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Blog Squad 2009-10
The Blog Squad is led by bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski, Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer, but you'll also be hearing from players, coaches, broadcasters, fans and other various members from around the organization who will be stopping by from time to time to fill the fans in on what's happening over at 333 East Trade.
It's all part of our effort to give our fans a behind-the-scenes perspective of your team from various viewpoints in 2009-10. Keep checking back as we'll be posting new material on the Bobcats, the NBA and more. Want to chip in? Send your questions in to insider@bobcats.com and we'll do our best to get you the answers you want.
Note: the opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the Charlotte Bobcats organization or of the NBA
France qualifies for World Championship, Diaw hurt
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 11:00 pm 9/19/09
Boris Diaw scored four points and chipped in four rebounds and three assists in France's 80-68 win over Turkey on Saturday at Eurobasket 2009. Unfortunately, Diaw sprained his ankle in the third quarter of the contest and did not return and is not expected to play in Sunday's game for fifth place.
With the victory, France clinched its spot in next year's World Championship.
It wasn't easy for France, who fought back from a 19-point first half deficit and was able to make the comeback and pull away late. Tony Parker keyed a big second half for France, finishing with 28 points and 10 assists on the night.
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Augustin and Chandler now in Charlotte
-- Bobcats Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin | 4:14 pm 9/17/09
NBAE / Getty Images
D.J. Augustin joined workouts this week
|
Bobcats mainstays over the last couple of days include Gerald Wallace, Nazr Mohammed, Dontell Jefferson, Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown and Alexis Ajinca. Raja Bell was in last week.
Highlight play Tuesday was a catch and dunk from the right baseline by Gerald Henderson.
Even though the Bobcats and Raymond Felton have yet to reach agreement on a contract, Felton has been knee deep in the workouts. DJ Augustin joined the group earlier this week.
Unrestricted Free Agent Rashad McCants joined the group this week, in an effort to show his game to the Bobcats coaching staff and General Manager Rod Higgins.
Former Bobcats guard Brevin Knight is also a regular. He maintains his residence in Charlotte and is looking to hook on for a 13th season in the league after finishing last year with Utah.
Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood also spends a lot of time in the TWCA. He was asked why he’s not working out in Washington with the Wizards, and he told GM Rod Higgins that he "went up there last week and only a couple of guys showed up."
Bobcats center Tyson Chandler has been working out on his own over the last four weeks and was a spectator at Wednesday’s session. He’s been working out in the weight room with Bobcats Head Athletic Trainer Steve Stricker. Chandler told Bobcats Media Relations Director B. J. Evans that he will be ready to go when Training Camp starts September 28.
Thursday (Sept 17) Desagana Diop made an appearance. It’s getting crowded down here.
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France finally falls at Eurobasket 2009
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 4:07 pm 9/17/09
Boris Diaw scored nine points and hauled down six rebounds while dishing out two assists and recording on steal and one block in France's 86-66 loss to Spain in the quarterfinals of Eurobasket 2009.
It was France's first loss in the tournament and secured Spain a spot in next year's World Championships in Turkey. France can earn itself a place in the World Championships with a win over the loser of Friday's Greece vs. Turkey matchup.
The top six teams from Eurobasket 2009 will receive bids to the World Championships. Spain and Serbia (who defeated Russia 79-68 on Thursday) have already claimed two of those spots.
Let us know what you think.
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Diaw gets rest as France wins again
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 7:37 pm 9/15/09
France defeated Greece, 71-69, on Nando De Colo's last-second shot at the 2009 Eurobasket tournament on Tuesday. With their spot in the quarterfinals secured heading into the game, France opted to limit Boris Diaw, Tony Parker and Ronny Turiaf's minutes in the win.
Diaw finished with one rebound, one assist and one steal in 19 minutes of play as France finished with a perfect 5-0 record in the qualifying round and the best record in Group E. France will start quarterfinal play on Thursday.
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Diaw helps France stay perfect
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 8:05 pm 9/14/09
FIBA Europe / Castoria / Wiedensohler
Diaw scored 19 points for France on Wednesday.
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Diaw's hot shooting from beyond the arc proved crucial for the French, as his 3-pointer in the final minute closed the door on Croatia and turned a close game into a seven-point France advantage on its way to the victory.
With the win, France now improves to 4-0 overall and is the only undefeated team in Group E. They'll take on Greece on Tuesday to try and secure the top spot at Eurobasket 2009.
Let us know what you think.
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Bobcats getting after it at Time Warner Cable Arena
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 4:11 pm 9/10/09
Matt Rochinski / Bobcats.com
Gerald Henderson lit it up on Thursday.
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Iron Workers
Before the workout I thought I’d check out the weight room to see who might be in there putting in some extra work before hitting the court and came across Ajinca, Henderson, Brown and Dontell Jefferson getting pushed by Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Irr. The first thing that struck me was how it looks as if Alexis has bulked up a little here in the offseason. His legs might still look like he’s standing on stilts, but he’s definitely added some bulk to the top of his frame which should help him when he’s pounding around inside.
