PER PER Against (Net) Boris Diaw 10.82 18.01 (-2.05) Strengths: A capable defender of forwards and centers and a more than willing passer who creates good looks for his teammates, Boris also has a decent post game and range out to the three point ...
Hear from the Thunder and Lakers after Game 2.Click to Continue »
Down in desperation time, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks called on Kevin Durant to show that he's more than just a three-time scoring champion. And that meant guarding one…Click to Continue »
Source: Yahoo! Sports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Two people familiar with the situation say the Bobcats will interview Orlando assistant Patrick Ewing on Thursday in Charlotte for their vacant head coaching position.Source: Yahoo! Sports
Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing will interview Thursday for the Charlotte Bobcats' coaching vacancy, according to an ESPN.com report.
Source: Charlotte Observer by AP Sports Writer (TIM REYNOLDS)
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade did almost everything for Miami - until the final minute.
Source: Queen City Hoops by Spencer
| PER | PER Against (Net) | |
|---|---|---|
| Reggie Williams | 12.41 | 14.06 (-1.85) |
Strengths: Williams was signed to a two-year deal last summer to come in and be a 3-point specialist- a player that could stretch the floor on the offensive end and knock down open shots. Unfortunately, for Williams and the Bobcats, he was injured for much of the season. Williams has proved to be a good shooter in the past. In his season with Golden State, the year before he came to Charlotte, Williams was 42.3 3pt% and attempted an averaged 3.0 3FGA/game. In Charlotte last season the story was much different, but it was the first time in Williams career that he was forced to be a ball handler much of the time and less of a spot up shooter. In pinches Coach Silas was forced to play Williams at the point and the stats proved that it was clearly a detriment to his offensive production as a player. You can argue that the switch up in roles for Williams was good for the maturity of his overall game, but personally I believe it further cemented his fate as a true role player in this league- a spot up/catch and shoot threat.
Weaknesses: Starting with this season, Williams struggled in many categories, but most noticeable was his pedestrian shooting averages. Williams shot just 30.8 3PT% and 41.6 FG%. Both of these averages were drastically lower than his first two seasons in the NBA. Again, much of Williams struggles evolved from the fact the he was forced to be much more of a ball handler last season, but a drop in numbers/production is never a positive sign for a guy in his third year. Williams lacks athleticism, and with the ball in his hands this season he was forced to settle for many bad shots, unable to score on more athletic defenders. He also struggles on the defensive end with his lack of lateral quickness and slow first step.
Reasons for Optimism: With the Bobcats set to draft at least a top-4 prospect this summer and assuming the team will be able to stay healthier next year, Williams should become more of a true role player, which he is more comfortable with. With a healthier backcourt Williams will be able to be more of a shooter and less of a ball handler. This should help Williams to become a much more efficient player for Charlotte and produce the numbers he displayed in his first two seasons in Golden State. Williams market definitely fell off after his numbers this season and he now has one year left on his contract with the Bobcats, so a solid 2012-13 campaign could land him another contract with Charlotte. I believe that Williams can be a great role player moving forward for this franchise, especially at the price that the Bobcats should be able to re-sign him for.
Reasons for Pessimism: The numbers this seasons are bothersome if your the Bobcats front office. As I’ve pointed out, there is certainly an explanation for the drop off, but nonetheless, this isn’t the foot anyone wanted to see Williams get off on in a Bobcats uniform. Williams also never got back into shape after his injury last season, so that was discouraging, and also led to him getting burned on the defensive end often.
Forecast: There are more positives than negatives to focus on with Williams looking ahead. He was simply too good of a shooter in his first two seasons in the league to not return back to that form. 22.5 MPG, 11.5 PPG & 47% FG is certainly reasonable for this guy and I would expect him to be much better next season. Williams first concern must be to get 100% healthy and back into shape. If he comes into preseason camp well conditioned then Williams should be a steady contributor off the bench, offensively, next season.
Source: Charlotte Observer by AP Sports Writer (TOM WITHERS)
Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving drove past defenders with ease all season.
