playing basketball?
Forecast: Byron Mullens will be back next season, barring a trade. The Bobcats acquired his rookie contract from the Thunder for a future second rounder, and the early returns were good. The Bobcats have a potential starting center in Mullens, and at worst a rotation quality big, out of a second rebound pick. Next season, Byron’s role will depend on who the Bobcats wind up drafting – if they get Anthony Davis, I expect Davis and Bismack to start next to each other, with Byron coming off the bench. But, if the Bobcats fall out of the top spot (again, the likely outcome, given their 25% chance at the top spot), Byron could be the Bobcats starting center next season. And I’d be ok with that. There’s potential there and that’s what the Bobcats are needing to identify and develop at this stage of building process.
Strengths: Brown is an athletic wing who uses his quickness and agility to score efficiently, leading the Bobcats with a True Shooting Percentage of 55.6%. He is also a strong offensive rebounder for a wing, which allows him to create easy scoring opportunities for himself. In addition to scoring off put backs, the majority of his buckets come on the break or slashing to the basket. His effort is consistent – something to note on a team that won only 7 games.
Weaknesses: Brown is a tweener. He doesn’t quite have the size to match up with most PF’s, while he’s not a quick enough defender on the perimeter to guard SF’s. He is also lacking a post or mid-range game, as well as the ability to create his own shot.
Reasons for Optimism: Brown proved himself to be a useful role player this season. Although he was logging starter’s minutes in a lot of games, and thus looked overmatched by his competition at times, he displayed a handful of skills that make him a valuable rotation player. There are plenty of guys in the NBA who make their living off of energy and athleticism, which at this point are clearly his two attributes you can bank on. However, if Brown can develop a more efficient mid-range game he will afford himself even more opportunities to get on the floor.
Reasons for Pessimism: Despite whether or not he improves on the offensive end, Brown will more than likely remain a guy on defense who is stuck in between positions. Thus, matchups will dictate how much run he gets in a particular game.
Forecast: Brown signed a one-year minimum contract before last season so the team will need to get him signed to a new deal. Assuming they do, in a perfect world (a perfect world being the Bobcats are healthy next season and are solid enough to win 20+ games) Brown comes off the bench to give the second unit energy and help on the offensive glass. Fifteen minutes a game is probably optimal for a guy like Brown whose value is attributed primarily to energy and hustle. His minutes need to be limited to an extent so that he can fully exert himself while on the floor. Next season will be telling for Brown. If he’s able to improve his jump shot while also maintaining the same level of effort on the glass he’ll ensure himself a longer career in the League than most had previously believed.
Strengths:Carroll has spent most of his NBA career with the Bobcats and has been a consistent role player, shooting some key threes both this season and in seasons past. With its ever fluctuating roster, the Bobcats have needed a seasoned player like Carroll. What he lacked in performance on the court, he made up for as an NBPA representative. You stay classy MC.
Weaknesses: If you are not a starter for the Bobcats, but play on the team, you might belong in the D League. The Bobcats signed Carroll to a 6 year contract after a strong ’06-07 season, but his minutes and production have steadily declined since then. Carroll averaged 2.7 PPG this season in 11.2 minutes per game and went on a 3 point hiatus from February 11 to April 12. In short, was Matt Carroll worth $3.9 million this season? Hell no.
Reasons for Optimism: If Henderson’s performance this season speaks to what we can expect from him next year, the Bobcats will not need to rely on Carroll.
Reasons for Pessimism: Carroll’s trade value is minimal and as the Cats look to rebuild next season, Carroll’s contract could be more efficiently used on young talent.
Forecast: Carroll is picking up his $3.5 million player option for next season. Unless the Bobcats can trade Carroll, they will ride the wave, tapering his minutes and effectively transitioning him out of the roster. Expect average playing time of 5-10 minutes per game. Carroll was rarely one to speak of, but watch his presence fade even further next season.