Nobody was holding back in this workout, which wasn’t very surprising considering that all four of these guys have been putting in some solid work over here since August. These guys get it. When you’re a second-year guy or a rookie trying to earn a spot on the roster, you better be ready by the time training camp opens to show what you got, and these guys seem committed to doing that.
Extra Work
After hitting the weights, these four headed to the court to shoot around a bit while waiting for the others to arrive. You can tell that Derrick Brown and Gerald Henderson have been working out together and have a bit of a rookie bond going here, because as soon as they hit the court they began working on taking outside shots – just inside or outside of the 3-point line with the other one up in their face. That’s good to see, especially from Henderson, whose outside shooting has been questioned by the media in the past. He said it in his draft workout interviews and continues to show that he is a kid who is going to put in the extra work necessary to improve.
NBAE / Getty Images
Raymond Felton was in on Thursday.
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There’s Raymond
While the rookies and younger guys were shooting around, the vets started to show up – first was Bell, followed by Wallace, who also arrived at the court with Raymond Felton. For all of you Bobcats fans who keep hitting up our Twitter and Facebook pages asking about Raymond – he’s still in great shape, upbeat and has been working out off and on over here for the past month or so. That has to be a good sign, right?
Feeling It
Once the pickup games started, it appeared that Henderson’s extra work had paid off, as he seemingly couldn’t miss from anywhere on the court. Jumper over Bell from the free throw line extended – got it. A 3-pointer from the left corner – money. Another one, this time over Wallace – count it again.
After leading his White Team to three straight wins, Henderson had to leave early to catch a flight, and came off the court all smiles.
“I couldn’t hit anything the last two days,” Henderson said. “I had to come out here and show these guys I can shoot. I went 3-for-4 from 3-point range, too.”
“Yeah, but it’s not right to leave the court after hitting like 15-straight j’s,” Bell said.
But it wasn’t just Henderson’s shooting that was impressive. He also has a knack for finding the open man, something that fits nicely into the Bobcats team mentality of sharing the ball. If Henderson continues to play like this heading into training camp, preseason and into the regular season, the Bobcats might have gotten a steal in the 2009 NBA Draft. Now it is just one day, so let’s stay tuned.
Playing Hard
While Henderson and his teammates on the White Team, including Jefferson, Brown and Ajinca, rolled to three straight wins, the Black Team was struggling. While their veteran savvy might have gotten Bell, Wallace, Felton and Mohammed some quality open looks, it didn’t help them knock shots down.
Unfortunately there was a rim on the bucket for the vets today.
“Finally,” Mohammed exclaimed after knocking down a shot in the third game. “I think I’m like 2-for-15 today.”
While their shots might not have been falling, they did make the youngsters earn everything they got on both ends of the floor. Mohammed continuously pounded away at Ajinca in the paint, getting Alexis to showcase some new offensive moves just to get around Nazr. Wallace was flying around all over the floor and getting in everybody’s way while closing every passing lane and challenging Brown to defend him on the break on the defensive end. Felton pestered Jefferson wherever he went on the court, forcing him to make quick decisions with the ball. Bell challenged Henderson on every shot, but as I said before, Henderson hit almost everyone.
The vets showed that even though they might not have played their best basketball and came away shorthanded on the scoreboard, they might not be the ones feeling this one the most tomorrow.
Play of the Day
Alexis Ajinca – enjoy your moment. I’m not sure when you’ll get another one of these again. Ajinca posterized Gerald Wallace midway through the fourth game, rising up and throwing a one-handed dunk down over The Force, leaving everybody in the gym shaking their heads in disbelief.
Let us know what you think.
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Diaw leads France to impressive win
-- Bobcats.com's Matt Rochinski | 6:15 pm 9/9/09
NBAE / Getty Images
Diaw scored 19 points for France on Wednesday.
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I've seen many of the guys coming in and out of here for workouts lately and it's obvious that everyone on Head Coach Larry Brown's roster is committed to improving in 2009-10. But guys haven't just been getting in some extra work at Time Warner Cable Arena. Boris Diaw has been playing some impressive ball as of late for France at the European Championships.
Diaw scored 19 points to help lead France to a 69-64 victory over defending champion Russia to take top honors in Group B and help France remain undefeated. With the scored tied, 55-55, Diaw scored three-straight buckets for France to help build a 61-57 lead on its way to the win.
With fellow NBA veterans Tony Parker (San Antonio) and Ronny Turiaf (Golden State) also playing with Diaw, France has rolled to a 3-0 record.
Let us know what you think.
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Who will be the most improved Bobcats player in 2009-10?
-- Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer | 7:15 am 8/31/09
After three rounds of the Battle for Post Position, will this finally be Scott Lauer's time to win over fans here on bobcats.com? Scott was taken down by Steve again - 65 percent to 35 percent - on the topic of what factors will be key for the Bobcats making the playoffs in 2009-10. We're sticking with the Bobcats in 2009-10 for this matchup when we ask, "Who will be the most improved Bobcats player in 2009-10?"
