The GIANT Task of Rebuilding

[WildCat]

This is assuming the Cats don't make any significant trades before the deadline:

2013/14 Charlotte Bobcats "Guaranteed" Contracts

PG: Kemba Walker - $2.7 million
PG: Ramon Sessions - $5.0 million
SG: Ben Gordon - $13.2 million
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - $4.8 million
SF: Jeffrey Taylor - $0.8 million
PF: Tyrus Thomas - $8.7 million
C: Bismack Biyombo - $3.2 million
C: Brendan Haywood - $2.0 million

That gives the Bobcats $40.4 million dollars in "Guaranteed" contracts heading into the 2013/14 Season. However, I believe the Bobcats will choose to use the amnesty clause on Tyrus Thomas. I think you have to let Tyrus go because he brings nothing to this team and his work ethic and locker room prescense are non-existant. If the Charlotte chooses to do that that will make their cap figure $31.7 million.

2013/14 Charlotte Bobcats "Non-Guaranteed" Contracts

PF: Hakim Warrick - $4.0 million

The Bobcats have a team option for Hakim Warrick, however I believe it is in the best interests of the team to allow Hakim Warrick to walk in free agency. He is not of value to the Bobcats as they are currently constructed. That roster spot would be better suited for a young player.

2013/14 Charlotte Bobcats Restricted Free Agents

SG: Gerald Henderson - $4.3 million Qualifying Offer

Gerald Henderson is one of the hardest players for me to make a decision on for the Bobcats going forward. He has improved each year in the league but has had durability questions and is not a "go-to" scorer. When the Bobcats invested the #2 overall pick on MKG in the 2012 Draft I believe that made this decision much more difficult for them. The Bobcats need a "high-volume" scorer at the SG position and someone who can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting ability. That is not Henderson. However, if Charlotte can sign him to a 3-year contract worth approximately $5 million per year I believe he would still be a valuable player moving forward for this franchise. Under no circumstances can Charlotte overpay to keep him.

PF/C: Byron Mullens - $3.3 million Qualifying Offer

I would love to see Byron Mullens playing the role of backup PF and primarily C for the Bobcats coming off the bench for the forseeable future. While he is not a great defender he has definitely made strides. His rebounding has also greatly improved. His FG% is quite low this season but I believe that is largely a result of having to take tough shots because of the lack of talent surrounding him. Mullens will be turning 24 on February 14th and I believe he has a bright future ahead of him as a big coming off the bench and making occasional spot starts. I would make an offer of 5-years $25 million to Mullens.

2013/14 - My Bobcats Roster and Contract Situation

PG: Kemba Walker - $2.7 million
PG: Ramon Sessions - $5 million
SG: Gerald Henderson - $5 million
SG: Ben Gordon - $13.2 million
SF: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - $4.8 million
SF: Jeffrey Taylor - $0.8
C: Bismack Biyombo - $3.2 million
C: Byron Mullens - $5.0 million
C: Brendan Haywood - $2.0 million

If this was the salary situation the Bobcats would be standing at $41.7 million dollars.

2013/14 My Bobcats NBA Draft

#1 Overall - Anthony Bennett - PF - 6'8 240

I have watched Anthony Bennett play in quite a few games for UNLV and I am a huge fan of his game and think that it will translate incredibly well to the NBA. While slightly "undersized" for an NBA power forward he has a 7'1" wingpan and the type of big body that will allow him to create space for himself on the low block. He is a physical player, high-volume rebounder, and explosive athlete. His offensive game is mature beyond his years and will only get better with time. He will remind a lot of Charlotte fans of former Charlotte legend, Larry Johnson and will finally give the Bobcats a legit low-post presence. As much as I would like the Bobcats to draft Nerlens Noel, they can't afford to bring in another offensively challenged big. I think he has 20 points and 10 rebounds a game written all over him.

#13 Overall - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - SG - 6'5 205

I am a big Kentucky Wildcat fan and love SEC Basketball. In my opinion there should be absolutely no question who player of the year for the SEC is - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of UGA. Georgia has one of the most flawed rosters in the country and Caldwell-Pope is the only legitimate scorer on there roster and gets all of the opposing teams attention. Yet somehow he is still finding a way to 17.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg. His FG% has increased from 39% his freshmen year to 46% his sophomore year. His 3-Point % has increased from 30% his freshmen year to 38% his sophomore year. That 38% is on 6.4 attempts per game. He can really stroke it from deep and is also more than capable of getting his own shot when he wants it because he has great ball-handling skills. If he played on a team like Kentucky he would be in the running for national player of the year in my opinion. He is that good and for some reason he is flying way under the radar. I believe he is a starting caliber NBA shooting guard from Day 1.

