The Bobcats have been busy making moves to strengthen their team this offseason. Charlotte acquired veteran guard Jason Richardson and the rights to 36th overall pick Jermareo Davidson from Golden State in a draft-day deal, and also drafted Jared Dudley with the 22nd overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft. The front office then turned its attention to keeping the Bobcats core group together, re-signing forward Gerald Wallace and guard Matt Carroll to long-term deals. Things are definitely looking up here in Charlotte, and recently, Matt Rochinski of bobcatsbasketball.com had the chance to catch up with one of the Bobcats biggest acquisitions of the summer, talking with Richardson to see how things have been going.

bobcatsbasketball.com: It’s good to see you here in Charlotte. That Bobcats uniform looks great on you, so tell us, how excited are you to be a member of the Bobcats?
Richardson: I’m very excited to be here. We have a great young team and a great opportunity to make the playoffs next year. I’m excited for this whole organization and the city of Charlotte.

bobcatsbasketball.com: You’ve played against the Bobcats in the past, as a matter of fact, in the last two seasons Charlotte and Golden State were 2-2 against each other. What have you seen in this team that makes them so competitive?
Richardson: This team is known for playing hard. When you play them, you have to take them seriously. If you take them lightly, they are going to come out and beat you. There are a lot of young guys here that are ready to play hard and are going to play all 48 minutes when they are out on the floor. I’m that type of player and I’m glad I have a whole bunch of teammates like that. Hopefully, we can put some chemistry together and get this team to the next level.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Heading into the offseason, the Bobcats acknowledged the one thing they were looking for above all else was the go-to scorer that the team has lacked in its first few years of existence. You’ve played that role with the Warriors before, so how ready are you to take on the same type of role here in Charlotte?
Richardson: I’m very ready for that role. I’ve been doing it for a few seasons in Golden State. Hopefully, I can do that here with this team and take it to whole new level. I can be a guy that can close games out and a guy that you can count on to win games with game-winning shots. I’m very excited that they are looking to me to be the person to do it.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Looking at this team and hearing what new Head Coach Sam Vincent has said he wants to do in his system, you should have plenty of opportunity to score here in Charlotte. What do you think of the fact that Coach Vincent wants to get up-and-down the court this season?
Richardson: That’s very exciting to me. I came from a running team in Golden State and I think that this team is very capable of doing that. We have a lot of young, athletic guys. Emeka (Okafor) is a big that can get up and down the floor. Of course, Gerald (Wallace) can get up and down the court, and then you have Raymond (Felton) who can also get up and down. It’s going to be very exciting to have all of us out there running, getting up and down the court and being an exciting basketball team.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Speaking of Gerald, he wasn’t re-signed when you were brought over in the trade. How thrilled were you when you heard he would be coming back to Charlotte?
Richardson: I was very excited about that. Gerald is a good up-and-coming player and he’s going to be great in this league. He does so many things that people don’t recognize like playing defense, rebounding, blocking shots and stealing the ball. You name it, he can do it. To have a guy like that on the team and on the wing opposite to me is going to be very exciting. Raymond (Felton) can just throw the ball up and one of us will go get it.

bobcatsbasketball.com: When Gerald was here for his press conference, he said he felt like you and him had the ability to be a Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen-type tandem. Nothing like setting the bar high, huh?
Richardson: I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but that would be a good comparison. He is just like a Pippen-type because he does so many things. I’m nowhere close to MJ, but I think I’m similar to him because I like to have the ball in my hands, lead my teammates on and just try to do whatever it takes to win games.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Back in 2002, you won the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, while Gerald placed second. Will there be any competition between the two of you this year to see who can throw down the best one?
Richardson: I think he is still a little sour that I won the dunk contest in his rookie year and my second year (laughing), but it’s going to be competitive.

bobcatsbasketball.com: You’ll be entering your seventh year in the league in 2007-08, which pretty much automatically qualifies you to be considered one of the veteran leaders on this team. Does it surprise you that could be a role you’ll be called upon to fill as well?
Richardson: It is funny to think about that. In Golden State, we had veterans to look up to like Calbert Cheaney and Cliff Robinson. They were good professionals but I was looking at them like they were the old guys. When I look around the locker room, I think I have the most years in there. I don’t think it’s funny that now everybody is going to like at me as the old guy. But it’s pretty cool that I’m a veteran now, and I’m going to try to give these guys as much insight as I can and tell them about some experiences that I went through as a young player in this league.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Just because you’re one of the old guys now doesn’t mean you can’t keep up with any of the trash some of these young guys might be talking, does it?
Richardson: I’m the quiet guy. I just go out there and do what I do, but I don’t talk junk.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Just a word of advice though, keep your eye on Gerald. He’s been know to be the man of all pranks here in the Bobcats locker room.
Richardson: He may be the man, but I’m the king of pranks. I have a whole book of pranks, so they don’t want to mess with me. People have seen it on NBATV so they know about me (laughter).

bobcatsbasketball.com: All kidding aside, what else have you been up to since the trade?
Richardson: I’m just getting ready for the season. Until I came down here to Charlotte and be around everybody, I didn’t realize how big it was. I’m getting myself geared for the season and trying to help this team achieve goals to get to the next level.

bobcatsbasketball.com: We know you’ve only made the trip to Charlotte a few times in your career, but what are your overall impressions about the city?
Richardson: It’s a lovely city, it’s very beautiful. My family and I both love it here, and I’m very excited about it.

bobcatsbasketball.com: Well, thanks so much for your time Jason. We’re thrilled to have you here in Charlotte, and I know Bobcats fans everywhere can’t wait to see you guys take the court this upcoming season.
Richardson: No problem. I’m very happy to be here and can’t wait to get things going.