Source: Charlotte Observer by AP Sports Writer (TOM WITHERS)
Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving is the NBA's Rookie of the Year, winning the award with the same ease as he dribbled past defenders this season.
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
So the NBA announced this morning that Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving won Rookie of the Year. This should come as a surprise to no one. He was fantastic as a scorer and distributor, especially with the talent (or lack thereof) surrounding him.
The Bobcats' Kemba Walker also received a few votes: three third-place votes, to be exact. Now I'm not saying I wouldn't have voted for Kemba ... no wait, that is what I'm saying. I think he has some solid
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
I talk about bad basketballThe fellers over at I Go Hard Now invited be to talk about the Bobcats and watching awful basketball and debating tanking and plenty of things.
Source: Queen City Hoops by Spencer
‘Small Market, Big Heart’ is a film made for the city of Sacramento and their passionate fans of the only professional franchise in the city, the Kings.
James Ham, who covers the Kings for the ESPN TrueHoop network ‘Cowbell Kingdom’ is the producer of the film and as you’ll see after watching, has done a fabulous job.
Charlotte fans can relate to Sacramento in a sense that we both exist in small markets within the NBA scenery, but Bobcats fans are not dealing with the agony of possibly losing their hometown team. Please enjoy this film and the tale of a franchise who may not have any championship banners to marvel at, but who’s fans have stuck with them through thick-and-thin.
Source: Bobcats Planet by BigCatBobcat
I’d like to pick this thing apart like an autopsy. The Bobcats 2012 season was dreadful. I guess you have to still call it 2011-2012 season, because the Bobcats actually played 3 games before New Year’s Day. But does it really matter? Actually, yes. It does matter because likely the most significant positives came in [...]Source: Yahoo! Sports
The summer of uncertainty began officially for Hawks the moment they walked off that floor in Boston in Game 6, losers in a win-or-go-home playoff game that they knew would signal the end of an era.
Source: Bleacher Report
We interrupt your playoffs coverage to show you one of the most insane NBA-related tattoos we've ever seen. And we've seen a lot of them.
Check out this photo via Iamagm.com (via TerezOwens) of the back of a Bulls fanatic who was obviously a huge Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman fan. Can't blame him for loving the memories that those two created for the Bulls' franchise, but wow.
I don't even know where to begin.
The "nomad" at the top of his neck makes me curious as to what the rest of his tattoos are. The fact that spacing/tattoo placement didn't seem to enter anyone's mind, or maybe that Rodman looks like he's about to kick whatever tattoo we can just barely see near the top-right corner of the photo? How about the fact that there is a Michael Jordan tattoo the length of this man's torso tattooed onto his back? So many questions. So much ink.
This is incredible.
I don't think there's anything more to be said.
Read more Charlotte Bobcats news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
The Charlotte Bobcats were scheduled to interview Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Nate Tibbetts for their head-coaching job Monday and Orlando Magic assistant Patrick Ewing comes in later this week.
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
Agent: The 2012 NBA draft will fall off precipitously after a single pick, Kentucky freshman big man Anthony Davis…
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
Agent David Falk has represented some of the best NBA players ever, including center Patrick Ewing, scoring guard Allen Iverson and now-Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan.
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
The Charlotte Bobcats were scheduled to interview Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Nate Tibbetts for their head-coaching job Monday and Orlando Magic assistant Patrick Ewing comes in later this week.
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
The Charlotte Bobcats were scheduled to interview Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Nate Tibbetts for their head-coaching job Monday and Orlando Magic assistant Patrick Ewing comes in later this week.
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
Higgins: Malone "impressive," Nate Tibbetts interview today, Ewing later this weekBonnell's post also includes some interesting tidbits from David Falk (bigtime NBA agent) on the idea of former NBA big men as coaches
Source: Charlotte Observer by The Associated Press (TIM REYNOLDS)
The Miami Heat say Chris Bosh will be sidelined indefinitely because of a strained abdominal muscle.