Is it finally Scott's time to take down the up-until-now perfect Steve Martin? it's up to you decide in this Battle for Post Position.
NBAE / Getty Images
D.J. Augustin averaged 12 pts in 2008-09.
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A young developing team must see improvement in its core players each year in order to compete. Last year we witnessed Boris Diaw average 15 points and shoot 42 percent from 3-point range after he was acquired from Phoenix; both career highs. I suppose it can be a blurred line - did a player improve or were the reigns simply removed, allowing him to flourish? It was likely a combination of those two factors in Diaw's case.
Gerald Wallace clearly improved his free-throw shooting; a product of hard work with assistant coach Jeff Capel. Wallace hit 80 percent of his free throws last year; he hadn't shot better than 73 percent from the line in any season prior. In fact, it marked the third-straight year that his percentage had increased.
For this upcoming season, I would anticipate D.J. Augustin exhibiting the most improvement on this Bobcats team. Generally, you'll find a more-pronounced degree of improvement amongst young players compared to veterans.
I thought Augustin had an excellent rookie year, particularly for someone who couldn't legally have a drink on opening night last year. In 72 games (he missed time with an abdominal strain), Augustin averaged 27 minutes of time. He averaged 12 points and logged nearly four assists per game. Augustin shot 89 percent from the line and 44 percent from the arc; leading the team in both categories. We know he can shoot extraordinarily well, especially for a point guard. On the defensive side he's small, but as Head Coach Larry Brown mentioned last winter, he's fundamentally sound on that end. These are the reasons why I'm so excited about his future...and he's still only 21 years old (he'll turn 22 on November 10).
In Augustin's 12 starts, he averaged 18 points and six assists. I can only think that his playing time will increase, and therefore his numbers will improve based on that opportunity, as they did when he started games. His assist-to-turnover ratio was about 2:1 (3.5:1.65), and there's no reason to think that number won't improve with more NBA looks. With his quickness, I would also project his steals to improve from 0.58 per game as well.
Augustin's situation will be a classic case of more time and experience translating into better results for himself and more importantly, the team.
NBAE / Getty Images
Boris Diaw averaged 15 pts for the Bobcats in 2008-09
after coming over in a trade with Phoenix. |
I've never asked Scott what he majored in at Ithaca, but my first guess would be that he has a Masters Degree in Theatre (of the Obvious). It stands to reason that DJ Augustin should be the most improved in every category - precipitated by the fact that he will play more minutes. If that doesn't happen, the Bobcats have a big problem. Let's look at a player whose minutes will likely not increase from the 37.6 minutes per game he played last year - Boris Diaw. Boris has been "unchained" twice in his career. The first time came prior to the 2005-06 season when he escaped the Atlanta Hawks to go to Phoenix and play for Mike D'Antoni. The second "unchaining" of Diaw came in early December of 2008 when he was obtained along with Raja Bell and Sean Singletary from the Suns for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley.
His numbers manifest that in just about every direction. Diaw finished the season with 75 total 3-pointers. That number is 24 more than he had hit in his previous five seasons in the NBA. The 1,072 points he scored in 81 games (59 with the Bobcats) is eight shy of the highest he's ever acheived in a season. In his first "unchaining", Diaw scored 1,080 when he finished the 2005-06 season in Phoenix with an average of 13.3 points. Boris prospered more than anyone by playing the "right way" in an offense that gave him the option to finish and help others to do so equally. In his best season with Phoenix (2005-06), he averaged 5.5 field goals made to 10.5 field goals attempted. In 59 games with the Bobcats, those numbers increased to 6.2 makes per game and 12.6 attempts. What makes the 2005-06 numbers more amazing is that they included only eight made 3-pointers.
Scott, it's more "obvious" to me that Boris is on target to be the Most Improved Bobcat in 2009-10. I can only hope you were an in-state student at Ithaca.
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What will be the key factors for the Bobcats to make the playoffs in 2009-10?
-- Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer | 8:23 pm 8/25/09
One week ago, we asked you what you'd like to see Bobcats Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer discuss in their next Battle for Post Position topic. We've had some great responses since then, and both Martin and Lauer are committed to answering as many of your suggestions as possible. The first question comes from Chris in Rock Hill, SC. He asks our experts, "Bobcats fans everywhere are ready to watch our team in the playoffs in 2009-10. What do you think are the key factors for the Bobcats to be playing in the postseason?"
While Martin and Lauer might have some of the same opinions on this topic, it's still up to you decide who makes the best overall argument in this Battle for Post Position.
NBAE / Getty Images
Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, DeSagana Diop and Gerald Wallace
could all be key pieces in getting the Bobcats to the playoffs in 2009-10. |
1. Health - The trade to obtain Tyson Chandler forces this issue to the forefront. If Chandler recovers from offseason surgery to his ankle and toe, then the Bobcats have a certifiable presence in the post. A key stat you might have missed in the trade is turnovers. Tyson Chandler has averaged 1.57 turnovers in 537 games, while Emeka Okafor has coughed the ball up an average of 1.81 times in 320 games.
