Felton close to signing with Knicks
by David A. Arnott on Jul 9, 2010 10:46 PM EDT
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Goodbye, Raymond Felton. Though you were solid for only one year, it was a hell of a year. Good luck in New York.
Now, the Bobcats are facing a season with D.J. Augustin as the only "experienced" point guard on the roster. Barring an Earl Watson-type signing, it seems that trading Boris Diaw would be the most reasonable next step. Ideally, we'd trade DeSagana Diop for a point, but that's never happening, Nazr Mohammed has hardly any value, and it's probably too much of a risk to trade Tyson Chandler, so none of the centers are likely moving, though if this trade scenario works under the CBA, I'd do it in a heartbeat, and I wonder if the New Orleans Hornets' management strongly considers it.
Rosterbation time! If you were the Bobcats' GM, now that you know Felton's gone, what would you try to do to shore up the PG position?
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See my trade for Chris Paul in a fanpost
Tyson Chandler, Nazr Mohammad, DJ Augustin, a 1st round pick and a future 2nd round pick for Paul and Okafor.
Essentially a better deal than Portland offered them prior to the draft which was defused at the last second because the Blazers got cold feet.
The Hornets get $20 million in expiring contracts and rid themselves of Okafor’s contract while turning the keys over to the less talented, but easily capable Collison and George Shinn gets his wish to make the Hornets attractive to prospective buyers.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
Whoops... you already did... lol
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
The Blazers had a chance to get Paul w/ a deal worse than what you listed and backed out of it?????
Doubtful.
Yes
Portland pulled out of the trade because it meant sending a large portion of their roster (Pryzbilla, Miller, Batum, Fernandez, Bayless and a 1st rounder) and weren’t willing to gut their roster AND take on Okafor’s contract.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
by James Dator on Jul 10, 2010 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Let me clarify a little better
Portland don’t have 1 or 2 really large expiring contracts, they have lots of small to medium ones. So, in the trade scenario between them and New Orleans they would have been sending those above 5 players totaling $19.2 million (all expiring).
It was a worse deal because:
a) It was less expiring money that the larger expiring deals of Chandler, Mohammad and Augustin
b) It would have created a scenario where the Hornets would need to be buying out/trading more players to accommodate a 5 for 2 player swap.
So, the Bobcats could easily send the three above players for $22 million expiring and New Orleans wouldn’t need to tweak any more of their roster or buy anyone out.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
by James Dator on Jul 10, 2010 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah.
The only difference is the talent in return. I mean, that’s a helluva package. You get a starting, veteran savvy pg in Miller, another pg who has shown promise in Bayless, Fernandez, who it seems like everyone around the league covets (one of the most exciting players in the league), Batum and Pryzbilla, who the Blazers heavily depend on, and then a first rounder? That’s a helluva package. But regardless, I still would’ve made that trade. You’re still looking at a nucleus of Paul, Roy, Okafor, and Oden. That’s championship caliber barring injury.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions
It didn't matter what talent they were getting... none of them would be returning in 2011
The whole point is to let all the contracts expire so the Hornets have a low payroll thus making it easier to sell the team.
You’re right, Fernandez is coveted… but any other good expiring contract you get for him would be nullified by needing to buy out players to accommodate the league’s maximum roster size.
Just so we’re clear: This isn’t about talent to New Orleans, you need to think about what they’re looking for like the New York Knicks. They want to save one or two pieces (Collison or Paul and Aldrich) while gutting the entire remainder of the roster and starting over with a new owner.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
That's true.
Just saying, they would’ve been able to still compete as a team with what Portland was sending them. They would’ve had serious holes if they took what we had to get them. But, you’re absolutely right. Shinn’s punk ass is trying to get out. He should’ve sold the team when he was still in Charlotte.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Shinn selling the team in Charlotte instead of leaving on a rail.
Now THAT is an alternate universe I would have enjoyed being in.
Then again, no Bobbies. No Wallace, No Okafor, none of the surprises this team fed us like sugar cubes to a horse all throughout last season.