Source: Charlotte Observer by rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com (Rick Bonnell)
Rod Higgins says he's taking a 'nice, slow pace' to make sure the Bobcats consider everyone worthwhile.
Source: Queen City Hoops by Brett
| PER | PER Against (Net) | |
|---|---|---|
| Byron Mullens | 13.02 | 18.66 (-3.46) |
Strengths: Byron Mullens started the season off on an offensive hot streak that had the internet lauding the Bobcats savvy acquisition. Byron showed a good looking jumper out to just short of the three-point line. In part because of his offensive repertoire, Mullens was solid with the ball, turning it over with a turnover rate of just 10.5. Additionally, Byron is very large – this makes it easy for him to get his jumper off, rebound when he chooses to focus on it, and a decent shot blocker…
Weaknesses: …When he is in the right position on the court. Which is not often. Byron struggled mightily to play team defense this season, with the team allowing 110.2 points per 100 possessions with Byron on the court, but just 107.8 without him. Yeah – the league’s worst defense was even worse with Mullens manning the middle. As seen above, Byron surrendered an atrocious PER to his opposition, and the Net PER mark allowed was 445th of the just over 500 players this season in the NBA. Two other primary areas of weakness: Rebounding, at both ends of the court, and offensively, Byron’s habit of catching the ball at the top of the key, holding it for several seconds, surveying the court, and ultimately putting up the jumper was not the most efficient offensive move.
Reasons for Optimism: Byron showed improvement on the boards over the course of the season – he went from bottom quartile over the first half of the season to right around average in the second half. Oh, and that strong shooting start to the season is another reason for optimism – it was a string of strong performances from Byron and provides reason to think he could continue to do it in the future. And again, Byron provides size on the defensive end, he just needs to learn to use it.
Reasons for Pessimism: Byron’s defense this season was horrible. It’s hard to think about just how lost (and, at times, lazy) Byron looked in pick and roll coverage, and feel optimistic about him becoming a starting center. The same effort thought creeps in when considering his overall rebounding numbers – does Byron really love playing basketball?
Forecast: Byron Mullens will be back next season, barring a trade. The Bobcats acquired his rookie contract from the Thunder for a future second rounder, and the early returns were good. The Bobcats have a potential starting center in Mullens, and at worst a rotation quality big, out of a second rebound pick. Next season, Byron’s role will depend on who the Bobcats wind up drafting – if they get Anthony Davis, I expect Davis and Bismack to start next to each other, with Byron coming off the bench. But, if the Bobcats fall out of the top spot (again, the likely outcome, given their 25% chance at the top spot), Byron could be the Bobcats starting center next season. And I’d be ok with that. There’s potential there and that’s what the Bobcats are needing to identify and develop at this stage of building process.
Source: Bobcats Planet by Blogcat
First of all, I apologize for this stupid headline, but I had to change my original idea at the last minute once I saw that Travis had titled his latest article, “Who Can Lead the Bobcats Out of the Cellar?” His was too close to what I was going to use: “Who Can Lead the [...]Source: Charlotte Observer by AP Sports Writer (TIM REYNOLDS)
LeBron James is the NBA's MVP for the third time.
Source: Charlotte Observer by AP Sports Writer (LUKE MEREDITH)
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Fifty years ago, Don Nelson left the University of Iowa eight credits and a student-teaching requirement shy of a degree. Nelson took correspondence classes to complete…
Source: Rufus on Fire by SB Nation NBA News
(SB Nation, Scott Schroeder) The Charlotte Bobcats are looking for a head coach this offseason after parting ways with Paul Silas following the horrendous season they just had. After setting an NBA record in futility, however, it might not be easy to lure the best in the business to help turn around the Bobcats.
