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Augustin and Chandler now in Charlotte

-- Bobcats Television Play-by-Play Announcer Steve Martin | 2:14 pm 9/17/09



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D.J. Augustin joined workouts this week
Players have been gathering with increasing regularity at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center inside Time Warner Cable Arena. It’s not uncommon for as many as 15 players to be on hand for “informal” play that, sometimes, gets pretty serious.
Bobcats mainstays over the last couple of days include Gerald Wallace, Nazr Mohammed, Dontell Jefferson, Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown and Alexi Ajinca. Raja Bell was in last week.

Highlight play Tuesday was a catch and dunk from the right baseline by Gerald Henderson.

Even though the Bobcats and Raymond Felton have yet to reach agreement on a contract, Felton has been knee deep in the workouts. DJ Augustin joined the group earlier this week.

Unrestricted Free Agent Rashad McCants joined the group this week, in an effort to show his game to the Bobcats coaching staff and General Manager Rod Higgins.

Former Bobcats guard Brevin Knight is also a regular. He maintains his residence in Charlotte and is looking to hook on for a 13th season in the league after finishing last year with Utah.

Washington Wizards center Brendan Heywood also spends a lot of time in the TWCA. He was asked why he’s not working out in Washington with the Wizards, and he told GM Rod Higgins that he "went up there last week and only a couple of guys showed up."

Bobcats center Tyson Chandler has been working out on his own over the last four weeks and was a spectator at Wednesday’s session. He’s been working out in the weight room with Bobcats Head Athletic Trainer Steve Stricker. Chandler told Bobcats Media Relations Director B. J. Evans that he will be ready to go when Training Camp starts September 28.

Thursday (Sept 17) Desagana Diop made an appearance. It’s getting crowded down here

hotrod wrote:Even though the Bobcats and Raymond Felton have yet to reach agreement on a contract, Felton has been knee deep in the workouts.

The kid is a machine.

I'm feeling it, we're going to come out of the gates flying this season. As long as we stay relatively healthy, I'm so confident we will make the playoffs. Good to see Henderson there, love to see him prove all the naysayers wrong. ahem

The Bobcats are the dumbest team in the league right now. Without a doubt bar none.
McCants obviously can score but is there room in the crowded backcourt with Felton,DJ, Bell and rookie Henderson. That is what the article said.

Are you serious? The Bobcats are the only team in the league who don't have a real go to scorer. Gerald Wallace should be a third scorer at best on a contending team. They traded Mek for Chandler and lost on scoring.

They have a guy who averaged 18 points a game for the Kings who is a Carolina guy who played with Felton and can not only score but can easily be a top 3 scorer on the Bobcats and if started #1.

He can be had for peanuts, they did nothing to improve in the offseason and all the competetion in the East did so the playoffs as of now is a pipe dream and the team is for sale yet they aren't signing McCants? Not even a camp invite?

How stupid do you have to be to not sign McCants if your the Bobcats. If they were gonna sign AI why the heck not actually sign a guy who can play the 2?

BigSlam wrote:

hotrod wrote:Even though the Bobcats and Raymond Felton have yet to reach agreement on a contract, Felton has been knee deep in the workouts.

The kid is a machine.

... that shot less than 30% from the arc last year, isn't particular good from the field in general, hasn't noticeably improved in four seasons, and is probably worth about 1/2 of what he is asking for.

We've found someone more negative than Assault.

Mezotarkus wrote:

BigSlam wrote:

hotrod wrote:Even though the Bobcats and Raymond Felton have yet to reach agreement on a contract, Felton has been knee deep in the workouts.

The kid is a machine.

... that shot less than 30% from the arc last year, isn't particular good from the field in general, hasn't noticeably improved in four seasons, and is probably worth about 1/2 of what he is asking for.

What does any of that have to do with this approach to the game, his dedication to his team and his passion to want to get better?

Facts are not negative or positive. They just are.

And those facts are relevant because dedication alone does not win championships. Further, if Felton is so dedicated then why hasn't his game improved? Or is this just Felton's agent telling him this is the smart move for contract negotiations? Regardless, whether Felton is dedicated or not, his game has not appreciably improved and then diminishes the value of his dedication. The Bobcats should not get enamored with players because they are dedicated. They should get enamored with players that are both dedicated and talented.

Actually, Felton is far better at Defense now compared to 2 or 3 years ago. So he has made improvements. He's also slightly more in control in the lane, and a better passer than 2 years ago.

But he's a worse offensive player by a little bit, no doubt. No improvement there.

It really sucks because there are so many NBA guys with offensive skills and no leadership, no dedication, and who are injury-prone. If the NBA was "fair" Felton would, through some karmic swap, steal some of their Offensive skills in return for his overall rock-solidness.

But that ain't the way it works.

Felton's opponents PER by season has not really changed much at all from season to season so I am not sure where you are getting this significant improvement in defensive skills over the last 4 years. Do you have some data to back that up?

How about watching the games?

GWallace3 wrote:How about watching the games?

I have a season pass and attended every home game last season. You?

Then what were you doing during the games? Starring at the Ladycats?

Of course Felton became a much better defender under Larry Brown, just like all the other guys on our roster.

The team played better team defense but if you look at Felton's play he has no progressed measurably from a defensive perspective. He's thinking about defense more because Brown would bench him otherwise but the results aren't there.

Mezotarkus wrote:The team played better team defense but if you look at Felton's play he has no progressed measurably from a defensive perspective. He's thinking about defense more because Brown would bench him otherwise but the results aren't there.

If you say so. I disagree, but whatever. Your overall point is correct, Felton has not progressed the way we want him to.

This does get me excited about the upcoming season. Little things like showing up to camp early helps build relationships and an overall better atmosphere for the season. In this day and age where young athletes are led to believe that they are more than what they are by friends and there own egos, the fact that Raymond showed up early shows alot of class. Whether his agent suggested it or not! Even if Raymond never becomes as good as Derron Williams or CP3 it won't be because of lack of effort!

If anything his agent probably fought strenuously against Felton working out.

That's all him, and one of the best qualities about the guy.

spectre_ wrote:That's all him, and one of the best qualities about the guy.

In this day and age is so refreshing to have a kid like that. Makes him very easy to like.