Strengths: Diop provided Charlotte with a bigger body when the team faced physically imposing centers such as Dwight Howard. His only real worth was to go in games and try to slow down the opposing team’s front line by committing as many fouls as possible while in the game. The Bobcats were losing nothing, and actually benefiting, from Diop getting in foul trouble and being somewhat physical. Diop also served as a decent defensive anchor to the paint, clogging up the interior, when he wasn’t pulled away from the basket in pick-and-roll situations.
Weaknesses: Where to begin? Diop allowed a higher PER to his opponent than any Bobcat on the roster at 21.82, so to say that he was any kind of defensive anchor when in the game is actually highly inaccurate. Diop has absolutely nothing to offer offensively and probably had more air balls then made FG’s this season. He’s not a good passer either, so the usage of Diop on the offensive end of the floor is basically inexistent. I could continue with the list of deficiencies, but what’s the point.
Reasons for Optimism: Diop’s awful contract is only on the books for one more season!
Reasons for Pessimism: Bobcats still have Diop’s contract on the books for one more season.
Forecast: If the Bobcats are somehow able to trade Tyrus Thomas and his bloated contract then Diop likely becomes the leading candidate for Charlotte’s amnesty clause. If the Bobcats are unable to deal Tyrus then he should become the leader in the clubhouse for the amnesty and Charlotte takes on paying Diop for one more season. As far as production goes, I couldn’t even begin to forecast anything other than him being a last resort at the center position. If Diop ever decided to cut 30+ pounds and get in better shape, he could potentially be a serviceable backup in this league again, but I have no inclination to make me even entertain the thought of that happening.
The Bobcats front office announced yesterday that Paul Silas would not return as head coach of the team next season. Although Silas will no longer be the coach of the team, he has been promised a position with the franchise moving forward. The early speculation is that Silas will somehow be involved with player development and the front office, to some extent.
“I hope I can be part of making some decisions,” said Silas.
As far as to how Silas took the news when he found out Charlotte would not be bringing him back as coach next season.
“I’m okay with it.”
Paul silas also commented in his press conference yesterday that he was officially done coaching in the NBA. Silas started coaching in the NBA in 1980 with the San Diego Clippers. Over the span of 32 years Silas has coached five different NBA teams (San Diego Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers & Charlotte Bobcats).
Silas compiled an overall record of 32-88 while at the helm in Charlotte, but clearly never was dealt the hand that leads towards success. At the trade deadline last season and with the Bobcats in the middle of a push for the 8th spot in the eastern conference playoffs, Charlotte dealt their best player, Gerald Wallace, to Portland. The franchise made the statement with that move that they were looking towards the future and Silas was destined for a seriously uphill climb in order to make this team competitive.
Paul Silas clearly understands the direction of this franchise now and definitely understood last season what was going on when Charlotte got rid of Wallace and Jackson. He also knows that the fan base will have to be patient during this rebuilding process.
“It takes time to rebuild. They’ve (fans) got to understand that,” commented Silas.
Rich Cho and the Bobcats now must look towards the future and try to forget what was statistically the worst season ever for an NBA franchise. Cho did not give a timeline as to when the next coach would be named, but did say that the search would begin ‘immediately’.
As for coaches that don’t currently have a head coaching position in the NBA, names such as Mike D’Antoni, Nate McMillian and Patrick Ewing have been rumored. Stephen Silas, Paul’s son and assistant for the Bobcats the past two seasons will also be interviewed for the job.
Spencer Percy, Mathew Lewis, Timothy Varner (48 Minutes of Hell) and Ian Levy (Hickory High) weigh in on what this all means for the Bobcats and what to expect moving forward.
1- Paul Silas expressed that he wanted to “see it through” and coach one more year in Charlotte. Did management make the correct decision in letting him go?
Spencer Percy: No question about it. Paul Silas is a good coach and an extremely likeable person, but you just can’t move on with a coach that engineered a 7-59 record. Regardless of how bad the roster was. On the flip side, I am very happy that the front office is going to keep Silas involved with the organization to some extent.
Mathew Lewis: Yes. Perception. Re-branding. Whatever reason you want to pick, Bobcats management had to make this call. By no measure was this historically horrific season due in any large part to Silas, but in the NBA you can’t fire the players and management is not going to fire itself so it’s Silas who takes the fall.
