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truwizfan4
HaleIt seems no team will have an easier time drafting in June than the Charlotte Bobcats. They are the worst team in the league on both sides of the ball. Looking ahead, they do not have a single player who owns his position, which means every player they draft will be able to fight for a starting position in October. If they can lock down one long-term starter from the draft, it should be considered a victory.
However, that does not mean Charlotte is completely devoid of talent. There are good, young players who still need strong rotation minutes to reach their potential. D.J. Augustin,Bismack Biyombo, B.J. Mullens, and Kemba Walker all have bright futures in the NBA.
All four men can play two positions, but that versatility is both a blessing and curse. They all can earn additional playing time at both positions, but drafting a third player in either of those positions could cause a problem with minutes for the others. Thus, on a team this needy, it makes sense to draft the best talent available with the smallest downside, but avoiding big centers (not named Anthony Davis) or small guards makes sense. Here’s a look at the draft picks who could best help the Charlotte Bobcats.
Needs: Everything. Perimeter shooting, defense, toughness, leadership.
The obvious pick: Kentucky center Anthony Davis would fit perfectly in Charlotte and address a multitude of the team’s needs. He’s an immediate impact defender, and when paired with Biyombo, Charlotte could become a far tougher team to score on. Davis fits next to Mullens as well, complementing him on offense more so than defense. Davis helps that whole team out in every way, and he alone would help the Bobcats climb out of the league’s cellar by next year. The Bobcats have a 25 percent chance to win the lottery. In the event Charlotte does not win the first pick, it will have to take a strong look at some other options.
Kind-of fits: Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist seems to be a popular choice, given his body, attitude and work ethic. He ranks very low as a potential bust, and like Davis would immediately upgrade the Bobcats on defense and add overall toughness. Kidd-Gilchrist is not a finished product on offense by any stretch, other than being terrific in transition. If the Bobcats bring in a new coach who emphasizes playing with more pace, then Kidd-Gilchrist makes a little more sense. He has a long way to go to be an excellent half-court player, and the Bobcats are a bad shooting team, so adding Gilchrist might not be the optimum fit.
Bad fit: Likewise, UConn’s Andre Drummond is probably too risky given both his raw game, as well as having Biyombo and Mullens on the roster. It’s very challenging to develop two extremely raw players like Biyombo and Drummond while ensuring Mullens gets his share of minutes.
Bob Donnan/US PresswireRobinson could become a Bobcats cornerstone for years to come.Perfect fit: Thomas Robinson is another matter. I see him as a perfect choice in Charlotte, just as Al Horford was in Atlanta a few years ago. Robinson brings similar assets to Kidd-Gilchrist like toughness, effort and attitude. He has terrific quickness for a big man, making him a huge factor on defense and the boards. Next to Davis he has the best chance at immediately upgrading Charlotte’s defense alongside Biyombo or Mullens. Robinson also has the beginnings of a nice face-up game, both as a shooter and a one-dribble-to-the-rim driver. In time he should be able to post up power forwards in the NBA, and can resort to his face-up game when dealing with opposing centers.
There is some concern about his height, but I think his quickness compensates and allows him to defend most centers in the league. I also liken Robinson to Horford in terms of longevity — someone who should be able to hold down a starting position for the Bobcats at either post for years to come. Robinson does not have the "All-Star" potential Horford had coming from college, but he’s not far from it. If a team such as Charlotte can draft a player that has the potential to start at power forward for a decade, they should consider themselves lucky.
Sleeper: If Charlotte somehow drops down to the No. 3 or 4 pick, it should consider Florida’s Bradley Beal. He has a very interesting package of talents and might end up being both a great shooter and a great defender/rebounder. If Beal develops into an able perimeter shooter, he becomes a long-term starter. Gerald Henderson still has a chance to be a good player as he enters his fourth season next year, and could ultimately beat out Beal in 2012. As a long-term play, however, Beal has the edge. Henderson will be a restricted free agent after next season, giving Charlotte the chance to keep him for the right price as a great sixth man. A four-guard rotation with Augustin and Beal starting, and Walker and Henderson in the second unit, could prove formidable if their deep shooting can improve.
I suspect big changes coming in Charlotte soon, and not just in the form of a top pick. A change in coaching, or at the very least a change in how the Bobcats play under their coach is likely the first step. Once they decide how they want to play, that will dictate much of what choices they make in the draft. Excluding Davis, who stands head and shoulders above the rest of the class, Robinson and Beal bring all the upside the team could want with little downside. Both are exemplary young people who can only add to a winning culture. Kidd-Gilchrist, too, provides the same intangible gifts but can be more effective if Charlotte decides to play fast and loose. All three of these guys could be long-term solutions in Charlotte. Very few teams will have that kind of guarantee on draft night.
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truwizfan4
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Taylor Gang Mike
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