Bernie Bickerstaff\'s chat

[ashy_larry]

transcript

Heres some good news from Bernie\'s chat transcript on NBA.com

Bruce (Harrisburg): Please touch on the health of Emeka Okafor and Sean May. Has Emeka\'s ankle completely healed and did Sean May have any swelling in his knee during summer league.

Bernie Bickerstaff: As we speak, I was looking out the window watching Emeka work out. His ankle is fine, his weight is down and his quickness is back. He\'s healthy and looks good. Sean played five consecutive days in the Summer League and had no problems. Sean is back at UNC getting his degree, and he\'s really working on his game too. I\'m very proud of the progress and work ethic of both players.


I\'m happy to hear that Emeka is looking healthy, has his weight down and looks to be ready for a strong season.

[Wallace15]

I\'m glad to hear that Okafor and May are both doing good. Especially Okafor. I think that if he can stay healthy all season I think that this could be a breakout season for him.

[dav7z]

I also read thet Bernie said that Okafor may be playing some at the 5 spot. I think thet Okafor is a up grade over Premo on both sides of the ball. and if May comes in playing good ball he shuld start Okafor at the 5 and May at 4.
Does any one beside me think Okefor would be better at the 5 for the Bobcats than a 4.

[Wallace15]

Yeah, I think he would too. Especially on the defensive side

[dav7z]

Hell i just thought about this . But against some teans we could go Okafor, WALLACE, Morrison, Wells, Felton. Talk about blocks ,rebounds,speed,outside shots and dunks . Those five on the floor at the same time could be bad........

[ziggy]

dav7z wrote:

Hell i just thought about this . But against some teans we could go Okafor, WALLACE, Morrison, Wells, Felton. Talk about blocks ,rebounds,speed,outside shots and dunks . Those five on the floor at the same time could be bad........ I like that small-ball lineup a lot. I could see using it in certain situations, but I wouldn\'t want to use it all of the time because Emeka would eventualy break down at the 5, and it wouldn\'t take long for Gerald to get injured playing the 4. In certain situations I like it though... a lot.

First lets see if big money Bob cracks open his changepurse to actually get this guy.

[Mustachio]

agreed Ziggy, that would beat down the 4 and 5 after a while. especially since they would both be undersized at those spots. However i like that lineup because i think it puts our best 5 on the floor.

[dav7z]

I agree to you could not start that line up all the time but Mustachio is right two it would be our best five players.
Ziggy i have to disagree with you about Emeka. I think he can hold his own with most of the fives in the league now. I truely think hell make a better five than a power foward. Hes not going to get pushed around by any one and he has the speed and jumping ability to be a force in side. His body holding up had nothing with him hurting his ankle.
Does not any one think hes one hell of a up grade over Premo,,,,,

[ziggy]

dav7z wrote:

I agree to you could not start that line up all the time but Mustachio is right two it would be our best five players.
Ziggy i have to disagree with you about Emeka. I think he can hold his own with most of the fives in the league now. I truely think hell make a better five than a power foward. Hes not going to get pushed around by any one and he has the speed and jumping ability to be a force in side. His body holding up had nothing with him hurting his ankle.
Does not any one think hes one hell of a up grade over Premo,,,,, He is definitely an upgrade of Primoz, especially on the defensive end. Playing at 5 full time would concern me though, in addition to the ankle injuries last year, he had the back issues his final year at the University of Connecticut. Getting banged on by 275 pounders every other game might be asking for trouble.

[Mustachio]

yeah he might not be able to hold up long at the 5... but thats the good thing of having a Premo there and Ely backin them up... this roster is pretty interchangable and it helps with depth. So if the beating becomes a concern you got the back up to take some for awhile

[ziggy]

Mustachio wrote:

yeah he might not be able to hold up long at the 5... but thats the good thing of having a Premo there and Ely backin them up... this roster is pretty interchangable and it helps with depth. So if the beating becomes a concern you got the back up to take some for awhile Speaking of Melvin Ely, He might be the holdup to getting Bonzi Wells signed. I read somewhere that Bernie wants to get something worked out with Melvin first, he either wants to make some kind of agreement or a sign and trade made before he makes a deal with Bonzi.

[dav7z]

Ziggy i read that two . What is so stupid about that is Wells dont have a thing to to with what ever happens with Ely. A sign and trade, How in the world does that affect what Wells does . Some one tell me the reasoning in that statement thet Bernie made.

[psycho]

dav7z wrote:

Ziggy i read that two . What is so stupid about that is Wells dont have a thing to to with what ever happens with Ely. A sign and trade, How in the world does that affect what Wells does . Some one tell me the reasoning in that statement thet Bernie made. The only thing that I can think of is that acquiring Bonzi would take up another roster spot, but that does\'t really make a difference until the season starts... Hell, up until November they could have 75 players on the roster and it wouldn\'t make any difference.

I don\'t understand it either.

[Mustachio]

maybe because of trade value?? maybe they feel like teams will give a bargain trade or offer up less because they know he is going to get cut because our roster is too full.
your not gonna offer much if you know that you can wait till november and pick him up for half as much.

i mean obviously if they are holding an oz. of intelligence they would see right through that... but thats about the only logic i can come up with.

Bernie didnt do a great job of explaining it. but maybe hes just keeping his cards close to his chest so as to not give away strategy.

[dav7z]

If we pick up Wells thats just signing a player. Getting Wells is adding a player either way .
The only thing i can see is if we get a 2 in a sign and trade thairs no need to sign Wells . That would save BOB money. So we consider giveing up Wallace and Ely for two bench players at Golden State.
That gives us a 2 and a 3 to take Wallaces place.Then the Cats dont have to spend money to pick up Wells. So what i see comeing is loseing Wallace, Ely , and Wells and getting two subpar players.
BUT DEEP POCKET BOB SAVES MONEY

[ziggy]

Giving up Gerald Wallace at this point in his development would be absolute stupidity. Last year in my opinion, Gerald Wallace became a star (unfortunately with no media hype) and this season with some work on his jumper he could become an absolute BEAST, like Ron Artest... except sane.

this rumored deal makes no sense.