2. Roster - As of this writing, there are three new faces on the roster. Chandler is joined by rookies Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown. This is still a very young team with 12 players carrying an average of 5.8 years in the league. Peak performance usually averages about eight years in experience, leaving this group 2.2 years under the curve. That means there’s room for improvement for several young players who play key roles. The two foremost will be D.J. Augustin and Raymond Felton. If Augustin improves from his rookie season to Year 2 by the same margin that Felton did, we can count on a guard who can score an average of 14 points a game. Raymond will either be in the final year of his deal or the first of a new extended deal. Players in their contract year tend to be motivated to be more productive as they play for their next contract. The key question here is what contribution can you get from your players on the fringe? Players like Alexis Ajinca, DeSagana Diop and Vladimir Radmanovic who are all on the fringe of breaking into the top eight for minutes.
3. Schedule - This is a no-brainer. Coming out of the chute in November the Bobcats will play seven home games – four of them against playoff teams from last year. Last season November was too full of home games (11) against playoff teams from a year prior (8). The schedule maker hammered the Bobcats in Years 4 and 5 after the All-Star Break with 26 and 24 road games respectively. This year the Bobcats have only 15 road games after February 15 and play eight of their last 12 games at home.
4. Arms Battle - How much better are the teams in East? Cleveland and Boston are much better by their new additions. Orlando still has a need to beef up their front line, but Vince Carter is a dramatic upgrade at shooting guard. I think Washington has forced themselves into home court advantage by virtue of better health and some great offseason moves. Atlanta did well by holding on to its future stars. I think the Bobcats can compete favorably with Detroit, Toronto, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Indiana for the remaining three spots in the Eastern Conference playoff field.
DEFENSE - SCOTT LAUER
For an expansion team that builds from the ground up, it generally takes a few years to form a playoff team. When the Bobcats entered the league in 2004, we needed the Hubble Space telescope to locate the playoff image. A couple of years later, it could be found using binoculars. Last year, we were examining that picture with our own eyes. What's in store for Year 6 in this franchise's existence? Can we participate in those playoffs? There are obvious variables that will lead to the answer - roster talent, staying healthy, strength of the competing teams, coaching, chemistry, schedule, etc.
1. Talent and Health - It starts with the players talent level. We all knew that the Lakers would likely win the title last year. Roster evaluation can tell a realistic story far in advance of the season's outcome. This Bobcats team is the most talented in team history. They have a defensive oriented group that plays with passion. On paper, they have a playoff caliber roster. Naturally, a promising roster can only satisfy its potential with the good fortune of health. Ask the Clippers and Wizards organizations how injuries decimated their chances last year.
The Bobcats have two starters whose health status will dictate their playoff chances - Gerald Wallace and Tyson Chandler.
Wallace hasn't played in more than 72 games in a season; he averages 66 games played out of 82 as a Bobcat over the past five years. He's as tough as any guy in the league. It takes a serious injury to keep him tethered to the bench, but because of his aggressive hustling style, he puts himself at risk for injury more than the average player. He shouldn't change his approach - that's what makes him a valuable competitor. I don't think he can temper his unbridled nature.
Chandler missed about half the season with New Orleans last year because of toe and ankle injuries. He had surgeries to clean up the areas immediately after the Hornets season ended, and says that he hasn't felt this good in a long time. If he's healthy, he's a significant presence down low with shot blocking and offensive rebounding at the other end. If these two exceptional athletes are healthy, I can't wait to see this front line including Boris Diaw.
2. A Numbers Game - How do the Bobcats compare to the other Eastern Conference teams vying for a playoff berth? Let's assume Orlando, Cleveland, and Boston are top seed locks to qualify. We can throw in Atlanta as a likely four or five seed. There are several teams - Charlotte, Washington, Toronto, Philadelphia, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, Indiana, Chicago and New Jersey realistically competing for four spots in the East. I like Washington more than the others for this upcoming year. With the Raptors facelift, I'm not going to assume they gel quickly, Philadelphia lost a valuable point guard in Andre Miller, and the other teams don't do that much for me. There's a place for Charlotte in the playoffs.
3. The Two C's - Coaching certainly influences if the team plays up to its potential, and no team in the league has a better staff than the Bobcats. Larry Brown turns every team into a playoff team in a short amount of time. His assistants are outstanding.
Chemistry can be an overlooked factor in a team's success, but outside of the Okafor/Chandler swap, there weren't many changes (outside of drafting Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown). A strong foundation returns, and one would think that a full year together for Diaw and Raja Bell, including training camp which they didn't have together last year, will be a plus.
4. The Schedule - Schedules generally even out for teams, but that wasn't the case for this organization over the years. They were forced into playing many road games late in the year, including an unheard of four-game trip to wrap up the season last April. That can be emotionally and physically draining when playing for a playoff berth. This year's schedule is balanced. In fact eight of the final 12 games will be here in Charlotte.
I'll take my chances with these factors in determining if the Bobcats are a playoff team.