Timothy Varner (48 Minutes of Hell): Of course they did. The Bobcats continued to lose, even after hitting their desired lose mark. Rich Cho did the right thing by taking the long view with the Bobcats, but Silas is clearly the friendly fire of this little experiment. Silas is 68, lost his team, and the only thing anyone—whether present or future players— will associate with him is a historically low loss totals.
Ian Levy (Hickory High): I’ll admit to missing more than handful of the Bobcats’ games this season. Everytime I did tune in, I was struck by not just the talent deficit they were working with, but how scattered their execution was and what an inconsistent effort they brought. That half-of the losing equation was squarely on Silas’ shoulders. Failing so miserably in that department makes it hard to believe in a guy.
2- Favorite Paul Silas moment in his tenure with the Bobcats?
Spencer: It was without a doubt the shoving incident with Tyrus Thomas. What Bobcats fan hasn’t grown extremely frustrated with Tyrus this season? I think many in Charlotte probably felt justified by the fact that Tyrus what put into his place by Silas. Look, coach Silas has as much patience as anyone, and that was evident with this season. But he was tired of Tyrus’ attitude, on top of the fact that he was making more bonehead plays on the the court than a high school freshman.
When Silas was hired and he said he intended to make this an up-tempo style team I was really excited, so that would have been my favorite moment, but that never came remotely close to being a reality.
Mathew: Good question. Let’s be honest, his tenure as coach came and went without a long list of tangible accomplishments. However, I think some of his best moments undoubtedly came in practice and team huddles as he attempted to mold this young squad into a competitor. Many of these “moments”, though not known to us, should hopefully bear fruit in seasons to come when the Bobcats are under the tutelage of another coach.
Timothy: I’m not sure if it could be described as a “favorite” moment, but the Tyrus Thomas incident is a window into how much frustration existed in the locker room, and a good picture of the tension that exists between a player and coach in a bad situation.
Ian: I’m not sure if this is a joke or not. I guess it would have to be letting my imagination run wild, visualizing the reported shoving match between him and Tyrus Thomas. I bear Thomas no ill will, but love the image of the grizzled Silas showing him what used to be allowed in the paint during his era.
3- What current unemployed/rumored coach would be the best fit for the rebuilding job in Charlotte?
Spencer: Nate McMillian. He is tough on his players and expects a lot from them. McMillian is also a demanding defensive coach. Now, with that being said, a roster that includes Anthony Davis (hopefully) and Bismack Biyombo as it’s front line would beg to be a defensive minded club. This roster is also full of guys that can be grinded on a bit. Not too many ego’s to deal with yet, so they’ll listen to what coach has to say. To me, McMillian would be the right fit.
Thanks to Timothy, I’ve also learned quite a bit about Mike Budenholzer lately and see him being a great fit for this rebuilding process. I don’t think you can go wrong with a fruit from the Popovich tree.
Mathew: Personally, I would like a young, up-and-coming coach to take over on the sidelines, much like the direction the Bulls and Thunder went with Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks. I strongly believe a team needs to mirror the character and persona of its coach. That being said, I think the Bobcats would be best served to bring in a coach who feels he has something to prove, not unlike the entirety of this Bobcats roster.
Timothy: Nate McMillian is rumored, but I like Mike Budenholzer for several reasons. He’s been with the Spurs since 1994, and he’s been Gregg Popovich’s most trusted assistant for the past several seasons. Budenholzer understands the constraints of a small market, how to set a winning culture, and, most importantly, how to develop players, whether superstar draft picks like Tim Duncan or rotation fillers like Danny Green. And, interestingly, he’s now been the top assistant for one of the best defensive and offensive teams of the last decade. It’s not a bad system to inherit.
Ian: There will be plenty of options but I’m partial to Mike Budenholzer and Quin Snyder. Budenholzer has been the Spurs’ top assistant since 2008, and by Gregg Popovich’s side for his entire tenure. He reportedly has the chops in terms of tactical guile and personnel management. Snyder also brings a reputation as a heavy-hitter in the player development department. As head coach for the NBDL’s Austin Toros for three seasons, he presided over more call-ups than any other coach in D-League history. The Bobcats need to acquire young talent, but they also need that talent molded. If I was Michael Jordan, these two would be at the top of my list.