Michael Jordan and the Bobcats apparently know this, though, and have tempered their expectations as such. Charlotte has been mentioned to be interested in guys like Jerry Sloan, Patrick Ewing and
Source: Queen City Hoops by Mathew Lewis
| PER | PER Against (Net) | |
|---|---|---|
| Derrick Brown | 14.83 | 14.03 (-1.24) |
Strengths: Brown is an athletic wing who uses his quickness and agility to score efficiently, leading the Bobcats with a True Shooting Percentage of 55.6%. He is also a strong offensive rebounder for a wing, which allows him to create easy scoring opportunities for himself. In addition to scoring off put backs, the majority of his buckets come on the break or slashing to the basket. His effort is consistent – something to note on a team that won only 7 games.
Weaknesses: Brown is a tweener. He doesn’t quite have the size to match up with most PF’s, while he’s not a quick enough defender on the perimeter to guard SF’s. He is also lacking a post or mid-range game, as well as the ability to create his own shot.
Reasons for Optimism: Brown proved himself to be a useful role player this season. Although he was logging starter’s minutes in a lot of games, and thus looked overmatched by his competition at times, he displayed a handful of skills that make him a valuable rotation player. There are plenty of guys in the NBA who make their living off of energy and athleticism, which at this point are clearly his two attributes you can bank on. However, if Brown can develop a more efficient mid-range game he will afford himself even more opportunities to get on the floor.
Reasons for Pessimism: Despite whether or not he improves on the offensive end, Brown will more than likely remain a guy on defense who is stuck in between positions. Thus, matchups will dictate how much run he gets in a particular game.
Forecast: Brown signed a one-year minimum contract before last season so the team will need to get him signed to a new deal. Assuming they do, in a perfect world (a perfect world being the Bobcats are healthy next season and are solid enough to win 20+ games) Brown comes off the bench to give the second unit energy and help on the offensive glass. Fifteen minutes a game is probably optimal for a guy like Brown whose value is attributed primarily to energy and hustle. His minutes need to be limited to an extent so that he can fully exert himself while on the floor. Next season will be telling for Brown. If he’s able to improve his jump shot while also maintaining the same level of effort on the glass he’ll ensure himself a longer career in the League than most had previously believed.
Source: Charlotte Observer by ()
The Charlotte Bobcats are unlikely to hire a head coach this month. Some candidates and potential candidates work for teams that still are playing, and until those teams are dispatched…
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
For every game preview, I preface each one with a song selection. Most times, it's a song that portrays the mood coming into that night's game or how I feel after the previous night's game.
And as you may expect with a season that culminated in seven wins, there are not many happy songs this time around. There was a fair amount of blues, folksy rock and a ton of Sufjan Stevens. That said, there were occasions of uplifting songs, usually after wins or encouraging performances in losing efforts. But they were few and far between.
Hit the jump for an infographic that takes a look at a handful of interesting points during the season, the playlist, and a game-by-game breakdown of the playlist and game results.
Source: Queen City Hoops by Jenn
| PER | PER Against (Net) | |
|---|---|---|
| DeSagna Diop | 5.34 | 14.61 (-2.08) |
Strengths:Carroll has spent most of his NBA career with the Bobcats and has been a consistent role player, shooting some key threes both this season and in seasons past. With its ever fluctuating roster, the Bobcats have needed a seasoned player like Carroll. What he lacked in performance on the court, he made up for as an NBPA representative. You stay classy MC.
Weaknesses: If you are not a starter for the Bobcats, but play on the team, you might belong in the D League. The Bobcats signed Carroll to a 6 year contract after a strong ’06-07 season, but his minutes and production have steadily declined since then. Carroll averaged 2.7 PPG this season in 11.2 minutes per game and went on a 3 point hiatus from February 11 to April 12. In short, was Matt Carroll worth $3.9 million this season? Hell no.
Reasons for Optimism: If Henderson’s performance this season speaks to what we can expect from him next year, the Bobcats will not need to rely on Carroll.
Reasons for Pessimism: Carroll’s trade value is minimal and as the Cats look to rebuild next season, Carroll’s contract could be more efficiently used on young talent.
Forecast: Carroll is picking up his $3.5 million player option for next season. Unless the Bobcats can trade Carroll, they will ride the wave, tapering his minutes and effectively transitioning him out of the roster. Expect average playing time of 5-10 minutes per game. Carroll was rarely one to speak of, but watch his presence fade even further next season.