Nope. It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. I’ll keep my Cats – warts & all.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Paul would have stayed in Portland because he would have been contending for a title.
I don’t think this rumor makes a lot of sense though.
I wonder what this would mean for Okafor?
He knows LB doubted him enough to send him off for Chandler, and now he’s suppose to return and be motivated to play for him again?
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
I thought about that
But, the Bobcats when he was traded were very different than the Bobcats we have now.
The additions of Jax and Tyrus changes the face of this team because Thomas is that ultra athletic defensive front court player that the organization hoped Chandler would be.
Furthermore, you have an immediate out- just blame Bob Johnson. You can tell Okafor that the primary reason for trading him was so he could sell the team, but now there’s a new sheriff in town.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
by James Dator on Jul 10, 2010 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions
I for one would prefer to have Okafor over Chandler
There was some question about his motivation and leadership. But you’re right, Jack has clearly filled that role. There’s still questions about when he has to bang around with big centers like Howard. I don’t think he has the toughness to throw his body around like our other bigs were doing in the playoffs.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Okafor
I too would prefer him over Chandler but I think the reassumption of Okafor’s contract (especially for the most expensive part of it) would be a giant roadblock in terms of us being able to have wiggle room under the cap in the next season or two. He might be a decent step forward for the immediate fortunes of the club, but a step backward for the Bobcats future plans. There’s no question he’s a better player than Chandler in my mind but the whole point of the trade was financial to begin with. Now that we are at the verge of reaping the benefit of the financial aspects of the trade, why reverse the decision? It wouldn’t be hard to convince Okafor that it was Bob Johnson’s fault he got dumped because it’s the truth. But I don’t think it’s one of Johnson’s decisions that Jordan is going to reverse.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Even to get Chris Paul?
At that point why would you need wiggle room with the cap? You would have all 5 starting positions under contract for at least another three years, and by then when you might need to resign players Okafor becomes a valuable $15 million expiring contract.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
Exactly.
Look at the free agent market now and all the “wiggle room” the Nets have. There still have to be players on the market to sign. Having a ton of cap room doesn’t equate to signing a bunch of good players.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
The market for this season is all but spent.
We aren’t the Nyets. I’m looking to next year and the year after and while we may not be as attractive to a player as the Lakers, there is a certain cachet that the Bobcats have picked up along with the “under new management” sign.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
That's true.
But we have to examine the class of next year. I made a post about it a few weeks ago. Other than Melo and Duncan, the class is very underwhelming. We can probably create cap room to exchange a role player for another, but if we’re really trying to shoot for the moon, we may as well just start rebuilding.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Being realistic about the names you dropped...
Sad to say it, but Timmy D is starting to show some wear and tear. The years are adding up and he may only have 2 or 3 good ones left after this season. His best has already been left on the court.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh, I know.
My whole post was sarcastic in the first place, because I’m pretty sure Melo is going to stay in Denver and Duncan is too close to being washed up to give a big contract. So, what I’m saying is, upgrading through free agency should be the last option for us for two reasons, 1) because we have no money, and 2) because even if we did, no free agent out there is really worth saving money for.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 11, 2010 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I was thinking of Okafor alone.
As part of an attractive package deal that would bring a player like Paul to us, the reasoning changes dramatically.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, we're all thinking of Okafor with Paul.
Him coming back in exchange for Chandler a year later alone would make the deal seem dumb on both sides. Using the Chandler contract to trade back for the better player AND Chris Paul? That would be our first “genius” move by the front office.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, Okafor is only in the equation because of Paul
New Orleans will require whoever trades for Paul take on Okafor’s contract.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
Wow David...
You a little on the depressed/negative side tonight?
This post on losing Felton and how we’re screwed…
Happy about Tyrus and sad about Dominic McGuire when you know it is fairly obvious there is another trade in the works.
