Rather then forcing my first post on this site, I decided to wait until I actually formed an opinion on my own on the direction the Bobcats are heading this upcoming season. I was added to the staff a few days ago, but now feels like a good time to get going on this site, and I’m really excited about it
What finally bothered me enough about the Bobcats that finally provoked me to write about them is this apparent gamble the Bobcats are taking regarding the power forward and center positions. Emeka Okafor has proved that he is a center in the NBA, or at least that he is more effective at that position. If Larry Brown keeps him at center, it leaves a gaping hole at the 4 spot. If he plays him at power forward, the 5 spot is now the responsibility of either Nazr Mohammed or other unproven options.
The first option Brown could turn to is the injury-prone, unproven Sean May to play power forward. With weight issues certainly involved, relying on Sean May to be a starter at power forward all year would be assuming a huge risk. Besides the fact that he gets hurt a lot, May hasn’t even proven that he could be an effective force in the NBA. I’m not doubting that May could be effective, and I loved watching him play at UNC, but we do not know how he is going to bounce back from this injury, much less how much he could amount to overall. Big risk if you ask me.
With the recent departure of Othella Harrington, that leaves the Bobcats with Jermareo Davidson as the only true power forward left. I saw Davidson play in person and noticed the potential he has, but he will not be able to answer Charlotte’s short term issues. Larry Brown apparently expressed a willingness to maybe play Gerald Wallace at the 4. I find it humorous that Larry Brown’s solution is to play the guy that is probably going to get traded at power forward at some points in the game. Even if Wallace stayed, he’s already said that he would rather not play that position.
The other option would be to play Emeka Okafor at the 4 position, and play Nazr Mohammed or Alexis Ajinca at the 5 spot. Nazr Mohammed is only going to give you so much each game, and he’s gotten to the point in his career where he should not start for any team in this league. I’m a lot more optimistic about Alexis Ajinca then a lot of analysts are. Most analysts are obsessed with the 5 points a game he averaged in the French league. By no means has Ajinca been anything spectacular in the summer league either, but he is not a finished product, which is why he can not start. Ajinca’s got a great frame to add muscle too and some of the longest arms in the NBA. I’d just like to see him bang down low a little more and stay away from shooting so much. He needs to get tougher.
So he solution to this power forward dilemma? It may not be trading Gerald Wallace like many think. Like Sean May, Adam Morrison is technically unproven as a starter to come in and play for Wallace, and Matt Carroll is a great bench player but struggles on the defensive end. Even so, no team is really going crazy over trying to acquire Gerald Wallace. It might hurt us emotionally a bit, but it may have to be Raymond Felton that goes. A lot of teams are looking for point guards these days, and who better then Raymond Felton. Felton is a young, experienced point guard. Having something expendible like that gives you a valuable trade option.
After all, DJ Augustin must be good enough to start if the Bobcats were bold enough to pass up on Brook Lopez in the draft. Augustin kind of has that Chris Paul swagger to his game, and has certainly shown in his time at Texas that he can be a leader on the court. Trade Felton for a solid power forward and have a complete group of starters, so when it comes down to the end of the game, you have 5 guys out there you can trust.
