[外電] Immediate Needs: Charlotte Bobcats
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12982
It may seem a small accomplishment, but in 2008-09 the Charlotte Bobcats
actually recorded the best record in franchise history. Sure, they only won
35 games, but hey, progress is progress. What's more significant is that
right up until the final two weeks of the season they were very much in the
thick of the Eastern Conference playoff chase. In fact, for a stretch of
games in January they were looking like they might even challenge for home
court advantage.
Between January 10th and January 27th the Bobcats started turning heads. They
went 6-2 through that stretch with notable wins over the Portland Trail
Blazers, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers, and one of their two losses
was a two-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs in which Boris Diaw's
buzzer-beater fell just short of giving the Bobcats a victory. The Bobcats
were on the rise . . .until that game against the Lakers deprived them of
their leading scorer for seven games. Gerald Wallace collided with Andrew
Bynum, resulting in a collapsed lung and cracked ribs, and without him the
Bobcats lost their next five games.
Once Wallace returned and got back into top form the Bobcats were still in
the hunt, and went 9-6 in March as they continued to chase their first-ever
playoff berth. Unfortunately, the team fell apart in April. Even though the
door to the playoffs was still wide open, the Bobcats went 1-7 in April and
fell short of that goal. Still, a lot went right for the Bobcats this season.
Handing Larry Brown the coaching reins was about more than simply changing
the culture of the team on the basketball court, but also about changing the
makeup of the team off the court. Brown wasted little time putting his
imprint on the Bobcats, helping bring about a trade that landed Boris Diaw
and Raja Bell in Charlotte. Diaw and Bell brought their defense and veteran
experience with them, and promise to be important members of this team's
success going forward. A subsequent trade for Vladimir Radmanovic added
outside shooting, and the later addition of DeSagana Diop added some front
court defense, but there is still plenty of work to be done . . .starting
with next week's draft.
Immediate Needs For The Draft
The trade which landed Diop in Charlotte also sent one of the team's primary
shooting guards to Dallas. Matt Carroll never cracked the Mavericks' lineup,
but he was a significant player for the Bobcats, who now need to replace his
production. Expect them to address that need in the draft. While the top two
shooting guards in the class will be gone before the Bobcats get on the board
at 12, it's reasonable to assume that Duke's Gerald Henderson will be there.
Aside from the automatic draw of a Duke grad starting his pro career in North
Carolina, Henderson would also be a nice fit in Larry Brown's offense.
Henderson may lack the three-point game that would make him a truly
well-rounded NBA shooting guard, but his mid-range game, his transition
offense, and his ability to defend multiple positions will help him earn
playing time while he works on his long-range jumper. He won't be an
effective starter, but playing behind Raja Bell and with the extremely fast
DJ Augustin, Henderson would be able to have an impact off the bench for the
Bobcats. He would be an additional scoring threat for a second unit that was
often offensively challenged this season.
The Bobcats also own New Jersey's second round pick, the 40th overall, and
the Spurs' at 54, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them go for size
at both spots. There are some decent project big men who will be be available
late in the draft, and with Sean May potentially taking a hike the Bobcats
will need some big bodies. Not that they're likely to make the rotation come
November.
Immediate Needs For Free Agency
Free agency will be more complicated for Charlotte. They will have cap space,
it's true, but with the financial situation being somewhat bleak you have to
wonder how much they'll be willing to spend. Their biggest need is still up
front, despite the acquisition of Diop. They're spending a bunch of money on
seven-footers, but still really only have one - Emeka Okafor - who truly
belongs in the starting lineup for a playoff team. Diop can't score, Nazr
Mohammed can't get in good enough shape to earn playing time, and Alexis
Ajinca is somewhat of a project until he finds the weight room and eats a few
sandwiches.
The Bobcats are set at point guard, where Raymond Felton and DJ Augustin form
one of the best one-two punches in the league, they're set at small forward
with Gerald Wallace and Vladimir Radmanovic platooning. The shooting guard
situation could be better - even if they add Henderson - and Boris Diaw is a
solid option who causes match-up problems at the four. So in reality, if they
could add one more scoring big man they'd be pretty well set. Of course, the
same can be said of the majority of the teams in the NBA.
2008-09 was a good year for the Bobcats, and would have been better if Gerald
Wallace hadn't been injured. If they can add a couple of contributing pieces
through the draft and free agency they should be ready to challenge for a
playoff spot again next season. Maybe they'll even make it this time.
--
◢██◣═════╮ TheAnswer3 ╭ ◢◣◢◣ ═╮ TheAnswer3 ╭═◢█ ◢██◣
█◤ ◥ ◢▌ ●╰═══════╯ ████ ●╰══════╯◢██ █◥█
█ ██◣ ◢ ◢█◣ ◢█◣ ████ ◢ ◢█◣ ◢█◣◢█◤█ █ █
█◣ ◢ █▌█ █ █◢◤ █▌█ █▌█◥◤█ █ █▌█ █▌█ █▌ █ █ █
◥██◤ ◥▌◤ ◤ ◥█◤ ◥▌◤ ◥ ◤ ◤ ◥▌◤ ◥██ ████ █◣█
╰════════════════════════════▄◤═══█ ◥██◤
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 140.113.217.146
Hornets 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章
12
37