Source: Yahoo! Sports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Patrick Ewing is one of several candidates the Charlotte Bobcats will interview for their head coaching vacancy and the Hall of Fame center will meet with team officials next week, said people familiar with the situation.Source: Yahoo! Sports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) People familiar with the situation say Patrick Ewing is one of several candidates the Charlotte Bobcats will interview for their head coaching vacancy and the Hall of Fame center will meet with team officials next week.Source: Bobcats Planet by Travis Pulver
It may seem hard to believe anyone can say this, but I like the Charlotte Bobcats. I think this team has a lot of promise and a whole lot of very young talent. I can see this team along with whoever they get in the coming draft at least being competitive next season. Keep in [...]Source: Charlotte Observer by ()
Five coaches will be among those interviewed by the Charlotte Bobcats for their head-coaching position, according to several news outlets. They are:
Source: Yahoo! Sports
"I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come," Michael Jordan wrote in his book, "Driven from Within."Source: Bleacher Report
After finishing the regular season 7-59, it's no secret that Paul Silas, former head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, is out of a job. Silas has said that he knows it's time to retire. He'll seek an office job with the organization. So this brings up the issue of who will Michael Jordan hire as the next coach. There are a lot of options out there, as there are with any new head coach hiring.
There's speculation about Stephen Silas, son of previous coach Paul Silas, getting an interview with the organization. According to Rod Higgins, the president of basketball operations, Stephen is on a list of people they are looking at, but head coaching experience “is important” and Stephen has none of that.
Another interesting idea that's in everyone's mind is if Phil Jackson would come to the team. The Bobcats would never pay Jackson the money he deserves, but you can't overlook the relationship he and Michael Jordan obviously have. In a recent interview on the Max and Marcellus show on 710 ESPN, Jeannie Buss, longtime partner of Jackson, let it be known that money has little to do with Jackson's decisions.
So there are a lot of options out there, but these are the ones most likely as of now.
Source: Bleacher Report
The Charlotte Bobcats ended the 2011-12 NBA season with a horrid 7-59 record, setting a new record for the worst winning percentage in NBA history. They broke the mark of the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers who went 9-73.
Additionally, the Bobcats ended the season on a 23 game losing streak that started against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 19 and went on all the way to the last game of the regular season against the New York Knicks on April 26.
Head coach Paul Silas is not going to return to the team next season meaning that there will be a new person running the show in Charlotte.
Who could be the best candidate to come into Charlotte and turn things around?
Possible candidates that have been mentioned so far have been assistant coach Michael Malone of the Golden State Warriors, assistant coach Patrick Ewing of the Orlando Magic, former Seattle and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, longtime Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan, and current Indiana Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw.
What has not been said is whether these candidates are indeed interested and at the end of the day can they get the job done.
It almost seems that the right coach for the Bobcats needs to have a plethora of skills. These skills can range from the toughness and tenacity of longtime Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan and the defensive focus and manner of former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.
The bottom line is that until a coach is selected it will be difficult to actually pinpoint what coach will succeed in Charlotte. Maybe a possible solution could be to bring in an experienced coach on a short-term basis and have a younger associate head coach that will takeover in the long run.
Read more Charlotte Bobcats news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
Mike Dunlap a candidate for the Charlotte Bobcats head coaching job?Hmmm, very interesting read from SB Nation's St. John's blog, Rumble In The Garden.
"From Red Storm Sports, a quote from former Nuggets coach George Karl went into detail in praising Dunlap's skills, "Mike Dunlap absolutely elevates every player and team he comes into contact with.... He will take you from good to great. Name any top-level, elite coach in the game - the only difference between Mike and them is their address. There is no higher level of coaching ability than his.