Kentucky’s Anthony Davis may be the most sure thing in the NBA draft since Lebron James and the Charlotte Bobcats have at least guaranteed themselves the best odds to land him through the NBA draft lottery.
Having a 25% chance to get the number one overall pick is great and all after this disastrous season, but in 2008 the Chicago Bulls had their names pulled out of the lottery for the first overall pick (which was Derrick Rose) and they technically had the ninth (1.7% chance) best odds at getting that pick going into the lottery. Moral of the story, anything can happen and Charlotte certainly isn’t a shoe in to be handed Davis on a silver platter.
In the case that the May 30th draft lottery does go terribly wrong, it’s vital for this franchise to have a plan B, C and D. Technically, Charlotte could fall down to the number four overall pick, but are guaranteed to fall no lower than that since they will end the regular season with the worst record in the league. Now, when you have completed one of the most brutal tanking jobs of all time, which this Charlotte franchise is about to do with the end of this season, it’s extremely important to hit a home run in the draft and that’s what the Bobcats are facing this summer. Here are the players that Michael Jordan, Rich Cho and Rod Higgins are likely looking at:
Thomas Robinson: If I had to guess, I’d say that this is the guy that’s second on the Bobcats big board. Robinson is a fiercecompetitor and his physical prowess suggest that he’s ready to come in and immediately make a difference for an NBA team. Defensively, Charlotte would drastically improve in their first season with Thomas Robinson in the lineup.
He spent three years at Kansas and drastically improved in his time playing under coach Bill Self. Robinson was barely ranked in the top-10 of his 2009 recruiting class, behind names such as Ryan Kelly, Milton Jennings and John Henson. Robinson didn’t really play a vital role for Kansas until this past season as a junior. In his freshman year Robinson only averaged 7.2 MPG, sophmore- 14.6 MPG, but last season the Jayhawks used Robinson as their anchor in the paint and used him 31.8 MPG. He also put up monster numbers last season, averaging 17.7 PPG and 11.9 RPG. Where Robinson is projected to be an immediate impact on the next level is making a huge difference defensively and on the glass.
Strength/Physicality: Robinson is extremely strong and he exerts his strength to assert himself on the glass often. He also has great lift which allows him to rise up over taller centers to go get rebounds. Both of the attributes should allow him to guard taller players.
Quickness: At 6’9, some scouts have suggested that Robinson is a bit undersized for the PF position in the league, but his quickness will help him make up for that. An evolving face up game that was put on display in the NCAA tournament should only continue to improve when he gets in the NBA and eventually Robinson should be able to go around taller, slower 4′s and 5′s.
Attitude: The word on Robinson is that he’s a fierce competitor and extremely coachable. Not a whole lot of baggage.
Bradley Beal: If Charlotte somehow falls to number three in the draft, they’ll likely have their sights set on Beal. The reason I think Beal will be high on the Bobcats board is because of his ability to score. Bradley has very deep shooting range and is also a good ball handler which allows him to play some PG and get into the center of defenses, breaking them down.
He only spent one season at Florida, but that’s all he needed. This kid is ready for the next level. He has a rare combination in his game as a unreal shooter/scorer and is also a great rebounder considering he’s just 6’5. Beal averaged 6.7 RPG last season at Florida and this simply suggest that he’s got a knack for the ball, unafraid to go after it amongst the trees. The one negative from Beal’s one season in college was his inability to knock down the 3-ball. He shot only 34% from deep last season, which was very surprising considering he was recruited out of high school as being the best pure shooter in his class. I wouldn’t be too concerned about it considering how much Beal had to handle the ball last season with the Gators, but a lot of scouts wouldn’t agree.
Athleticism: Beal is very athletic, which allows him to be so much more than just a good shooter. He can take defenders off the dribble and get down low among bigger players and make plays on the ball in the air. Beal’s athleticism also plays a role in his ability to play some PG in a pinch.
