5 Troubling Signs from Charlotte Bobcats' First Week

Just a few games into the NBA season, it's time to take a look back at how the Charlotte Bobcats have fared so far.

Behind Steve Clifford and an electric Kemba Walker, the Bobcats could be much worse than 2-2 as of Wednesday, Nov. 6. Walker has turned the corner and the team is playing tight defense. 

The Bobcats have managed to beat two quality teams in the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, but if the following five issues aren't resolved, the Bobcats could very well see their hot start to the season cool off quickly.

Where's the Offense?

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Coming into the season, the Bobcats offense wasn't much of an issue after Charlotte had signed Al Jefferson, drafted Cody Zeller and extended the contract of Gerald Henderson. 

Charlotte turned the ball over just seven times in its opener, but the 'Cats have since given the ball away at least 13 times a game, including a season-high 22 turnovers against New York.

Charlotte hasn't looked in rhythm on the offensive end, likely due to Jefferson being out of the lineup and Zeller transitioning to the NBA game. The Bobcats have trotted out Josh McRoberts as part of the starting lineup, playing him significant minutes at power forward, and Bismack Biyombo has gotten some big minutes to play a decent offensive game.

The lack of offense has forced Kemba Walker to increase his shot attempts, putting more unnecessary weight on his shoulders. The need for Walker to increase his scoring is directly related to Henderson's sudden offensive drop-off and Charlotte's lack of three-point shooting. 

Three-Point Shooting Still a Struggle

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With the addition of Al Jefferson, Charlotte naturally assumed his presence in the post could stretch the floor and attract extra defenders to give the Bobcats more room to maneuver from long range. 

Although Jefferson has played just 30 minutes this season, the Bobcats have still had room to work, but haven't developed any semblance of a three-point threat.

Ben Gordon, returning from a routine knee operation, missed his only three-point attempt of the season. Jeffery Taylor, widely thought as a potential breakout player this season, is just 2-of-13 for three-pointers, snapping his 0-for-9 streak before Charlotte's tilt with New York. Walker has fluctuated with his three-point shooting, attempting a whopping 19 treys and knocking down six of them. 

Thus far, their only consistent threat from long range is Josh McRoberts, who has hit 4-of-9 attempts. Charlotte simply can't afford to rely on McRoberts, a career 32 percent three-point shooter,  to carry the offense from beyond the arc. 

Gerald Henderson Must Return to Form

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Charlotte inked Gerald Henderson to a three-year, $18 million deal, but this isn't the same Henderson the Bobcats signed up for this season.

After averaging 15 points each of the last two seasons, Henderson has been simply dreadful in the past two games. Considered one of the focal points on the offensive end, Henderson is shooting just 30 percent this season and has a PER of 2.0 coming into Charlotte's Tuesday night matchup with the Knicks, via Basketball-Reference.com. 

His return to form as a significant contributor is a must if Charlotte hopes to take a step forward this season. 

Cody Zeller Trying to Find His Footing

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Cody Zeller's dominance in the NBA summer league and his positive impact on the floor during the preseason may have increased expectations for the rookie coming into this season.

Following those impressive performances, Zeller has looked like a shell of his former self, struggling to find a place in the offense while taking a backseat to Josh McRoberts. Maybe it's due to not having a complementary piece like a healthy Al Jefferson in the offense or maybe it's because Zeller is a rookie playing in just his fourth game, but he really has found it difficult to move among the NBA-caliber bigs. 

He's hauling in rebounds and taking what the defense gives him, but he has a combined eight fouls and five turnovers in his last two contests. If Jefferson can get back on the floor, it's likely that Zeller's playing time and production will increase.

Can Al Jefferson Get Back on Track?

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Al Jefferson only missed four games last season. If Big Al misses Wednesday night's game against the Raptors, he'll match that total in just five games this season.

After injuring his ankle early in the preseason, Jefferson made it clear that he wanted to return for opening night, which he did before his ankle flared up again, forcing him to miss the past three contests. 

It's clear that the Bobcats are missing Jefferson's impact on the offensive end, despite winning three of their past four games. While hampered with the balky ankle in his lone appearance, Jefferson chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks against Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets.

With a healthy Charlotte team, led by Jefferson, the offense should see an uptick. If Bismack Biyombo and the young wing players on Charlotte's roster can keep up the defensive pressure, the Bobcats could surprise some teams this season.