There is much optimism in the Queen City on the eve of the Bobcats' fifth season in the NBA—and for good reason.
Larry Brown was brought in to be the teacher. While he may have some baggage, he has a proven track record of turning teams just like the Bobcats into winners.
More specifically, he has a track record of helping young guards with talent play like poised veterans. He turned Allen Iverson into an MVP, and he transformed Chauncey Billups from a journeyman into an NBA Finals MVP.
Stephon Marbury couldn't be helped because—well, "Starbury" isn't coachable. Look for Brown to work his magic this year, and turn Raymond Felton into a top-ten point guard.
If that wasn't reason enough to be optimistic, the team also has Adam Morrison and Sean May returning after both missed all of last season with injuries. Morrison had a disappointing rookie campaign two years ago, but he did average 12 points a game while having to create shots for himself way too often.
It's not a stretch to say Morrison could become a Mike Miller-type of player coming off the bench behind Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace. Few teams in the Eastern Conference have a trio of swingmen of equal caliber.
Another source of excitement has been the addition of rookie point guard D.J. Augustin. He should see quality minutes behind Felton, and should be a high-energy guy off the bench, with his ability to get by his defender and into the paint.
And while there is a lot to be excited about, there are still questions. One big question on the minds of the Bobcat faithful is "Who will be the fifth starter?" Emeka Okafor was re-signed to a mega deal over the summer—but who will start alongside him in the low post?
None of the options seem ideal. There is May, who couldn't be counted on to play a full college season, let alone 82 games in the NBA. Then there is Nazr Mohammed, who has played on more NBA teams than anyone this side of Tony Massenburg.
There is also super-raw Euro Alexis Ajinca, who only averaged five points a game in the French League. He was taken with the 20th pick in the draft, and at this point he can't be considered anything more than a project.
Personally, I would have liked to see the team sign Nenad Krstic for mid-level money, but that's neither here nor there because now he plays for the Moscow Whatevers.
Another option that has been bandied about is to go small and start Okafor at center, Wallace at power forward, and Morrison at small forward. What's intriguing about that lineup is that it would allow second-year forward Jared Dudley to play significant minutes off the bench.
Last season, Dudley impressed fans and management alike while filling in for the injured Morrison, and Brown should find minutes for him
Despite these questions, the overwhelming consensus among Bobcats fans is that this year can be the year that the team makes the playoffs for the first time. Even analysts who are not biased towards the team admit that making the playoffs in the mediocre Eastern Conference is a possibility.
Whether they do or not, the team should be greatly improved under Brown's leadership. Remember, Brown has something to prove after the Knicks debacle. He doesn't want one year with Isiah to be how he's remembered—and if he succeeds in Charlotte, his failure in New York will be largely attributed to the impossible situation that Isiah created before Brown ever got there.
In contrast, Michael Jordan—and Bernie Bickerstaff before him—have assembled a roster in Charlotte that is full of guys who are hungry to win, very coachable, and model citizens off the court. Look for Charlotte to host its first playoff game since George Shinn took the Hornets and bolted for New Orleans.
10 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
sam the fact checker 9 months ago
great article...as the bobcats being my favorite team...i would love to see them in the playoffs for once...its not really that big of a reach...sure theve been stuck at like 30 wins the past 2-3 seasons but there young players are more experienced and i believe larry brown will coach them better...also...i am very intruiged to see how the felton augustine pg thing goes...
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Dave Morrison 9 months ago
Nate, awesome article!
That is a great point about Dudley and I actually am a fan of the smaller line up w/ Morrison at the 3 and Wallace at the 4 and Okafor in the middle. They could def run and gun a little bit with that squad. I also like the point about Brown having something to prove.
I love the article, and I look forward to having you contribute more in the future.
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Jaime Irvine 9 months ago
Very good article. Brown will redeem himself. He is a great coach and the NY debacle was unfair. If you looked at how Brown has resurrected teams, the first year is always the toughest as he implements his style. I don't think the Bobcats will make the leap to the playoffs this year but do think next year and years to come.
Don't, necessarily, look for Felton to become that top-ten PG. He will either reverse and collapse or just become a very solid PG under Brown's mentoring. However, I do think the Augustine pick was a horrible move and don't think he will prove to be anything.
I do think the Bobcats need to make some moves to make them a better all-around team. Although I do like him as a player, I think they should move Wallace for more of a pure low post scorer. Right now, I feel too much of their scoring is on the perimeter and need to be more balanced. Of course, getting a low-post scorer is easier said then done...
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Jeff Axel 9 months ago
Honestly a lot of people are looking over this team because their new. But Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson are very underrated players who are both athletic, can shoot the 3 pointer, play defense, and average 20 a game. I think they can take this team to the playoffs this year. The Bobcats are my sleeper team
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Waleed Ershad 9 months ago
Nazr Mohammed played really well after being traded from the Pistons to the Bobcats. I think he could start...but yes the Bobcats could be dangerous. They also have a really good player in Matt Carroll
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Mark Brown 9 months ago
This team really puzzles me. They shouldn't have been as bad as they were last season, but Morrison and May were injured, so...whatever.
I think Larry Brown will redeem himself with this group. They will be a playoff contender.
But why did they pick Ajinca!?!
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Waleed Ershad 9 months ago
Yah this pretty decent on paper but I've never seen them play because they never play on national TV so I don't know how good they truly are
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David Jensen 9 months ago
If he isn't injured, I think Sean May is a lock to start. He is a Larry Brown player.
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David Jensen 9 months ago
If he isn't injured, I think Sean May is a lock to start. He is a Larry Brown player.
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Austin Penny 8 months ago
very good article. i live in Charlotte and would love to see the Bobcats in the playoffs and earning more respect around town. They take a major backseat to the Panthers and still have trouble selling tickets with J-Rich, Gerald Wallace, etc in the line up. I do think LB will have a positive impact on Ray Felton as well as Augustine. I don't see DJ producing much for us; at least not this year. He has the potential to be a solid PG, though. I'm excited to see May and Morrison back on the court; hopefully they can provide some good numbers for us. I wouldn't be too surprised to see us make the playoffs, but I will have to wait until the season starts to make a prediction like that!
Keep up the good work
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