After signing their two draft picks the Bobcats salary cap figure would be around $48 million dollars.

2013/14 NBA Free Agency

That will leave the Bobcats with $10-12 million left to spend in free agency. If they can use that to get a quality backup PF for this team that will bring some physicality and toughness and fill out the rest of the roster with 1-year contracts they could build a much more credible roster that will bring them 1 superstar away in the 2014 NBA draft from being one of the NBA's young teams on the rise.

I would love to see them bring in Tyler Hansbrough under a reasonable contract because I believe he is just the type of player they need in terms of toughness and attitude.

2013/14 Charlotte Bobcats Roster

PG1: Kemba Walker - 6'0
PG2: Ramon Sessions - 6'3 195
SG1: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 6'5 205
SG2: Gerald Henderson - 6'5 215
SG3: Ben Gordon - 6'3 200
SF1: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - 6'7 232
SF2: Jeffrey Taylor - 6'7 225
PF1: Anthony Bennett - 6'8 240
PF2: Tyler Hansbrough - 6'9 250
C1: Bismack Biyombo - 6'9 245
C2: Byron Mullens - 7'0 275
C3: Brendan Haywood - 7'0 265

[tondi]

I don't really disagree with anything you said but I would say there is a slim to none chance that we get Henderson and Mullins back for 5 mil a year each next season. I hope I am wrong but I see somebody swooping in and offering both more than that which will force us to waive goodbye to Henderson (definitely) and Mullins (probably) depending on what they get offered. I could see the team overpaying a little for Mullins since he has a more difficult skill set to find than I do seeing them overpaying for Henderson. If anybody offers either of them anything over 7 mil a year then they are both gone and I could see that happening since there are going to be far more teams with cap space this summer than there actual quality players available to sign.

[BrotherDave]

The salary floor next year is 62.69 million $ I believe. I'm not sure your roster meets it.

[WildCat]

I don't really disagree with anything you said but I would say there is a slim to none chance that we get Henderson and Mullins back for 5 mil a year each next season. I hope I am wrong but I see somebody swooping in and offering both more than that which will force us to waive goodbye to Henderson (definitely) and Mullins (probably) depending on what they get offered. I could see the team overpaying a little for Mullins since he has a more difficult skill set to find than I do seeing them overpaying for Henderson. If anybody offers either of them anything over 7 mil a year then they are both gone and I could see that happening since there are going to be far more teams with cap space this summer than there actual quality players available to sign.

I don't quite understand why anyone would offer much over $5 per year for Henderson with his injury issues and the overall questions surrounding his game. But if they do you can't afford to overpay for him. With regards to Mullens, his skill set is definitely rare and I would pay to keep him. I think his game is going to develop really nicely over the next couple years.

[WildCat]

The salary floor next year is 62.69 million $ I believe. I'm not sure your roster meets it.

If they add in a couple 1-year contracts that are worth a reasonble amount of cash then they would certainly reach the $62.69 million.

[tondi]

I don't quite understand why anyone would offer much over $5 per year for Henderson with his injury issues and the overall questions surrounding his game. But if they do you can't afford to overpay for him. With regards to Mullens, his skill set is definitely rare and I would pay to keep him. I think his game is going to develop really nicely over the next couple years.

My concern is that if someone like DeMar DeRozan can get a team to pay him 9.5 million a season then it isn't far fetched to think somebody might pay Henderson a good bit more than 5 million. I agree that the Bobcats shouldn't go much over 5 million to keep him, I just think that with all the cap space available this summer somebody is probably going to overpay him.

[gamecocksmitty4]

No offense, but I just don't see the point in keeping Mully and drafting Bennett. They're too redundant, IMO.

[WildCat]

No offense, but I just don't see the point in keeping Mully and drafting Bennett. They're too redundant, IMO.

Bennett is a 6'8 240 pound powerhouse and explosive athlete with great ball handling skills for a big.
Mully is a 7'0 275 pound average athlete with a nice jump shot.

Not reduntant to me...

[SWedd523]

If we're talking athleticism, Mully is much better than average

[gamecocksmitty4]

Bennett is a 6'8 240 pound powerhouse and explosive athlete with great ball handling skills for a big.
Mully is a 7'0 275 pound average athlete with a nice jump shot.

Not reduntant to me...

Mully is WELL above average when it comes to athleticism. My point was that they both hang around the perimeter. But at least Mully will actually play a little defense now and can get some boards.