Maybe I’m just a little sensitive to this tonight after alll of the L word and the “Decision”, but prior to these 2 most recent posts…You’ve not posted much in terms of…well…anything
2 Lebron Posts
A Music Post
Lebron Post
A Summer League Post
Bosh to Miami
Duhon to Magic
What Are you reading Post
I see 1 that pertains to the Bobcats…all of the rest that is out there are due to our wonderful RoF members.
Call me crazy, out of line, nit picky, or whatever…but you’re doing it AGAIN. You were doing it before when we lost out in the playoffs and you’re doing it again now.
Posting the here and now like what has been done is the do all end all, when, IMHO, it has all been a necessary step to make another necessary step.
1)We had to lock down Tyrus.
a)Paying Tyrus what we will, he’s definitely a starter…that moves Diaw to the bench…do we pay a bench guy 9mil (don’t answer)?
b)We sign a guy to a 1 year deal…CHEAP…I see Diaw sliding to 3rd spot…Brown’s sucess in the Summer League…oops Diaw just fell off the bench. What’s up…obvious to me a trade involving him to somewhere.
2)Obviously Felton had fallen out of favor with LB and MJ.
a)Were we going to pay him what he had the chance to make somewhere else? NO
b)Are we even going to make an offer? NO
c)Do we know how many decent PGs are on the team? We know we have DJ who I have a bit of growing faith in.
3)What do we need?
a)PG
b)C
4)What do we have?
a)Expiring Chandler
b)Expiring Nazr
c)Expensive Diaw
d)Useless Diop
Where do we go from here? Who wants to clear cap space? Who wants to move big contracts? Who has what we need?
I’m not complaining…just stating…we know where we stand…we know what could be (good or bad)
MJ has finally made a move…do we immediately beat him up over it or do we let it play out? I say let it play out.
My apologies again if I am just mis-interpreting what I am reading and I’m too passionate about the team and having faith in MJ.
Didn’t mean to step on any toes, and if I did…
Insert Greg Oden Penis Joke HERE
or
Enjoy some photos…I know you guys have been missing it:
BOOM SHACKA LACKA
Go BOBCATS!
Preying on the Competition!
And Second post was supposed to be this:
by andrewlail76 on Jul 9, 2010 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, me too....
But those “Night of the Living Dead” eyes of hers are a bit freaky, no?
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn't even notice those at first.
Yes, very freaky.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t understand why you think I’m saying the team’s screwed or posting depressing stuff. First, in the summer, with so little going on, it’s a better opportunity for the crowd to bring subjects to the fore, instead of the games, etc, determining discussion subjects. Second, I’m not going to cheerlead unless I genuinely feel like cheering something; my default mode is:
- a frankly stated point-of-view
- tempered by a scrupulous concern for fact
- an effort to account for differing perspectives
- ending in a willingness to plainly state conclusions about the subject
(cribbed from Nate Silver and modified)
This is a place for, by and large, rational discussion. Tyrus is a good signing, with some risk. Letting Felton go is fine by me, but PG should absolutely be a concern. McGuire is pointless. I strongly disagree that making those points is somehow a slam.
Rick Bonnell does fantastic work, but he’s constrained by one major thing: his access depends upon his applying a certain amount of tact. He can’t speak negatively about players too often without risking his access to them, so he has to temper it, when a complete and straightforward assessment sometimes demands we point out a player sucks.
by David A. Arnott on Jul 10, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
I knew this would be said...McGuire is indeed pointless...
but a necessary evil if we move Diaw and then don’t get a PF in his place.
Do you not agree that a $900K player that is nothing more than a placeholder being signed has to be a ploy to move some folks in a bigger trade? I know, I know:
- a frankly stated point-of-view
- tempered by a scrupulous concern for fact
- an effort to account for differing perspectives
- ending in a willingness to plainly state conclusions about the subject
(cribbed from Nate Silver and modified)
+
Tact
+
temper your opinion, no matter how bad a player sucks
kinda like this shared with us by southtunnel proving all of the above…false
“And my favorite, NJ Star Ledger…
The ONLY reason a kinder, gentler, more nurturing Larry Brown got three good months out of him was by saying, “You’re three months away from the end of your NBA career”
… to keep the Nets at bay, the Bobcats made him absurdly rich for a third-rate power forward
… Don’t misunderstand: Tyrus is undoubtedly one of the most dazzling athletes the league has"
Too much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazyToo much LBJ make me go crazy
I actually wondered how quickly you’d respond.
