Bobcats working to sign Juwan Howard

[Felton for Pres]

All you contract guys out there (spectre, I'm looking at you)...is there any reason we couldn't trade Howard at the deadline if we sign him Friday? I know we don't know the details of the deal, but assuming its a one yr deal, perhaps someone like the Nuggets want him for a playoff run. Injuries do happen.

I think he'll help a little, he can't really hurt, can he? I do think there might be some value to him as the deadline approaches. If there is no limitation on a trade, why not sign him now and if it doesn't work out, move him for a 2nd rounder or a years supply of Nutrisystem for May.

[RockTHECasbah]

this makes you championship contenders IMO

[spectre_]

this makes you championship contenders IMO

Funny.

I'm looking thru the FAQ and I don't think I like what I'm seeing FFP:

Generally, a player cannot be traded until three months after signing a contract or December 15th of that season, whichever is later. This does not apply to draft picks, who can be traded 30 days after signing their contract.

The trade deadline last year was February 21st...and that's less than 3 months.

I'm kind of busy but I'll try to look thru it more and see if there's an exception for a min. vet...but right now I'm thinking we can't trade him this year.

[dmutombo321]

Could we please not talk about lottery balls until we are well and truly eliminated from the playoffs...

It's a double-edged sword with any move the cat's make. The moves that make us worse are bad because we lose, and the moves that make us better are bad because we lose lottery balls.

Legitimate trades or signings that could propel the team to the post season, I am all for (Acquiring JRich, The Wallace/May for Boozer rumor over the summer or even our offer sheet to Landry).

Perfunctory signings of aging veterans or bit players (Juwan Howard / Earl Boykins) that do nothing more than add 2-3 meaningless wins to a team that is lottery bound anyway, I oppose. Not only do such moves make little financial sense, but, as I pointed out, they also take minutes away from young players like Ajinca who desperately need the court experience.

I've been a fan of this franchise and followed it closely since day 1. I want them to do well and watch every game. But I'm also a realist. The cats play hard but barring some miracle, this roster is not going to get us to the playoffs.

Now I dont condone tanking games in a conventional sense; the team we put on the floor should always play to win - but let the young guys play to win. What Augustine and Ajinca learn from their mistakes while being thrown in the fire may pay dividends next year. If we lose a few more games along the way, then great, more balls for Griffin.

If we were thick in the playoff mix right now, say 14-7 instead of 7-14, I'd be all for signing Howard for the depth and experience he brings. But, we're far from it.

Faced with giving Ajinca's minutes to juwan howard and getting 33 wins vs. playing/developing our young guys and notching only 30 wins, I'll choose the later every time and gladly take the extra lottery balls and additional experience for our young guys that come with it.

[e4Nf6]

If I had to bet right now myself, I would also say the current roster with or without Howard won't make the playoffs, but it's not an absurd possibility. We are currently 3 games out of the 8th spot and even just 5.5 games out of home court advantage in the first round. (!) We can also expect to play better once we have Crash/Jrich playing every game and we could also expect DJ/Ajinca's contribution to grow.

If you REALLY must tank, wait until it's clear we won't make it. At least the trade deadline. And then you can just sit Howard at the end of the bench and give Jinx those minutes anyway.

All in all I'm not convinced by the strategy of Tanking...for all the teams you can point to that it worked I can show you others who were just bad for 5-6 years in a row.