Shooting: Beal drew comparisons to Ray Allen out of high school, so I think that speaks to itself with this guy’s ability to light it up.
Work Ethic: The general word on Beal is that he’s got an exceptional work ethic. First guy in, last guy out kind of attitude. Like Robinson, if Beal does have a good reputation with most the NBA scouts leading all the way up to the draft then his potential as a player to go along with a good attitude will make him a shoe-in top-5 pick, no matter how the lottery falls.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: This would be the absolute, worst case scenario for the Bobcats, but if they do somehow fall all the way to 4th Kidd-Gilchrist will certainly be in play for Charlotte unless he’s taken 3rd. Kidd-Gilchrist may be the fiercest competitor is this entire draft and if you watched any of the NCAA tournament you have a general idea of what I’m talking about.
The hustle factor is never short of being at full tilt with this guy. Kidd-Gilchrist is an exceptional on the ball defender with his quickness and physicality. Off the ball, Kidd-Gilchrist is just as good as he possesses a complete understanding of defensive concepts that will certainly translate to just about any NBA style.
Offensively is where Kidd-Gilchrist raises some debate. Last season at Kentucky, he used his physicality to bull his way towards the block and will the ball at the rim. He was great at it, but this obviously won’t be as effective in the NBA where players are much bigger and stronger. Kidd-Gilchrist isn’t an awful ball handler, but he also isn’t a great one either. He got very comfortable playing with his back to the basket in his one year in college and his face up game is somewhat limited. When he did face up against defenders last season, he almost always used a power dribble move to get directly to the rim. As a jump shooter Kidd-Gilchrist definitely has some room for improvement and mostly because he didn’t take many last season. The bottom line is that he won’t be able to bully his way towards and around the post area in the NBA all the time, so his perimeter game will have to improve. Kidd-Gilchrist rarely took 3′s in college, but the ones he did shoot ended in a 25.5% total.
Motor: Kidd-Kilchrist can play with intensity, passion and physicality for 48 minutes most night’s when he gets to the league. Whichever coach has the privilege of coaching him on the next level is going to be spoiled due to the fact that he won’t have to worry about Michael playing as hard as he possibly can while he’s in the game.
Basketball IQ: Michael is an extremely smart basketball player and knows what it means to make the right play. Defensively, KG is far above the average curve and could possibly be the best defensive player on his team (CHA, WAS, NOH, SAC) if he’s drafted in the top-4. Lateral quickness and physicality make him a great on-the-ball defender, but his understanding of team defense and always being in the right spot no matter where the ball is on the floor is what makes his a complete defensive asset. Offensively, I’ve noted that KG needs to develop some kind of outside shot, but he makes up for that extremely well by constantly using his aggressiveness and physicality to get high percentage shots close to the rim.
Passion: As I mentioned earlier, KG will be some head coaches’ dream player. The word on this kid is that he loves the game and leaves everything on the floor, every time he goes out. If you watched any of Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, you saw nothing to make you think otherwise.
If the Bobcats don’t get the number one overall pick from the May 30th lottery it will certainly be a setback to the rebuilding process in Charlotte, but with the three high-ceiling prospects that are listed above, it’s clear that not all is lost and these guys have the potential to also be franchise changing talents.