And I know that I should keep emotional opinions to myself…because they are ALWAYS the wrong thing to post….
Oh well, wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last.
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not trying to be difficult
I just seem to have that natural ability…ask my wife
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with David
Tyrus is a good signing, but we are still behind the curve. We are still the exact same team as last year, minus a starter. AND with a Diaw trade looking likely, we will also be without our starting “point-forward”.
I don’t think replacing Felton and Diaw with DJ and Thomas necessarily makes us better.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Not trying to discourage
Just saying we’ve yet to make a move to get excited over. It’s def looking like something could happen soon. But things don’t work out sometimes either. I’m just reserving my excitement.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I think it's pretty apparent our upgrades will come from trades.
Everyone else who has upgraded has done it through free agency (except the Knicks-Warriors trade). The good thing about that is one team’s gain is another team’s lost. We don’t have to deal with super stacked squads in New York or Jersey, and can probably still take down Chicago if they don’t make any more improvements. Boston, Miami, and now Orlando are the class of the east. We should be competing with Atlanta and Chicago for the number 4 spot by the time all is said and done.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
If we trade Diaw
it will most likely be for a PG. So we won’t be replacing Felton w/ D.J. if we’re trading Diaw.
Hypothetically, if we get a solid PG for Diaw, I think the team is in at least as good of shape as last year’s team, and primed to possibly move up a couple spots in playoff seeding.
Don’t forget, Miami’s gain is Cleveland’s loss. So that’s one less playoff team to worry about.
Jordan needs this team to get better
The Bobcats are fragile right now, and the fans need something to build on their excitement from last year.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I don't see us behind the curve.
Conference-wise, two teams have gotten significantly weaker while thus far at least, the Bobcats have remained unchanged of not a slight bit better. The Heat are generating a lot of attention at the moment, but they’re one team. To me we’ve still made a net gain of +1 in the standings. I don’t see the negativity in David’s post that Andrew saw, but I do agree with Andrew when he says that this weekend is a kind of limbo for the Bobcats and the new week will see the fruition of Jordan’s plans in the form of at least one trade that will bring a replacement for Felton.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
How do you get better by doing nothing other than losing your starting PG?
You are suggesting that Thomas and Augustin are better than Diaw and Felton (with DJ and Thomas as backups). To me that’s taking a step backwards. If we move up a spot in the standings then it’s a wash at best.
And I’m not sure NY won’t be a playoff team this year. Pushing us potentially to the 8th spot. I think we definitely need a splash here soon.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I personally believe
That we are better at the PF position and as for PG…
Well…give DJ a chance…and honestly…Jax, Hendo, and DJ can all get the 5-6 assists per game combined that Ray was getting…
as for the 16+ points…Hendo has a jumper and Brown is on fire aswell with rebounds and solid points.
I think we’ll be OK…but don’t get me wrong…
I’d like Chris Paul or some other big name PG that can match or excel Ray’s numbers. I just got a feeling you’re going to see a different DJ. I think a Summer of working with Jax…big things are a comin’
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Henderson's FG% was .38 in the summer league!
Relying on Hendo, Brown and DJ to make us significantly better is not a very reliable option to me.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Did the SUmmer League games look like the regular season to you?
Will Hendo be required to play complete games from start to finish 5 days in a row?
Is Hendo Starting this year?
Does Hendo look better than he did last year?
I’m hoping that you are answering Yes to only one of these questions.
and my apologies to you that we no longer have Felton.
My point was our bench looks like it will be WAY better than Flip, Hughes, and Graham
a better bench means more rest for starters, which means better health for the starters and better game play overall…
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions
wait a minute...