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
Broussard: Bobcats to interview St. John's Univ.'s Mike Dunlap and Cavs assistant Nate Tibbetts"Bobcats will interview Mike Dunlap, associate head coach at St. John's U, & Cleveland Cavs assistant Nate Tibbetts next week, sources say"
Source: Bleacher Report
Charlotte is talking about basketball once again—not about the Bobcats, a team that has just shocked the basketball world with their ineptitude—but the possible return of the name that left for New Orleans a decade ago.
An online campaign has modestly been gaining momentum over the past few months. The New Orleans Hornets are being bought by Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, and the new management is already wishing to change the name in favor of something more intrinsically related to the region. Charlotteans are looking at this with optimism and hope that the Hornet name can come back to where it rightfully belongs — in Charlotte.
Let's face it, the Bobcats are going nowhere fast. We all know how bad they were on the court this year. Players who, by the end of the season, were aloof and seemingly bored with the sport. Fans who stopped caring long ago. There was a constant barrage of tweets and other headlines discussing the probability that we were watching history... the worst NBA team of all time, and very possibly the worst professional team in American sports.
Merchandise sales? Nope. Seats being filled? Nope. Excitement for the team? Nope. Trust in ownership? Absolutely not. Michael Jordan's legacy only carries him so far. Bad decision after bad decision has left even the most vocal of MJ supporters twiddling their thumbs waiting for something good to happen.
But nothing good has happened. Mediocre since their first season in 2004, the Bobcats have only one playoff appearance in their history... a 2010 seventh-seed berth where they were quickly shoved aside by the clearly superior Orlando Magic in a four-game sweep.
And of course, the 2011-2012 season: 7-59. A winning percentage of .106. Absolute embarrassment.
I could spend hours telling you what went wrong this season. Seriously. Throw a dart blindfolded after being spun around 50 times and that dart will still hit 15 problems with this year's team.
But that's in the past. And why dwell on that when we could look to the future?
The Bobcats have never made a home in Charlotte. Bob Johnson, obviously obsessed with cementing his own legacy in anyway possible, named the team after himself. A terrible, dull, meaningless name that has since become synonymous with mediocrity. A thinly veiled smack in the face on the city of Charlotte after losing their beloved Hornets, a name that means something in this area... a name that instills pride and a sense of community in Carolinians.
New Orleans doesn't want the Hornets name. Why should they? Similarly to the Bobcats, the name has nothing to do with the area. No regional importance, no pride, no history, just a mascot that no one can connect with.
But one man's trash is another man's treasure.
The New Orleans Hornets are rebranding. That's virtually a given at this point. Rebranding is a long, expensive, complicated process that takes several years to complete. But if the New Orleans Hornets, a team with virtually no financial success over the years can do it, why can't Charlotte?
The Charlotte Bobcats must start over. It's not a matter of rebuilding anymore. If Michael Jordan and company wish to have a team in Charlotte, they can't simply rebuild. They must demolish this shoddy structure of a team and its management, go back to the drawing boards and start over with a clean slate, hopefully propelled by the No. 1 pick in the draft this year, presumptively Anthony Davis.
There are some good foundations to build on... Kemba Walker will likely be an above-average contributor in the future. Bismack Biyombo showed signs of defensive brilliance. Gerald Henderson was the only player on the team that could consistently score. But everything else must be re-examined, and Michael Jordan should make it clear that no one on this team, not even the aforementioned players, are safe.
The Bobcats have already fired head coach Paul Silas. Silas did his best with a ragtag group of players, and was perhaps unfairly scapegoated this season as the reason that this team failed so miserably. Anyone with half a brain will look at this team as a collective failure, and there is not a coach in basketball that could have delivered 10 wins to the Bobcats this season. But perhaps a new face on the sidelines will help.
With everything in Bobcat-land changing over the coming years, it makes sense to bring back a piece of history to a team that has absolutely no identity. Such a change would cost millions of dollars and take years to complete, but at the end of the day, the beleaguered fans of this Charlotte team would love to have something to cheer for. Ticket sales to see the Hornets play in Charlotte again would go through the roof, new Hornets merchandise would be a hot commodity and MJ could expect to see a massive financial turnaround for a team that is seriously struggling to make ends meet.
