Bobcats Moving in Wrong Direction - Charlie Rosen

[fatlever]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7638776

Charlie pens his thoughts about our team, based on last nights game. Too bad it appears that all his observations are based on this one game. He's on the money for a lot of his points, but a little brutal in others.

some of the most interesting/brutal quotes

But it's not Vincent's fault.

Gerald Wallace - He'd be a great tempo-boosting, sixth man for a top-notch ballclub.

Jason Richardson -Defending is a problem, not because of a lack of effort but because his lateral movement is a mite slow.

Emeka Okafor - In a perfect world, Okafor would be a primo backup for a championship team.

Raymond Felton - can't defend, and isn't quick enough to play the point.

Matt Carroll - Too bad the Bobcats don't run the type of disciplined offense that would get Carroll the looks he needs

[Walt Cronkite]

Felton isn't quick enough to play the point? This is news. I'm critical of his bbiq and maybe he means he doesn't make decisions quick enough, but physically this is his best asset!

[chrbal]

Another great article of someone bashing something without making any suggestions on how to make it better.

Like maybe going after Damon Stoudmire. Hes doing fine, but doesn't fit with what they are doing...he actually would make a lot of sense here.

I would mention others, but I can't think of any.

Meh worthy article..."bobcats aren't doing good...news at Eleven"

[chrbal]

Another great article of someone bashing something without making any suggestions on how to make it better.

Like maybe going after Damon Stoudmire. Hes doing fine, but doesn't fit with what they are doing...he actually would make a lot of sense here.

I would mention others, but I can't think of any.

Meh worthy article..."bobcats aren't doing good...news at Eleven"

[Walt Cronkite]

cosign on pursuing Damon Stoudamire

[e4Nf6]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7638776

Raymond Felton - can't defend, and isn't quick enough to play the point.

stopped reading here....
"quick" has never been his problem

[W_HAMILTON]

I thought he was wrong on the Felton comments, but again, he probably watched one game...and even, so I think to myself...is he quick? Like last night (and quite a few other games), he doesn't use his quickness to penetrate very much. So, is he quick but choosing not to use his quickness, or is he not quick, and it's just an overhyped facet of his game?

Shrug.

I know that he doesn't penetrate much, and he has guys that shouldn't be able to drive past him, driving past him (Carter last night a few times, Nelson sticks out in my mind from the Orlando games, etc).

I can see why someone that watched just one game and doesn't know much about our team would say he's not quick, because if he is quick, he doesn't exactly put his quickness to good use very often.

[Bowens]

I think Raymond has lost his confidence and thats why he's been so tentative. He would probably best be served by playing behind a quality veteran point guard for a couple of seasons. Trade him to the Nets.

Okafor =

[therebirth]

This is the second time I have heard someone referred to okafor as a great back up on a championship team. Sam smith claims that is what some league executives think. Not signing okafor last year is going to save the bobcats millions. He will be lucky to get $10m a year.

[fluffernutter]

I'd say just the opposite of Felton.

I think he uses his excellent physical attributes to make up for poor mental execution.

If he wasn't so clearly a least an average NBA-level athlete, he would not be in the league.

He's fast, tough as nails, reasonably tall for a point guard, a decent jumper, very quick end-to-end dribbling the ball. I'm not sure if his lateral movement is average, slow, or slightly above average. I know he CAN defend fast guards when he wants to; but does he want to?

I think Felton is a better physical specimen than Chris Paul, whom I sadly think will end up with a serious injury at some point due to his build (I hope not!). But clearly Paul is light years, light years, ahead in PG play and PG skill. Light years.

Actually, I think the PG position is probably the one where skill can most effectively overcome physical limitations of any sort.

To sum: pointing to Felton's positive physical abilities or physical limitations is strictly speaking beside the point. The problem is in his head.

[dmutombo321]

I think you're right rebirth. Okafor is a big part of this team but he has clearly shown his ceiling and its not worth 12 million a year. He rebounds well and is a pretty good post defender when his match-up is similar in size and strength. He's shown some of his limitations when faced with quicker 4s who can shoot and it forces us to go small. His offense, while not Ben Wallace bad, is nothing to write home about.

Okafor rolled the dice when he turned down the 12 mil/per and, barring some miraculous turn around, it appears that he lost. I agree that a 6 year, 60 mil offer is more than fair. I'm sure he and his agent will be pissed but I dont think anyone else will pay anymore than that for a 12.8 pt / 10.6 reb servicable big man.

Speaking strictly in terms of talent, I do think the Gasol deal being tossed around would add alot to our team since he is a legit scoring threat. But his contract is insane...and long.

[W_HAMILTON]

Mohammed is a "serviceable" big man.

Okafor is one of the better big men in the league.

Even with the season he's been having, if it wasn't for him being a restricted FA, teams would easily offer him 10m/year if they had it. They'd stop waffling around, play him at center, and let him flourish defensively. End of story.

Just like everyone was asking where he was defensively this season, but then he gets moved back to center, with Wallace playing PF (something that should have happened a long time ago), and he's averaging over 3 blocks/game along with his usual double-digits in rebounding. It's hard to be an anchor defensively when you're away from the basket, being forced to chase around quick PFs.