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1984 Finals Produced Plenty of Lifers
-- Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer | 1:43 pm 8/24/09
NBAE / Getty Images
Larry Bird's Celtics topped Magic Johnson's Lakers
in the 1984 NBA Finals. |
Certainly the star power in that series was transparent; Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper coached by Pat Riley on the Lakers side. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge for the Celtics. The supporting cast was exceptional too; some of whom we’ll mention in a moment. KC Jones’ team won the clash of the titans that year. Red Auerbach lit up another cigar that summer.
Something else struck me – the number of NBA lifers that came out of that series. My definition of a lifer is a guy who remains associated with the league long after his playing days wrap up, generally in the form of coaching, front-office employment or broadcasting.
Let’s start with the aforementioned list, beginning with remnants from that Lakers group. Magic Johnson is a partial owner of the Lakers and has years of network broadcasting experience. He remains in the mainstream of NBA attention.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been sitting in the second row on the Lakers bench at home games, assisting the team’s bigs. He has visions of becoming a head coach in the league.
Byron Scott was a rookie in that ’84 season (averaged 11 ppg) and emerged as an excellent coach for the New Jersey Nets and now the New Orleans Hornets. In New Jersey he guided the Nets to back-to-back finals appearances in 2001-02 and 2002-03. He’s entering his fourth year with New Orleans, and oversaw a 20-game improvement from his first to his second year with them.
Former Charlotte Hornet Kurt Rambis was an important role player for Los Angeles and was the center of activity during one play in that 1984 finals appearance – when he was clotheslined by Kevin McHale leading to one of multiple near skirmishes between the teams. In a twist of irony, 25 years later Rambis has replaced McHale as the new head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves after assisting the Lakers on the bench for over a decade.
Mitch Kupchak has been the General Manager of the Lakers during that period after starting as an assistant under Jerry West in the front office in 1989. Working the deal to acquire Pau Gasol in February of 2008 speaks volumes about his resume. That transaction helped the Lakers win the championship in June.
Michael Cooper, an irritating defender on those Lakers teams, has made the coaching rounds upon retirement. He initially worked under Jerry West in the front office, before moving to the Lakers bench in 1994 under Magic Johnson. After years as an assistant, in 1999 Cooper became head coach of the WNBA’s LA Sparks. In 2004 he became an assistant with the Denver Nuggets and was the interim head coach with Denver just 24 games deep into the season. He coached the Albuquerque Thunderbirds in 2006 and 2007 in the NBDL. This spring, Cooper accepted a job coaching the University of Southern California Women of Troy basketball team.
James Worthy, a Gastonia, NC native, has recently added broadcasting to his resume contributing to Lakers TV coverage.
Eddie Jordan was even on that 1984 Lakers roster, and is about to commence his role as the 76ers head coach, following a successful run as the Wizards head man from 2003 until early last season. Jordan started his coaching with Sacramento in 1992 and joined the New Jersey staff in 1999.
Pat Riley followed with coaching stints in New York and Miami, winning a title with the Heat three years ago. He’s now the president of the franchise.
The contingent of former Celtics still involved in the league is also impressive. Larry Bird is the Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Operations. Upon retiring, he spent five years in the Celtics front office as a special assistant. He then jumped to coach the Pacers in 1997, and earned Coach of the Year honors that year, overseeing a team that won 58 games. Bird is the only person to have earned the MVP award as a player and also a COY honor.
Kevin McHale just parted ways with Minnesota after several years in the front office and on the bench. He coached the Timberwolves for part of the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons.
Danny Ainge is the President of Basketball Operations for the Celtics, and receives credit for engineering the Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen trades two years ago that helped Boston win the title over Los Angeles in 2008 – a fitting circumstance considering the genesis of this blog.
Quinn Buckner, a former defensive specialist, is the TV analyst for the Indiana Pacers, and in 2004 was named the VP of Communications for the team. Buckner has broadcast for ESPN, NBC and CBS on the network level. He was also the Mavericks head coach in 1993-94.
Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell scored 24 points in the decisive seventh game of that series. He became the 22nd Celtic to have his jersey retired (#31). Maxwell is currently the Celtics radio analyst.
Dennis Johnson was coaching in the NBDL with the Austin Toros until his passing in February of 2007.
Gerald Henderson, whose son was drafted in the first round by the Bobcats this past June, impacted that 1984 series. He stole a James Worthy pass leading to a game-tying lay up in Game 2 of the series, eventually leading to a Boston overtime win. Henderson has done broadcast work for the Philadelphia 76ers postgame shows.
M.L. Carr became the Celtics General Manager in 1994 and coached them in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons. Carr later became President of the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting and invested in the Bobcats.
KC Jones coached Boston to that championship, and has remained in sports, working as the radio analyst for the University of Hartford.
Chris Ford was an assistant on that 1984 Celtics team and earned opportunities as the head coach for the Celtics, Bucks, Clippers, and 76ers.