And it gives the city hope — it gives fans of this sputtering franchise something to cheer for, and it gives this community pride in their basketball team again. Even if the team continues losing, at least they'll be losing as the Hornets. Not some team that no one really cares about.
To learn more about the campaign to get the Hornet name back in Charlotte, visit the Facebook page here. Show your support for a franchise in massive need of an overhaul.
Here's to hoping we can fill Time Warner Cable with purple and teal in the coming years, and get Charlotte buzzing once again.
Read more Charlotte Bobcats news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Bleacher Report
On the basketball court, there's hardly anything you can say to criticize what Michael Jordan did throughout his career.
As an owner and general manager, the list is a mile long.
It's safe to say that "His Airness" has crashed down with a thundering impact since he's retired and became the man who wears outrageous suits and owns one of the worst teams to grace the NBA in the last 40 years.
We all know of his track record in terms of drafting players—dare I bring up Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison?—to hiring head coaches, with Sam Vincent being the most notably questionable hire in his tenure.
To Jordan's credit, he's gotten better at drafting players over the last couple of years. The Bobcats may have future All-Stars in their midst with guys like Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker, and they have a huge possibility to grab the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, where the consensus choice would be to grab Anthony Davis.
As for coaching? He did fine with Larry Brown and, for a short tenure, made a somewhat decent decision to bring coaching legend Paul Silas to try and turn the franchise around.
That was until this lockout-shortened season, where the Bobcats officially became the joke of the league. Silas is now fired, and Jordan needs to once again find a new coach.
If the news that was released today does come to fruition, then Jordan may need to consider selling the team if it doesn't work.
As was first reported by The Orlando Sentinel on May 1, current Orlando Magic assistant coach and former New York Knicks superstar Patrick Ewing will be interviewed by his former rival to become the next head coach for the Bobcats.
Let the collective face palms begin.
It's most certainly not a lock that Ewing will be the next head man in Charlotte, but it may be a given at this point because no one knows who else would even want to take that job.
But let's look at the good and the bad of this possible marriage between Jordan and Ewing, because it actually evens out.
For the good, if the Bobcats get the first pick and take Davis, Ewing has another big man he can help tutor. Ewing's been working with Dwight Howard for the last number of years and it has to be Ewing's work that Howard has become arguably the most dominant center in the league.
By bringing in Ewing, it'll be a brand new coach working with one of the youngest teams in NBA history. Instead of bringing in an old-school mentality with the likes of Silas and Brown, Ewing may provide a fresh start to a franchise who needs help, and he'll most certainly get a good number of years to provide some magic in Charlotte.
However, the decisions made by Jordan alone as a front office representative make any decision he makes a questionable one.
If he hires Ewing, MJ will need to be patient and give him more than two years to see what he can do. The longest tenure any coach has had since Jordan took over as owner was two years, and that was Brown when he took Charlotte to its first ever playoff appearance.
Just like the situation in Golden State with Mark Jackson, time will be a necessity for Ewing if he's taking this scenario and running with it.
In order to make this work, Jordan must resist making any trades for new players that would alter the chemistry of the roster. It goes without saying that the move that changed the culture of the Bobcats to where it is today was trading Gerald Wallace, the only All-Star in Bobcats history, to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jordan must keep the core of that group intact and not change anything, unless you have the chance to bring in a superstar-caliber player.
Jordan's credibility as a general manager and owner is on the line this year, and if he brings Ewing in to coach, he's stuck with him. He can't fire him for a new coach within two years and he can't break the chemistry with these young players.
For years, it was always Jordan who prevented Ewing from getting to the top of the league.
Now, it would be Ewing who has to save Jordan from being at the bottom of the league.
Talk about role reversal at its finest.
Read more Charlotte Bobcats news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Rufus on Fire by Ben Swanson
Apparently while I was away in Greensboro helping a friend move, the Bobcats were busy starting the interviewing process with multiple coaches. Some are well-known, others not so much. Let's take a peek at a quick run-down.
