Shhhh…Don’t tell anyone, but if you’re looking for a bandwagon to jump on, the Charlotte Bobcats may be for you. Coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff is setting the example of how to start a franchise from scratch.
Sure, they’re just 5-9 and won just 18 games last year. But that’s no matter. Bickerstaff and the Bobcats have some pieces to the puzzle that most NBA squads lack. Time and patience parlayed with a state of the art new arena. While some teams freely spend in the off-season, scrambling to plug holes and freely spend dollars on iffy acquisitions, the Bobcats have taken an alternate route.
The Bobcats went out and acquired a young group of potential stars whose responsibilities lie not in wins and losses, but in developing their skills and growing as players. Emeka Okafor, the number two pick in last years’ draft has been better than expected. But he’s still a couple years from being the franchise player.
Insert Gerald Wallace. Snatched from the Kings in the expansion draft, Wallace may emerge as the brightest star in Charlotte. Wallace is arguably the best athlete in the game and his slashing offensive game is starting to catch up to his natural talent. If he develops even a decent outside shot, he could be downright scary. He’s missed some time this season due to a wrist injury, but in eight games Wallace has averaged 18.5 points per game, while shooting at a 57% clip. But the offense is just a bonus from what the Bobcats get from Wallace at the defensive end. His relentless effort and athletic ability often allows Wallace to stuff the stat sheet with steals and blocks. Paired with Okafor, the Bobcats have a young formidable frontcourt. Throw in Primoz Brezec, rookie Sean May and former Clipper Melvin Ely for some depth.
With respect to the backcourt, the future is bright. The Bobcats have been patient with guard Kareem Rush. He’s disappointed, but recently caught fire and is showing signs of improvement. If he falters, Keith Bogans will gladly clean up the leftover minutes. Brevin Knight has ignited the Bobcat offense and contributed with active hands defensively.
Rookies Raymond Felton and May were winners in college, and will bring that mentality to the next level. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that there is a big North Carolina contingent that resides in the Charlotte area. May will have more of an impact this season, while Felton will learn a lot backing up Knight.
But what makes this bandwagon so appealing to hop on is the Bobcats impending splash in the free agent market. The Bobcats have been careful not to tie up their money in bad long term contracts, and will surely plug in a high profile player.
Despite the paltry results from the inaugural season, the Bobcats have stayed confident. Felton guaranteed a playoff spot in the preseason, and that may not be as far fetched as it initially sounded. With different outcomes in some slim defeats, the Bobcats could easily be sitting at 8-4. In some respects, these first two seasons can be viewed as 82 game auditions. But don’t tell this hungry pack of Bobcats.
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