Bobcat Matt
09-19-2009, 06:46 PM
This is the new "offseason buzz" feature ESPN is doing. Finally got to us...It's pretty typical I'd say; not much optimism about the 'cats from a national point of view. They act like Chandler not RUSHING back to playing full speed ahead is terrible news. As Bonnell pointed out, he's not playing for precautionary reasons...We'll see.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=4482013
Last season didn't resurrect Larry Brown's reputation as a coach, but maybe it should have. After all, he had the Bobcats within striking distance of the playoffs with a roster devoid of a single certified All-Star or a specific strength. Now the team is suffering through tragedy and a pair of distractions. Co-owner Skipper Beck died in a plane crash. Meanwhile, the Bobcats are up for sale and team president Michael Jordan is hinting at playing again. That's a tough way to start the season.
To see which player is taking off, which is crashing to earth and which name you'll need to know for the 2009-10 season, you must be an ESPN Insider.
Trending up: D.J. Augustin
Last season: 14.95 PER
2009-10 projection: 16.37 PER
Augustin seems ready to start, especially since the Bobcats are badly in need of an offensive upgrade and his year-to-year improvement is their best hope for getting one. His defensive shortcomings create a problem, but the hope is that he'll create more shots for his frontcourt and fewer for himself this coming season.
Nonetheless, it's an immensely positive development for a 21-year-old rookie point guard to come in and play as well as he did right away. His combination of quickness and shooting ability could make him a dangerous offensive player in the near future. --Hollinger
Trending down: Raja Bell
Last season: 10.74 PER
2009-10 projection: 9.34 PER
Bell is slated to start at shooting guard, but the Bobcats could really use an upgrade here. Bell is a marginal offensive player despite his 3-point shooting because he creates so few shots for himself and others, and his defense began to slip last year. We shouldn't expect a U-turn from him at age 33, but a cut in minutes to the 15-20 range might do wonders for his energy level.
Alas, that would require somebody else capable of playing those minutes, and rookie Gerald Henderson is the only candidate in sight. As a result, Bell will probably play another 30 minutes a game this year, shoot 40 percent on 3s and barely squeak into double figures in scoring. --Hollinger
Bucher's name to know: Tyson Chandler
With less than two weeks left before training camp begins, Chandler still hasn't been cleared to go full-bore since undergoing surgery on his left ankle and left big toe in late May. He has one last visit with the doctor scheduled, so maybe all will be well -- but it's not the best of signs. Projections at the time of the operations had him ready to go for training camp without reservation.
So chalk him up as another energy guy who isn't likely to be in perfect condition at the start of the season. He'll try to get there, because that's Chandler's M.O., but that's frequently the start of a vicious cycle for injury-prone bigs -- working overtime to get back in game shape leads to their bodies' breaking down again.
The bigger question, of course, is how Chandler fits with the Bobcats. He and the rest of the Hornets lost steam when it became clear that New Orleans' ownership was more interested in the bottom line than a title. The Bobcats, some believe, dealt center Emeka Okafor for Chandler for salary-cap relief. Since they already have a long, athletic, defensive-oriented big man whom Brown likes (DeSagana Diop), the basketball end of the deal is certainly curious. --Bucher
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=4482013
Last season didn't resurrect Larry Brown's reputation as a coach, but maybe it should have. After all, he had the Bobcats within striking distance of the playoffs with a roster devoid of a single certified All-Star or a specific strength. Now the team is suffering through tragedy and a pair of distractions. Co-owner Skipper Beck died in a plane crash. Meanwhile, the Bobcats are up for sale and team president Michael Jordan is hinting at playing again. That's a tough way to start the season.
To see which player is taking off, which is crashing to earth and which name you'll need to know for the 2009-10 season, you must be an ESPN Insider.
Trending up: D.J. Augustin
Last season: 14.95 PER
2009-10 projection: 16.37 PER
Augustin seems ready to start, especially since the Bobcats are badly in need of an offensive upgrade and his year-to-year improvement is their best hope for getting one. His defensive shortcomings create a problem, but the hope is that he'll create more shots for his frontcourt and fewer for himself this coming season.
Nonetheless, it's an immensely positive development for a 21-year-old rookie point guard to come in and play as well as he did right away. His combination of quickness and shooting ability could make him a dangerous offensive player in the near future. --Hollinger
Trending down: Raja Bell
Last season: 10.74 PER
2009-10 projection: 9.34 PER
Bell is slated to start at shooting guard, but the Bobcats could really use an upgrade here. Bell is a marginal offensive player despite his 3-point shooting because he creates so few shots for himself and others, and his defense began to slip last year. We shouldn't expect a U-turn from him at age 33, but a cut in minutes to the 15-20 range might do wonders for his energy level.
Alas, that would require somebody else capable of playing those minutes, and rookie Gerald Henderson is the only candidate in sight. As a result, Bell will probably play another 30 minutes a game this year, shoot 40 percent on 3s and barely squeak into double figures in scoring. --Hollinger
Bucher's name to know: Tyson Chandler
With less than two weeks left before training camp begins, Chandler still hasn't been cleared to go full-bore since undergoing surgery on his left ankle and left big toe in late May. He has one last visit with the doctor scheduled, so maybe all will be well -- but it's not the best of signs. Projections at the time of the operations had him ready to go for training camp without reservation.
So chalk him up as another energy guy who isn't likely to be in perfect condition at the start of the season. He'll try to get there, because that's Chandler's M.O., but that's frequently the start of a vicious cycle for injury-prone bigs -- working overtime to get back in game shape leads to their bodies' breaking down again.
The bigger question, of course, is how Chandler fits with the Bobcats. He and the rest of the Hornets lost steam when it became clear that New Orleans' ownership was more interested in the bottom line than a title. The Bobcats, some believe, dealt center Emeka Okafor for Chandler for salary-cap relief. Since they already have a long, athletic, defensive-oriented big man whom Brown likes (DeSagana Diop), the basketball end of the deal is certainly curious. --Bucher