Are you seriously trying to argue that a player should look better during the real season than he did in summer league?
No
Arguing that we WILL have a decent bench this year
No one can win an argument in a blog…
Summer league is wild and wreckless and unstructured…
Season is more structured.
Do we need a floor General – Yes
Did we need Felton – No
Wait for it…
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm saying we would have been better with Felton IF we don't make anymore major moves
The argument that we are much better just by unloading him and moving around the same bench players from last year is far-fetched to me.
My hope right now is completely in the “Wait for it…”
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
IF Felton would not have been demanding $7mil per
and we could still sign Tyrus too, I’m with you…
But we couldn’t, wouldn’t and didn’t
Obviously LB and Jordan didn’t have the faithinhim to do that very thing, so he’s a Knick now and something has to be in the works:
All hail the “Wait for it…”
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
Jordan obviously didn’t think any scenario that kept both Thomas and Felton in town was worth paying the luxury tax. He has something else in mind. Some other configuration assembled through a trade or something. We’ll just have to wait and see. You know Andrew, if you would tell us to wait for it so we wouldn’t be thinking that our current squad is our final squad for 2010/11…
Oh, nevermind.
You know, if we’re wrong about this impending deal many of us are going to be red-faced. We’ve replaced the old ILBIT mantra with a new IBIHA chant. (I Believe In His Airness)
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Wait for it...
Insert Greg Oden Penis joke here
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed. But that doesn't mean we'll be better
It just means Jordan didn’t want to pay for it. Sometimes there’s conflict in long term business decisions and one years success. I know at. But I’m still hoping they have something else up their sleeve.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
I'm confident we'll be better.
Chandler, Diaw, and Mohammed will all be gone next year. Whoever replaces them will provide our upgrade at the point and fill out the bench problems.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Our bench also had Thomas and DJ
Removing them is reason to believe the bench is not as good.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Have a little faith
You don’t think either guy is going to be any better?
Also
In BENCH
I am referring to Hendo, Brown, and Ajinca
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Sure I think they'll be a little better
I just don’t agree that they’ll compensate for losing starters or turn us into a contender. And Hendo and Brown were on the bench last year. For our bench to be significantly better we need to add something to it, not take away… Which is what we a doing.
Sorry for sounding faithless. I still have “faith” that a big move is in the works. I just want to take another big step forward this year.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
There has to be some feasible way to get Andre Miller. The Blazers hate him according to the way things went last year and they have to be shopping him. I’d take Miller in a heartbeat.
Also, I’m fully on board with acquiring Tony Parker, but after James pointed out that he’s only under contract for one season, I’d want an extension before we made any move.
Case of the beet bandit. Missing beets from all over the farm, no footprints. Inside job. Mose in socks. Boom. Case closed. -Dwight Schrute
+1
Miller would be nice…Tony Parker would be nice as well…with an extension…
Jordan’s up to something
A Lot has taken place today, so
Wait for it…
by andrewlail76 on Jul 9, 2010 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Peace out Ray Ray.
We appreciate your time in the city and for remaining loyal to us for the duration of your contract (sarcasm). 7 mill was to good for you from us, but you’re still a UNC boy so I’m glad you gettin paid.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jul 10, 2010 12:39 AM EDT reply actions
Good Luck RayRay
Congrats for getting $7M. Your talent is just an average but the good thing is that you are always giving your 100% on every game, you still deserve that 7M.
Sign Sherron Collins and trade Diaw for Fisher
Fisher is a free agent, and likely going to sign with Miami tomorrow
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
That's got to be the one deal
where Washington actually takes on a worse contract to trade Gilbert!
Good Luck Ray!
That's wrong... he's not getting $5 million per
It’s an undisclosed deal starting at $7 million a season, per the NY Times.
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
by James Dator on Jul 10, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Whoops... my bad.... I read 5 years
$8.3 MILLION A YEAR!
NO THANKS
Cat Scratch Reader's resident optimist.
I also blog the Panthers at Real Bits of Panthers
by James Dator on Jul 10, 2010 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Here is my concern with losing Diaw and Felton...
