NBA Podcast: 2013-14 Charlotte Bobcats Season Preview

The Charlotte Bobcats will no longer be the worst team in basketball. That in and of itself is quite an accomplishment, all things considered. But is it possible that this group actually has the makings of an identity, core and cohesive plan?

Signing Al Jefferson to a huge free-agency contract may have seemed shortsighted, but this franchise desperately needed a foundation who could put the rock in the hoop. Drafting Cody Zeller was head-scratching, considering who was still left on the board, but he is NBA-ready and will be yet another solid asset.

With Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson and Bismack Biyombo all looking like reasonably talented pros, the ceiling isn't enormously high yet for Charlotte, but it's attractive enough as they crawl out of their cellar years.

There's a lot of work to be done in next offseason's draft and free-agency class, but Bobcats fans no longer need be despondent.

NBA Featured Columnist Zach Buckley joins assistant editors Ethan Norof and Joel C. Cordes for the latest episode of Basketball by Association.

(If the embedded player fails to load, you can find the full episode here.)

We look at the best and the worst of the Bobcats offseason, along with the biggest questions heading into 2014. We'll also detail Charlotte's keys to a successful year while predicting its final position in the standings.

Want more team-by-team NBA season previews? Find the latest here. Basketball by Association cast members and pro-hoops analysis can be found at Bleacher Report's Court Vision blog.