It’s rather remarkable, how after 25 years so many faces from that 1984 finals series can still be seen around the league. Looking at our Bobcats roster, I can’t help but think that there’s a good chance that Raja Bell will be a radio or TV analyst for the next couple of decades if he should desire that career. The same may apply for former Bobcat Brevin Knight. After observing Juwan Howard last season working with the younger players, he may be a strong candidate to enter the coaching ranks. I’d throw former Bobcat Derek Anderson into the mix too.
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Send Us Your Ideas for the Next Battle for Post Position
-- Matt Rochinski of bobcats.com | 1:39 pm 8/18/09
Steve Martin is seemingly on his way to a second-straight win over Scott Lauer in the Battle for Post Position, currently holding 66 percent of the vote with his argument that other than Raymond Felton, Flip Murray is the best free agent still available.
Now we're turning to our fans for the next topic. What would you like to see Martin and Lauer battle about next? Scott has told me he's determined to take Steve down this time around and notch his first win, but it is your topic that might help him along the way. Send your ideas in to insider@bobcats.com or go check out our Twitter or our Facebook pages to make your submission today.
Aside from Felton, Who's the Best Free Agent Available?
-- Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer | 4:37 pm 8/11/09
Steve Martin dominated Scott Lauer in the inaugural rendition of Battle for Post Position, taking 72 percent of the fan vote with his argument that Clevand has had the best offseason thus far, landing Shaq, Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon.
With the first win under his belt, Martin now goes on the offensive on our latest topic for him and Scott Lauer to toss around - Other than Raymond Felton, who do you think is the best free agent still on the market?
Can Martin make it two in a row or will Lauer get in the win column? You decide in Battle for Post Position.
NBAE / Getty Images
Flip Murray could provide a
spark for some team. |
I’ve got to write this quick before Olympiakos signs another one. Linas Klieza and Von Wafer were good free agent grabs until they decided to go overseas for big money.
I thought Leon Powe was intriguing, even if you had to wait until the All-Star break to get him following a torn ACL. Cleveland thinks the same thing and the Cavs are on the verge of signing him for the veteran’s minimum.
Klieza should have accepted Denver’s offer of four years and 25 million before the 2008-09 season started. He’s getting that money but he’ll be across the pond, and because he’s a restricted free agent, Denver holds his hall pass back to the NBA.
The RFA (Restricted Free Agent) pool has an impressive group still unsigned, such as the Bobcats own Raymond Felton. But because they all have qualifying offers from their teams, they really aren’t totally free. So I’ll confine my thoughts to the UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent) pool.
This group contains the biggest name of all – Allen Iverson. It also has Joe Smith, Jamaal Tinsley, Rodney Carney, Wally Szczerbiak. Flip Murray and Jerry Stackhouse, among others.
My pick?
Flip Murray. Hands down. For teams that need a splasher from the perimeter, Murray fits the bill. He’s never been solid starter material but has filled that role as a stand-in very well. He came to life in that fashion for Seattle when Ray Allen was out with an injury for half the season. Murray just completed a one-season rental with the Atlanta Hawks and responded with his third best campaign at 12.2 points per game. On a team challenged for guards behind Mike Bibby, Murray capably filled the point and two-guard spots.
Allen Iverson is a toxic chemical, as he proved in Detroit. Why get someone who handcuffs his coach by insisting on starting? Trouble finds Jamaal Tinsley too easily. Always be careful about a player who is known more for his off-court exploits. In addition, Tinsley has missed 31 percent of the 574 games he could have played in because of injury.
Now let’s bring in our redheaded radio guy-Scott Lauer for his pick.
NBAE / Getty Images
Allen Iverson is still available.
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DEFENSE - SCOTT LAUER
Yes, now to the broadcaster who is not follicly challenged... yet. The restricted free-agent list is still ripe with talent, including our own Raymond Felton, Ramon Sessions and David Lee. Sign-and-trades are still distinct possibilities for a few of them.
The unrestricted group continues to thin, losing Leon Powe to Cleveland. Another strong move by the Cavs, corralling a 25-year-old who performed well for Boston before his knee injury. He's another upgrade when he returns from the ailment later in the season.
While Flip Murray is a worthy choice by Steve to head up the list as the most attractive unrestricted free agents remaining, my lever in the voting booth gets pulled for Allen Iverson.
Practice??!! Yes he will – with pleasure.
The antagonists will say that he's aging and a bad seed. I view the risk/reward ratio as an appealing one. He's likely going to get a mere one-year deal for less than $6 million at 34 years of age. Coming off his worst year in the league, playing for Denver and Detroit, his competitive drive will act as the catalyst to finish his career with pride. For the first time in years, Iverson has something to prove. Reports indicate that he's been working out diligently this offseason for that very reason.
He averaged 17 points with Detroit last year; 10 fewer than his career average. He shot 42 percent from the field. Obviously he's not the all-star caliber player that he once was. However, if he can channel that frustration into a positive environment, he can provide scoring and determination off of some team's bench and the risk is minimal for the organization. He can be "The Answer" to a team's need for scoring off the bench. Will he allow himself to contribute in that role? I believe so, because he'll likely understand his status before signing with a team, unlike the murky situation in Detroit.
