The Charlotte Bobcats have been desperate for a big man, and help is on the way.

Nazr Mohammed is expected to make his Bobcats debut on Saturday when Charlotte visits the Atlanta Hawks.

The Bobcats (8-13) acquired Mohammed from the Detroit Pistons on Friday for center Primoz Brezec and forward Walter Herrmann. The 6-foot-10 Mohammed, in his ninth season from Kentucky, has averaged 6.8 points and 5.5 rebounds a game in his career and 3.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 21 games this season for the Pistons.

"We see this deal as a major improvement for the team," Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said. "Not that we were down on Primoz and Walter, but we're trying to improve the Bobcats. We feel we've got a big guy that can come in and score in the post and help us with rebounding."

The Bobcats are hoping Mohammed will travel to Charlotte on Saturday, take a physical and fly to Atlanta in time for the game against the Hawks. Mohammed will likely become a starter for the Bobcats, but Vincent says he has some learning to do first.

"It's going to take him some time to pick up what we're doing," the coach said. "I don't see him coming in tomorrow and starting until he has a feel offensively what we're trying to do."

The timing of the deal hurt Charlotte on Friday, however. Brezec and Herrmann were told of the deal just before the game, leaving the Bobcats with no one to match up against Orlando's Dwight Howard.

Howard had 33 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 103-87 win. He also outplayed Emeka Okafor, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds, in a matchup of the top two picks in the 2004 draft.

"Obviously we missed the big body tonight," Vincent said. "We believe in the future that will make us a better team."

The Bobcats have dropped nine of their last 11 games. They have also lost seven straight on the road.

Charlotte will be looking to shake that slump against the Hawks (10-12), who are 4-9 all-time against the Bobcats, losing to them more than any other team in the league.

However, Charlotte lost 117-109 in Atlanta on Nov. 14 in the first meeting between the teams this season. Joe Johnson scored 34 points for Atlanta in that game.

Johnson led the Hawks with 23 points in Friday's 91-81 loss in Detroit. Atlanta has dropped two in a row following a season-best three-game winning streak.

The Hawks were also shorthanded on Friday - Josh Childress missed the game with a recurring groin injury, and rookie Al Horford was suspended for Tuesday's flagrant foul on Toronto guard T.J. Ford. Salim Stoudamire sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter and did not return.

"We somewhat missed Childress and Horford tonight, because they could have given us some momentum," Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said. "They hit us early, and we didn't respond until the third quarter. You can't get down to a team like Detroit and expect to get back in the game."