With Diaw we lacked typical PF play. He’s a power forward without the “power”. But he’s accurately been labeled a “point forward”, meaning with him we gain the luxury of having point play at 2 positions.
Losing him and Felton completely strips us of our primary game managers. Granted a PG like Chris Paul would be more than sufficient. But replacing with only a PG equal to Felton does not compensate for both of them, and leaves a void.
Now we would be improved at the forward position for other reasons. But I’m concerned about the implications of making these changes without having dominate play from the PG position. Guys like Wallace, Thomas and Chandler need somebody to create plays for them, in order to be effective offensively for an entire game.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Jackson has already stated publicly that he's prepared to pick up play creation duties.
He’s also working with Coach Brown toward the goal of averaging a triple double. I don’t think he can make that kind of performance, but it does indicate that LB isn’t afraid to run the offense through him if necessary.
The thing to look at here (as I see it, which may admittedly be blinded by optimism) is the actual needs of the team. We know about the gaping chasm at the one that Felton leaves behind. But more than even the need to repair that hole is the need for scorers, both outside and down low. It won’t matter if our defense holds most teams under 85 points per game if we can only score 84 on a good night. Bringing in one scorer doesn’t solve the problem either, it just gives the other team a place to focus their defense. We need at least two that we can put on the court for 10-12 minute stretches.
The other need – something nobody has really spoken about – also involves our offense. Larry Brown, for all of his Hall of Fame – level coaching skills, has yet to be able to teach the starters for the Cats OR their bench replacements for that matter, what to do against a modified zone defense. To beat that we need cutters (something Diaw will never be on a regular basis) that can take a pass while slashing into the lane and then finish well. As y’all rosterbate (I don’t because I suck at it) please look for players that can fill some of those needs. Defense wins championships but only if there is something resembling an offensive threat to complete the job.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions
Tyrus Thomas
Derrick Brown
Josh Howard
maybe Darius Miles?
Sean May…just kidding…a test to see if you were paying attention
Luis Scola
Matt Barnes?
Louis Admundson
Ike Diogu
Al Harrington
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm sorry but Jack is not our answer at the point
What would DJ’s job be? To bring the ball up court, hand it off to Jack and then go hang out on the perimeter? Sounds screwy. But if we don’t land a PG, then PLEASE prove me wrong Jack!
But I thought Diaw was our answer to the zone. Cutters need someone like Diaw in the paint to get the ball to them. That’s how we’ve answered it successfully before, and now that might be gone.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
by southtunnel on Jul 10, 2010 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Why is LB challenging him to average a triple double per game?
And why wouldn’t it work?
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Why wouldn't LB challenge him to average a triple double per game?
It just sounds off the wall to me, and not like something a hall-of-fame ex-PG coach (who’s known for coaching up PGs) would rely on. I’m sure he wants Jack to improve this way, but I don’t buy that he thinks that it will be sufficient enough without a solid PG.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
As for Diaw...
Zone buster?
Didn’t see it…youhave to take the open shot some…andhe seldom did…
by andrewlail76 on Jul 10, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions
You're right, I know
I just don’t see how removing the only guy who helped occasionally helped against the zone, makes us better against it.
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
We suck at the zone.
That’s the nub of it. Diaw stands around, bobbles balls, passes out when he has open shots, and greatly stagnates our offensive passing 8 out of 10 nights. When he actually shows up motivated and ready to play he’s great, but it just doesn’t happen often enough.
Just tossing Diaw in the dumpster doesn’t make us better. But the player(s) we get in a package deal when we trade him just might.
You can bet Jordan is burning up the minutes on his phone package this weekend on something besides his next golf and gambling weekend with Tiger Woods and Charles Barkley.
by Ourdaywillcome on Jul 10, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
That's what I'm betting on too
It’s why I’m on here and checking the headlines every couple hours :)
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
Wait for it...
on behalf of tha dirty south: soul food, carolina blue, southern hospitality, and tha queen city
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