Ok let’s be honest. Since Richard Cho came to town the soon to be Hornets have been on a path to legitimacy and we won’t get there until NEXT NEXT season. A 2013 Lottery pick is part of the plan. The ideal situation is to get Davis (and have a face, with a uni-brow, for the franchise) and win 20 games tops. We get people in the seats AND get a top 4 pick next year. So once you admit to yourself that next season is another tank year (it is, get over it), you can look forward to this…
We have Hendo (an above average perimiter defender who has improved his offensive game every offseason. There’s no reason not to think he can develop a 3 point shot and a few off the dribble moves this summer)
Kemba (I think his ceiling is a Jason Terry type, which is fine, because the league is flush with PGs right now, so we can get one in free agency in 2013, Steph Curry? $5MM qualifying offer in 2013)
Biyombo (youngest player in the league, has great help side defensive instincts, which are hard to coach, athletic phenom, and an obvious hard working, team first kinda guy… can easily be the next Serge Ibaka)
Mullens (by getting after rebounds in the 2nd half of the season, he proved is willing to try to be a real 4/5 back up in this league, will get better)
R Williams (needs to get into shape. He will be much better once he can just sit in the corner and launch 3′s. He’s not James Harden. A good back up 2 guard)
and D Brown (a legitimate back up 3 if he can develop a jump shot and become a better perimeter defender)
That’s a decent set of players, but not a starting NBA rotation (evidence 7 wins). Add two lottery picks, and we’ve got 4 top 10 picks forming a very young, cheap core.
Then there is the salary situation: assuming we get rid of TT, we have $0 committed salary for the 2013/2014 season. Think about that. Obviously we have options, players have options, and we will have to pay our next two lottery picks, but if you don’t think we will be able to get some solid free agent help in 2013, you’re crazy.
Banking playoffs, not next year, not next next year, but next next next year. And contender possibility, none of this obvious sweep nonsense.
Future optimism aside, I think the biggest potential hold up for the soon to be Hornets is the lack of a system here in Charlotte (when I say system think Spurs… from ownership to the water boy that organization is on the same page). Zero practice time makes it impossible to know if the Silas family is the answer. I like what Paul has done with Biyombo on limited training time and what he did with Hendo’s jumper during rehab, but it is hard to tell if he can do the following: get a team to commit to a concept and execute it, keep high risk players in line and performing (I’ll give him a pass on TT, he is insane), and develop young talent.
If MJ can find Cho a Scott Brooks or the younger Silas can be that guy, in three years the Hornets will be back in the second round of the playoffs, and this season will be just another thing we can blame on Bob Johnson.
Bismack Biyombo was 9th in the NBA in block rate, rejecting 4.5 shots out of 100 attempts by the opposition.
D.J. Augustin was 11th in the NBA in assist rate, at 37%, and 10th in Assist to Turnover rate at 2.9 assists per turnover
Gerald Henderson raised his per game scoring average from 9.6 last season to 15.1 this year, while improving his FG% ever so slightly – 45.4% to 45.9%
Kemba Walker improved as a distributor as the season progressed, averaging 10.3 assists per 100 team possessions from March 1st on, after averaging just 7.0 earlier in the season
For the season, Byron Mullens was only 72nd among big men in defensive rebound rate, 17.6%. However, since the start of March, Mullens has been grabbing defensive rebounds with more aggression, going to 57th at 19.0% (Both of those numbers are out of 120+ bigs who met the minutes qualifier).
Tyrus Thomas posted a PER of better than 18 in the 2010-11 season – so, while this season has been disappointing, don’t forget the strong play of last year. It wasn’t just potential – TT was playing well, not just flashes of talent.
D.J. White is not a starter – but as a bench player at the 4, he can be a solid contributor. At the PF position for the season, Big D.J. is averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per 40 minutes with a 15+ PER.
Derrick Brown needs to be retained. This is one of the Bobcats better draft moments, finding a solid contributor in the second round. Derrick provides efficient offense and aggressiveness at the 3, with decent rebounding – 14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per 40 at a PER just under average, 14.5.
Reggie Williams is like Tyrus Thomas, in that this season has been a disappointment. But don’t forget that it was considered a good signing for the Bobcats at the time, with Williams expected to provide perimeter firepower to a team that struggles from deep. Give him the off-season to get healthy after his surgery, and let us see what next year holds.
The Bobcats have a 25% chance at drafting Anthony Davis
The Bobcats have a 100% chance at drafting someone from the group of Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, Harrison Barnes, Thomas Robinson, and Andre Drummond.
Your turn. Enough of the negativity, let’s hear some of your reasons for optimism going forward in the Queen City.
(I won’t delete comments that are rational and well-written in the opposition – but I will remove ones that are overly negative – let’s have this one bastion of cheer.)
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