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Newest Bobcats Blog Debuts
-- Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin and Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Scott Lauer | 7:15 am 8/7/09
Steve Martin and Scott Lauer are new to the Bobcats Blog Squad in 2009-10, but they're no strangers to Bobcats basketball. Both have been with the team in some capacity since its inception, qualifying them as Bobcats historians and two of the resident NBA experts on staff. So whose knowledge is greater? We're going to let you decide as we pit them head-to-head in our newest blog feature - Battle for Post Position with Scott Lauer and Steve Martin.
We'll be throwing subjects out to Martin and Lauer throughout the season on the Bobcats and the NBA in general and giving them the chance to make their arguments. In each blog, one of these media personalities will be starting on offense, while the other will have the chance to sit back before countering with their position on defense. Then we'll leave it up to you, our fans, to decide who has made the best argument in the bobcats.com poll.
Whose knowledge is greater? You decide as they Battle for Post Position.
Their first topic - which five NBA teams have had the best offseason in 2009?
NBAE / Getty Images
Richard Jefferson now joins the Spurs.
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1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS – The gold standard for front-office decision making represented themselves glowingly...again. The franchise that plucked low-hanging fruit in drafts after others didn't (Manu Ginobili in 1999, and Tony Parker in 2001), just stole DeJuan Blair with the 37th overall pick out of Pittsburgh. He should've been a mid-1st rounder. Leading up to the draft they traded for Richard Jefferson, only yielding role players such as Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto. They just filled frontcourt roster spots by signing Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff. San Antonio continues to follow their blue print of obtaining veteran players with off-the-charts character.
2. ORLANDO MAGIC – Coming off an Eastern Conference championship, General Manager Otis Smith may have secured front-running status for a return to the finals. Orlando matched Dallas’ offer sheet to restricted free agent Marcin Gortat; a hefty sum of money, but I believe Gortat has earned one of the biggest deals for a back-up. He's a far better reserve center than virtually anyone else. In losing Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto, they replenished that power by acquiring Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson in a trade with New Jersey. Carter still has a couple of good years left and Anderson is one of the most underrated prospects in the league. He can stretch a defense just as Turkoglu did. Losing Courtney Lee in the deal was worth the price. Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes were signed as free agents and both bring scoring power off the bench. Is there a deeper team in the league?
3. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – Shaquille O'Neal was obtained from Phoenix for Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace. They took advantage of the Suns situation to relieve themselves of salary commitments. O'Neal has titles going to work with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, and now he can assist LeBron James. Jamario Moon was signed away from Miami and Anthony Parker was inked after steady play in Toronto. These three additions are ready to help the King smile on his throne. In the short term, Cleveland improved as much as anyone, but they didn't improve as much as San Antonio and Orlando because those teams also added young players for the long term.
4. TORONTO RAPTORS – Bryan Colangelo needed a boost at the wing position, and he accomplished that mission by signing Hedo Turkoglu from Orlando, drafting DeMar Derozan out of USC and importing Antoine Wright from Dallas in the Shawn Marion deal. Marion was merely ordinary with the Raptors and didn't justify his contract numbers. Jarrett Jack signed as free agent from Indiana, after scoring 13 ppg – he'll back up Jose Calderon. Toronto also beefed up with the rugged Reggie Evans in a deal with Philadelphia, sending former Bobcat Jason Kapono away. Marco Belinelli comes over from Golden State for Devean George; a low-risk, high-reward move. For a team that was the most disappointing in the league last year, look for them to be a fringe playoff team with the help of these six new faces.
5. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS – The third time proved to be the charm in Portland's quest to sign an impact free-agent. After being spurned by Hedo Turkoglu (who's name has been mentioned repeatedly on this list), and having their offer matched by Utah for Paul Millsap, they were able to secure Andre Miller to a three-year deal. I like Miller so much that this one key acquisition catapults Portland into the Top 5. Miller is a durable, steady decision-maker who can focus on feeding Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Steve Blake is a nice player, but they needed an upgrade at the point in order to contend out West. Miller is going to be a settling piece on a young team with burgeoning talent.
Honorable Mention. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER – I submit that Oklahoma City will be a more improved team than even the likes of the Boston Celtics based on what both teams accomplished last year. Sam Presti, the wise General Manager plugged holes at the two and five positions this offseason. The Thunder drafted James Harden with the third pick out of Arizona State, obtained big man B.J. Mullens from Ohio State that night, and received Etan Thomas from Washington in a deal. I'm not suggesting that the Thunder will reprise the dramatic jump in wins that Boston earned from the 2006-07 season to 2007-08 (24 to 66 wins), but they should climb nicely from their 23 victories last year. After all, they won 20 of their final 50 games, as a rapidly growing young team led by Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook.
NBAE / Getty Images
Shaq now teams up with LeBron James in Cleveland.
