Charlotte Bobcats Team Preview 2010-2011

By Eric Yearian

Last season, the Bobcats made their first playoff appearance in franchise history. They finished 44-38 in the regular season, but the Bobcats’ stay in the postseason was short-lived, as Southeast division rivals the Magic ended the series with a sweep. The Bobcats will look to build off last season’s success, and attempt to at least record their first postseason win. Michael Jordan took over as majority owner for the Bobcats this season, and if anyone has the blue print for winning, it’s him.
  Stephen Jackson
The major issue that Charlotte has to resolve is their inability to score. Last season, they averaged an anemic 95.3 points per game, outscoring only the Pistons and Nets. They countered that by being the league’s best defense, allowing only 93.8 points per game. They have outstanding defensive players in Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson, so a dominant defense is to be expected, but until they find a way to put the ball in the basket they can only go so far. In an effort to find a solution to this problem, they were in talks with the Nets, Nuggets, and Jazz in a complicated four team deal that would see them acquire point guard Devin Harris, both helping the offense and replace Raymond Felton, who left Charlotte for the bright lights of New York. The deal appears to have died, but talks could be reignited at any time. It appears pretty clear that despite having young point guards [player: D.J. Augustin] and Shaun Livingston, the organization is in search for an upgrade at the position, as they’ve also been rumored to be interested in Raptors guard Jose Calderon.
   
Whether they make a deal or not, they are in position to challenge for a place in the playoffs again this season. Just glancing at the roster, the casual fan may not recognize very many, if any of the names, but Charlotte has put together a group of players that complement each other well, especially on defense. Many of the players on the roster are young and athletic, including Tyrus Thomas, a former fourth overall pick. Thomas played 25 games for the Bobcats last season, averaging 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest. Thomas is the type of player that could very well end up in Larry Brown’s dog house for much of the season, as he is inconsistent and raw, but he also has the potential to play a large role on the team if he can reach the level of play many expect from him. As it stands now, he’ll be sharing minutes with Boris Diaw, the 6 foot 8 inch French forward.  Diaw seems to be able to do everything well, but nothing great. His versatility is very important to what the team does, and he started all 82 games last season.
   
The biggest challenge this season will be finding someone to man the post position for the team, as this offseason the team let Tyson Chandler, Alexis Ajinca, and Theo Ratliff leave, while adding only Kwame Brown, who will miss the next 4-6 weeks with an injury. Nazr Mohammed, the starter last season, will see a lot of minutes and the Bobcats will likely play DeSagana Diop more minutes than would be ideal for someone that has never averaged more than 3 points per game. Gerald Wallace may be forced to play the power forward position alongside Thomas or Diaw for stretches due to a lack of size on the roster.
   
Wallace, one of the original Bobcats, has become one of the more under-rated stars in the league. He lacks a consistent jumpshot, but he more than makes up for it with his ability to get to the rim, rebound, and create turnovers on defense. Despite being only 6’7”, 215 pounds, Wallace finished ninth in the league in rebounding. His athleticism and his knack for getting into good position for both rebounds and steals make him a very unique player. He is a small forward, but rebounds like a center, and has the first step of a guard. The Bobcats made the trade to acquire Stephen Jackson, to help get the team into the playoffs, and it worked. Jackson is another very good defender, who has been a 20 point a game scorer since joining the team. The Bobcats rely on their top players more than any other team in the association, as evidenced by the fact that Jackson and Wallace played the 4th and 5th most minutes in the league. Wallace was second in the league in minutes per game. If the Bobcats want to take the next step forward they are going to have to find a way to get their starters some rest throughout the season. They also need Augustin to step up his game after a disappointing 2nd season, and take the reins of an offense that so desperately needs leadership.  It will be difficult for the Bobcats to move up in the divisional standings with The Hawks, Magic, and HEAT ahead of them, but with a defense like theirs they are capable of winning on any given night.
 
Predicted Record: 38-44 (Last Year’s record: 44-38)

Expected Team Roster
Name                Height        Weight        School
PG: D.J. Augustin        6-0        180        Texas
SG: Stephen Jackson        6-8        215        Butler County CC
SF: Gerald Wallace        6-7        215        Alabama
PF: Boris Diaw            6-8        235        France
C: Nazr Mohammed        6-10        250        Kentucky
6: Tyrus Thomas            6-9        225        LSU
7: Derrick Brown        6-8        227        Xavier
8: Shaun Livingston        6-7        185        Peoria Central (IL) HS
9: Kwame Brown            6-11        270        Glynn Academy (GA) HS
10: DeSagana Diop        7-0        280        Oak Hill Academy (VA) HS
11: Gerald Henderson        6-4        215        Duke
12: Eduardo Najera        6-8        235        Oklahoma
13: Matt Carroll        6-6        212        Notre Dame
14: Dominic McGuire        6-9        220        Fresno State
15: Javaris Crittenton        6-5        200        Georgia Tech