They should leave him at center, period. He's a center, and he can match up with most of the centers in the league. He's at his best defensively, and even offensively, when he's the center. Why they think he has to play PF, I don't know. I understand keeping him out of foul trouble, but do a "combo-guard" type rotation with Okafor/Wallace/Mohammed, where Okafor/Wallace start at C/PF, Mohammed subs in for Okafor at center, then when Okafor comes back, he can sub in for Wallace at PF and play a few minutes at PF, then when Wallace comes back, Okafor slides over to center. That way he isn't forced to be the defensive anchor the entire game, which I guess they think will lead to him being in foul trouble. At the same time, they said they wanted to keep him out of foul trouble because they wanted his offense...but he took like two shots the last game, so who the hell cares about saving him from foul trouble if he's only gonna get two shots?

[Bowens]

I think you're right rebirth. Okafor is a big part of this team but he has clearly shown his ceiling and its not worth 12 million a year. He rebounds well and is a pretty good post defender when his match-up is similar in size and strength. He's shown some of his limitations when faced with quicker 4s who can shoot and it forces us to go small. His offense, while not Ben Wallace bad, is nothing to write home about.

Okafor rolled the dice when he turned down the 12 mil/per and, barring some miraculous turn around, it appears that he lost. I agree that a 6 year, 60 mil offer is more than fair. I'm sure he and his agent will be pissed but I dont think anyone else will pay anymore than that for a 12.8 pt / 10.6 reb servicable big man.

Speaking strictly in terms of talent, I do think the Gasol deal being tossed around would add alot to our team since he is a legit scoring threat. But his contract is insane...and long.

I'm not giving Okafor 6 years because I don't want to be committed to a player whose underachieved greatly this season and not a star for that long. I would shop him around to see what his value is around the league, then make a decision on whether to make a commitment or trade him depending on what the offers are.

And Gasol's contract runs only 3 more years after this. If we resign Mek, we will be over the salary cap, so Gasol's contract is actually better because it only has 3 years left. Now I'm not saying Gasol is the answer because I'd first like to see where we land in the draft. But if we were to sign Mek to a 6 year deal and it doesn't work out or he gets hurt, then we're screwed for an awfully long time.

[Ballings7]

I don't think Emeka's quite reached his ceiling yet. Maybe so, but just not putting him off as is yet. I think he can still get better by working on his game 1 or 2 more off-seasons. Which I don't doubt he will.

I wouldn't exactly be thrilled if his ceiling is this, but I wouldn't mind it. A double-double player, with an effective offensive game (not "good", but not ordinary, either, and should be better), that is a legit defensive player, top defensive big man, quality rebounder. Doesn't rely on athleticism too much.

I can see him making the all-star team once or twice. From coaches of course.

[BigSlam]

They should leave him at center, period. He's a center, and he can match up with most of the centers in the league. He's at his best defensively, and even offensively, when he's the center. Why they think he has to play PF, I don't know.

Because doing so plays him out of position, reducing the impact he can have on a game and a season, brings his numbers down and allows us to sign him cheaper than the 12 mil per we put on the table over the summer.

I know, conspiracy theory, but could that have something to do with EO50 looking so p*ssed off with everyone?

[BigSlam]

I don't think Emeka's quite reached his ceiling yet. Maybe so, but just not putting him off as is yet.

I agree - and like I have continually said: I think the older he gets, the better he's going to get.

I really wish we had brought Ewing in to work with him though. I think it's crazy that he spends all summer with Hakeem. Their playing styles aren't suited. It would be like getting Antione Walker to teach Crash how to play the 3/4 spot.

[Ballings7]

Players can still improve noticably, past 24/25 years old. Varyingly, but still that has been there before numerous times, and is available there with Emeka. No reason why it's not unless he doesn't work on his game much, which obviously isn't and won't be the case with him.

[Bowens]

I don't think Emeka's quite reached his ceiling yet. Maybe so, but just not putting him off as is yet. I think he can still get better by working on his game 1 or 2 more off-seasons. Which I don't doubt he will.

I wouldn't exactly be thrilled if his ceiling is this, but I wouldn't mind it. A double-double player, with an effective offensive game (not "good", but not ordinary, either, and should be better), that is a legit defensive player, top defensive big man, quality rebounder. Doesn't rely on athleticism too much.

I can see him making the all-star team once or twice. From coaches of course.

How many Bobcats games have you watched this season? 1? I see you posting in every forum on realgm! Are you a fan of EVERY team?

Just curious cause if you've watched Mek this season, you'd know he was far from being a "top defensive big man."

[RolloTommasi]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/7638776

Charlie pens his thoughts about our team, based on last nights game. Too bad it appears that all his observations are based on this one game. He's on the money for a lot of his points, but a little brutal in others.

some of the most interesting/brutal quotes

But it's not Vincent's fault.

Gerald Wallace - He'd be a great tempo-boosting, sixth man for a top-notch ballclub.

Jason Richardson -Defending is a problem, not because of a lack of effort but because his lateral movement is a mite slow.

Emeka Okafor - In a perfect world, Okafor would be a primo backup for a championship team.

who's this idiot ??

[Walt Cronkite]

Because doing so plays him out of position, reducing the impact he can have on a game and a season, brings his numbers down and allows us to sign him cheaper than the 12 mil per we put on the table over the summer.

I know, conspiracy theory, but could that have something to do with EO50 looking so p*ssed off with everyone?

Very interesting