Patrick Ewing (assistant coach, Orlando Magic)Ewing's name has popped up before on the radar for the Bobcats as an option for a head coaching vacancy, notably after Larry Brown was let go. I don't have much of an idea what his team-oriented philosophies are, but Ewing's been instrumental for the development of
Source: Queen City Hoops by Spencer
| PER | PER Against (Net) | |
|---|---|---|
| DeSagna Diop | 6.95 | 21.82 (-4.65) |
Strengths: Diop provided Charlotte with a bigger body when the team faced physically imposing centers such as Dwight Howard. His only real worth was to go in games and try to slow down the opposing team’s front line by committing as many fouls as possible while in the game. The Bobcats were losing nothing, and actually benefiting, from Diop getting in foul trouble and being somewhat physical. Diop also served as a decent defensive anchor to the paint, clogging up the interior, when he wasn’t pulled away from the basket in pick-and-roll situations.
Weaknesses: Where to begin? Diop allowed a higher PER to his opponent than any Bobcat on the roster at 21.82, so to say that he was any kind of defensive anchor when in the game is actually highly inaccurate. Diop has absolutely nothing to offer offensively and probably had more air balls then made FG’s this season. He’s not a good passer either, so the usage of Diop on the offensive end of the floor is basically inexistent. I could continue with the list of deficiencies, but what’s the point.
Reasons for Optimism: Diop’s awful contract is only on the books for one more season!
Reasons for Pessimism: Bobcats still have Diop’s contract on the books for one more season.
Forecast: If the Bobcats are somehow able to trade Tyrus Thomas and his bloated contract then Diop likely becomes the leading candidate for Charlotte’s amnesty clause. If the Bobcats are unable to deal Tyrus then he should become the leader in the clubhouse for the amnesty and Charlotte takes on paying Diop for one more season. As far as production goes, I couldn’t even begin to forecast anything other than him being a last resort at the center position. If Diop ever decided to cut 30+ pounds and get in better shape, he could potentially be a serviceable backup in this league again, but I have no inclination to make me even entertain the thought of that happening.
Source: Bleacher Report
Breaking news coming in is that the Charlotte Bobcats are set to interview Patrick Ewing, the old rival of Michael Jordan, for their head coaching job. I'm not sure if he's the front runner, but as of now it seems he has a good chance to land the coaching job.
Mike Malone, the league's highest-paid assistant who was with the Warriors last season, and former Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan are also rumored to be in the running for the head coaching job. Both would be good fits and are worthy of the job.
When it comes to Ewing, he's been putting his time in as an assistant with the Magic and I think that he deserves a chance to be the head coach of an NBA team. Ewing has done a good job in Orlando and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Jordan hire him.
I also wouldn't be surprised if they hire him for it to go badly, as every other move Michael Jordan has made hasn't exactly worked out.
As for the Bobcats as a team, they need to just pray that they win the lottery. This past season they were the worst team in NBA history.
I mean, they were just awful. I watched a couple of their games and it really was difficult to watch; it was almost embarrassing.
The Bobcats lack any kind of interior presence, and getting that No. 1 pick and drafting Anthony Davis will be a big help for a team that was dead last in points, next to last in rebounds per game and third to last in points allowed.
If they don't win the lottery and get Davis, then even Patrick Ewing won't be able to save them from another dismal season.
Read more Charlotte Bobcats news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Yahoo! Sports
The Bobcats have lined up interviews with assistant coaches Patrick Ewing and Mike Malone to fill their coaching vacancy.Source: Charlotte Observer by ( By Tom Sorensen)
Michael Malone, assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, will interview Tuesday for the Charlotte Bobcats? coaching vacancy. Yahoo! Sports first reported the story and a source confirmed it to…
Source: Charlotte Observer by The Associated Press (Aaron Beard)
The Capel coaching family is savoring every NBA playoff win by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Source: Bleacher Report
Make no mistake—the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery on May 30 is the Anthony Davis Sweepstakes. Here’s a stab at his top potential team destinations based on the following team criteria:
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