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DEFENSE - STEVE MARTIN
1. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS – Danny Ferry took a major step last season in bringing in Mo Williams to help take the outside scoring pressure off LeBron James. By bringing Shaquille O’Neal to Cleveland in the final year of his contract, Ferry has equaled his task of a year ago, but this time on the inside. Go to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals with Orlando and you’ll see that the Cavs hopes were reduced to a time-consuming perimeter pick-and-roll between James and Williams once Anderson Varejao fouled out. In summary: The Cavs add Shaq, re-sign Varejao, sign Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon at the cost of Ben (I want to retire) Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. Hmm, Cleveland has crossed the bridge to that magic land (No pun intended).
2. SAN ANTONIO SPURS – First, the Spurs made a huge trade with Milwaukee to get Richard Jefferson while giving up hubrus they weren’t going to use anymore. They get an excellent complement to Tony Parker and a valuable insurance policy against any further injury to Manu Ginobili. I like what the Spurs did though not as much as Scott does. I think the Cavs did more around all the points of the compass to get better. But let the little radio rooster have his say.
3. WASHINGTON WIZARDS – The Wizards were bound to get better even if all they did was let Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler get healthy. Now add Mike Miller and Randy Foye to the mix, and you’ve got a team that can claim home court advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs. Flip Saunders couldn’t have orchestrated his NBA return any better. Ernie Grunfield is the front-runner for Executive of the Year.
4. BOSTON CELTICS – Sometimes it doesn’t take much to put a team over the top. Convincing Rasheed Wallace to back off that eight-million-dollar branch for the mid level exemption could be the move that returns the Celtics to the top rung of the East. The reason such an event lands them fourth in my mind is the fact that they really hadn’t fallen to far from the target, considering the injury to Kevin Garnett.
5. ORLANDO MAGIC – Charles Barkley and I may have been the only ones who picked the Magic to beat the Cavs in the Eastern Finals. Then how could I be so dumb not to pick the Lakers to beat the Magic in the NBA Finals? It’s because I didn’t give credence to the matchup problems the Magic had up front with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. So how does trading for Vince Carter and re-signing Marcin Gortat close that gap? Don’t let the red-headed radio guy fool you. Gortat is fine in limited stretches in relief of Dwight Howard and Carter inspires more confidence than either Courtney Lee or J.J. Redick in the Magic backcourt, but without Hedo Turkoglu and Tony Battie, there’s still a big size differential between the Magic and the Lakers if Orlando ever makes it that far again.
Honorable Mention. TORONTO RAPTORS – The Raptors shook the bag up but look basically the same following their acquisition of Hedo Turkoglu. Congratulations. The Raps lead the league in players over 6-10 who can shoot jumpers. Jarrett Jack is good insurance behind Jose Calderon. Like my top five better.
Smiley52
I vote for the radio rooster, Scott Lauer, for the most knowledgeable this week. I agree that the Spurs did the most to improve themselves, not the Cavs. Plus Steve doesn't give Orlando any credit for acquiring Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes. It remains to be seen how their guard rotation works, but they are still improved.
Let us know what you think.
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NBAE / Getty Images
The Bobcats acquired Tyson Chandler on Tuesday.
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-- Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin | 12:03 pm 7/28/09
Release | Chandler, Higgins and Brown Reactions | Trade Gallery | Chandler Player Profile
It’s very seldom that a trade fits in perfect with both teams. But in the Bobcats deal with the Hornets – moving Emeka Okafor to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler – both teams can say they’ve accomplished their goals.
The Bobcats get a player in Tyson Chandler who best fits the center position. When healthy, he’s a force at both ends of the floor. In his three years in New Orleans, Chandler averaged 10.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks and was a reliable inside target for Chris Paul to finish inside. His best seasons came in New Orleans in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
Chandler’s health has been in question over the last year and a half, but he’ll be ready to go for the Bobcats in 2009-10. A lingering toe injury nullified a trade between the Hornets and the Thunder at the trade deadline this past season. That was compounded by a nagging ankle sprain that sidelined him all but 45 games in 2008-09. Offseason corrective surgeries in both areas leave Chandler 100 percent ready to go at training camp with full flexibility in both areas.
Chandler is an outstanding rebounder, averaging no less than 8.3 per game over the last five years. He’s every bit the offensive rebounder that Emeka Okafor is with numbers that started at 4.4 per game in the 2004-05 season and were still at a representative 3.2 despite the injuries of last season. Not only is Chandler a reliable option in the post, but he’s exceptionally good at helping to generate second-chance shots.
Emeka Okafor is entering his sixth NBA season with a considerable upside in the areas of offensive development. He’ll fit in the Hornets style because he won’t place demands to have the ball in his hands, yet he’s still capable of posting a season double-double. He’s done it consistently for the last five years in Charlotte.
On the personal side, both of these young are outstanding community servants. I asked Hornets Media Relations Director Harold Kaufman to compare Tyson Chandler to someone I might relate to and he instantly said, “ P.J. Brown.” In two seasons in Charlotte, Brown was one of the most well-liked Hornets, as my daughter’s autographed #42 jersey attests.
It’s hard to see Emeka go, because in the beginning he was the most consistent positive element of an expansion franchise. But Tyson Chandler will bring an energy to the Bobcats at both ends that will definitely project them into the playoff race in the East.
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