The Bobcats have quite a bit of athleticism at the wings.
Kent Smith/Getty Images/NBAE
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That's what the Charlotte Bobcats wanted to find out.
They made a splash with a draft-night deal for seven-year veteran Jason Richardson, and they're hopefully getting Emeka Okafor back for a full season. But early in camp, they learned that Sean May will miss all of the 2007-08 campaign, requiring microfracture surgery on his right knee.
Still, team President Michael Jordan spent the summer taking care of business as Charlotte re-signed both Gerald Wallace and Matt Carroll, giving the team a marquee athlete and pure shooter in its arsenal as it establishes itself as a franchise.
If you scan the Bobcats roster you can see that they are gathering the pieces to be competitive. They have the 7-footer in Primoz Brezec, who missed 22 games with back trouble last season but averaged 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds over the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons when healthy. They have the tried and tested international star turned explosive role player in Walter Herrmann who scored in double digits in 16 out of his last 17 games in ’06-07 as a rookie. They have the gamer and former college stud in Adam Morrison who averaged double-digit scoring as a rook and plays with a vigor that can’t be coached. And they have a point guard in Raymond Felton who already has a NCAA title under his belt and who increased his output in points, rebounds, assists and steals last season from the season before.
The team still might be a year or two away from really coming together, but it is certainly on the rise.
-- Dave McMenamin
 Richardson |
Coming into the NBA out of Michigan State and rocking the No. 23, the ultra-athletic shooting guard was expected by many to take the league by storm. Through the first six years of his career, however, he only managed to take it by “scattered showers.” It’s not that Richardson hasn’t been good – career averages of 18.3, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists are certainly that – but it’s that he hasn’t been great. His first year in Golden State, it was Antawn Jamison’s team. His second, it was Jamison’s and Gilbert Arenas’. His third year he did all the heavy lifting, but the Warriors finished just 37-45. Then Golden State brought in Baron Davis and years four through six of J-Rich’s career were spent deferring to Davis.
This Bobcats team was just waiting for somebody to come in and make it easier on the young pups as they develop and Richardson has the chance to be that guy.
-- Dave McMenamin
| 28 | The Bobcats sported 28 different starting lineups last season, ranked second in the NBA behind the Golden State Warriors and their 35 different starting units. |
 Vincent |
Career Record: None
Playoffs: None
Vincent was a bench player for the Celtics on the day that a young Michael Jordan lit Boston up for 63 points and later a teammate of MJ's on the Bulls. There is obviously trust between the two. Now Vincent has to rise to the level of expectations that come with being hand-picked by Jordan, something that isn't easy to do. Just ask Kwame Brown.
-- Dave McMenamin
Charlotte is doing the right things. They're heading in the right direction. I like the trade for Richardson. He's played well in the playoffs. The one glaring thing that's going to haunt them for a while is that Adam Morrison isn't the player that they thought he was going to be. And I don't know where's he's going to find his minutes, and that's a shame for the third pick in the draft. They've got Richardson and Wallace and then you've got Herrmann with the way he played at the end of last year. And then you just gave a new contract to Matt Carroll. So, there's your four guys at the two-three spots. Okafor is very good defensively, but how are they going to score down low? Success in the NBA depends a lot on getting to the line and Okafor and Brezec just don't do that for you.-- Eastern Conference Scout
PG - Raymond Felton: He's a great year away from being a top fantasy PG. | |
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SG - Jason Richardson: Richardson is going to be able to shoot and score as much as he likes. | |
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SF - Gerald Wallace: He's a four-category fantasy star, but be wary of his injury history. | |
PF - Emeka Okafor: He might improve his numbers given less pressure to score. | |
C - Primoz Brezec: Let's hope he returns to his 2005-06 numbers. | |
Playoffs: Did not qualify
Scoring Leader: J. Richardson, 25.3 PPG
Rebounding Leader: E. Okafor, 8.3 RPG
Assist Leader: R. Felton, 6.9 APG
Simulated Season Details
Playoff Appearances: 0
NBA Finals Appearances: 0
Championships: 0 | Last Title: n/a
Best Season: 2006-07, 33-49
Nov. 2 vs. Milwaukee (7:00 p.m. ET)
Longest Road Trip(s):
6 games in 12 days: March 8-19
@ WAS, @ DAL, @ HOU, @ CLE, @ MEM, @ IND
Longest home stand(s):
3 games in 4 days: Nov. 17-21
SEA, POR, WAS
3 games in 5 days: Jan. 12-16
DET, DEN, ORL
3 games in 5 days: Jan. 19-23
MEM, SAS, DAL
Buy tickets | Full Bobcats schedule
Radio: MIX 106.1 FM
Web: Official site
Local Coverage: Charlotte Observer
