ESPN Future Power Rankings - Bobcats last...again

[Paydro70]

They don't hate the Bobcats. Hollinger actually has a record of thinking TOO positively about our team.

The reality is that we made our bed with bad contracts and bad drafting. We have a few OK prospects, but our financial situation remains poor and there's little reason to think we're going to be better for another few years.

[captaincrunk]

The cats are going to lose 20 million this season. Now add what would have been Tyson and Felton's contract plus the luxury tax for a team that everybody said peak last year at 7 th seed. What kind of sence does that make. None. And it is no secret those two hate the cats. Didn't Ford report that no one wanted Wallace for a pick?

Yeah, I remember that. What a dumbass.

[daidalos]

What's the purpose of making FUTURE power rankings? I can't figure it out! There are so many factors in a teams future that it has no sense.

The Jazz's future was bright, then Sloan and Deron are gone, now it's not so bright.

If we get lucky in the draft and make a better trade (like the RAdma+Bell for Jax) then we are an OK team in the future. If we trade for Baron Davis and continue to make bad draft decisions than our future sucks.

Our team's future at the moment is average. We have 2 bad contracts (Diop, Carroll), but we have some youngsters (DJ, DJ, Hendo, T2). Diaw, Najera and Livingston will be expiring contracts next season. If we miss the playoffs we will have lottery picks. What makes this future so dark.

[BobsBuddy]

With our remaining schedule and teams financial condition, the Bobcats need to make some more moves to improve our power ranking and future.
The last 15 games left we should give Cunningham and White more minutes also Dmac. Cunningham has the ability to be a starter at 3 in the future and White a solid backup at the 4. Dmac has shown he has the ability to pull down 10 Rebounds/10 points a game,but he can only play 4.

It looks like we are going to have 32-37 wins and miss the playoffs drafting in 2011 between 8-11.Our second 2011 pick should be around 19-22. With the first pick we should package Jax with it and try to move up into the top 6 to draft the best center or wingman available. Jax has the remaider of this season and then two more seasons on his contract. hopefully we can get a decent expiring veteran contract back who can contribute next season and get a pick that can start at the 5. With the second pick at 19-22 we should package with Diaw and trade to a team like the NJN who need help at the 3-4. Trade checker 5872470 Diaw and our second first round pick for a sign and trade Vujucic/Farmar. Between Vujucic and Cunningham we cover Jax'; scoring at the 3 and with Farmer we get another backup point/two to go with Livingston,DJA and Hendo rotations.

Our 2012 lineup
DJA/LIV/Farmar
Hendo/Expiring veteran contract/Carroll
Vujcic/Cunningham
djw/dmac/Najeria
Draft pick Center(guy from Turkey)/ Kuwamee/Diop

[captaincrunk]

Our 2012 lineup
DJA/LIV/Farmar
Hendo/Expiring veteran contract/Carroll
Vujcic/Cunningham
djw/dmac/Najeria
Draft pick Center(guy from Turkey)/ Kuwamee/Diop

Please explain how Diop cracks the rotation but Tyrus is a DNP? And Farmar might actually go in front of livo, not sure. Neither are very good by NBA standards. Vujacic is better as a SG and that isn't saying much. But I like draft pick Center guy.

[Rich4114]

I think MJ finally realized where this franchises ceiling was and is going to stop doing the dumbass long term cap strapping talentless moves. At least I hope that, otherwise there's not much hope in following this organization.

It all comes down to the draft, and that's what I'm most paranoid about. Each draft except the Hendo one we had the chance to draft excellent talent for our pick. We passed on it all and took some of the worst options at those respective spots.

We're going to have 2 lotto picks and 1 mid-1st in the next 2 drafts. They've got to find a way to turn that into a star player.

It's ironic too, if you think back to when Bernie was the GM - he was too conservative with moves so we lacked talent and never made the move for CP3 but at least he never took on horrid contracts. The one time he did (Jahidi White) it got us a lotto pick (which we wasted on McMay). Then Jordan/Higgins come in and do the complete extreme opposite. We're a little better with zero flexibility or assets. I guess in hindsight, I like Bernie running the team better. lol

[SWedd523]

Wait a second. Diaw and a first for Vujacic and Farmar?



lolno

[Charlottehoops]

ESPN definitely has a distaste for the Cats. They always have. If you doubt that think about the scores of nights Gerald had a ridiculously sick dunk, and it not make Sportscenter. Think about all of the nights the only time the cats made Sportscenter at all was if they were playing one of the elite teams. Don't fool yourselves Stevie Wonder could see the bias going on there.

[Rich4114]

ESPN definitely has a distaste for the Cats. They always have. If you doubt that think about the scores of nights Gerald had a ridiculously sick dunk, and it not make Sportscenter. Think about all of the nights the only time the cats made Sportscenter at all was if they were playing one of the elite teams. Don't fool yourselves Stevie Wonder could see the bias going on there.

While I think that sucks too, if you're ESPN wouldn't you do the same thing? Everyone (casual and enthusiast) in the country would agree Jordan cannot properly run an NBA team. He has yet to prove otherwise since the Wizards debacle and his back to back top 3 picks were some of the biggest busts of recent times.

Add to the fact that the Bobcats have minimal following since they have no history or have ever been a winning franchise - why would they feel the need to spend valuable air time on them? Gerald Wallace was our top player, and he's not probably 3rd or 4th best on the Blazers team trying to hold onto the 7th seed in the West. Think about all of this for a minute.

[captaincrunk]

ESPN definitely has a distaste for the Cats. They always have. If you doubt that think about the scores of nights Gerald had a ridiculously sick dunk, and it not make Sportscenter. Think about all of the nights the only time the cats made Sportscenter at all was if they were playing one of the elite teams. Don't fool yourselves Stevie Wonder could see the bias going on there.

While I think that sucks too, if you're ESPN wouldn't you do the same thing? Everyone (casual and enthusiast) in the country would agree Jordan cannot properly run an NBA team. He has yet to prove otherwise since the Wizards debacle and his back to back top 3 picks were some of the biggest busts of recent times.

Add to the fact that the Bobcats have minimal following since they have no history or have ever been a winning franchise - why would they feel the need to spend valuable air time on them? Gerald Wallace was our top player, and he's not probably 3rd or 4th best on the Blazers team trying to hold onto the 7th seed in the West. Think about all of this for a minute.

So we're to judge the current bobcats based on the wizards from years ago? Yeah...

And the Bobcats were a winning franchise last year. Gerald Wallace is probably 2nd best on the Blazers right now, assuming Brandon Roy doesn't get healthy. Only LMA could be considered better right now.

[Rich4114]

ESPN definitely has a distaste for the Cats. They always have. If you doubt that think about the scores of nights Gerald had a ridiculously sick dunk, and it not make Sportscenter. Think about all of the nights the only time the cats made Sportscenter at all was if they were playing one of the elite teams. Don't fool yourselves Stevie Wonder could see the bias going on there.

While I think that sucks too, if you're ESPN wouldn't you do the same thing? Everyone (casual and enthusiast) in the country would agree Jordan cannot properly run an NBA team. He has yet to prove otherwise since the Wizards debacle and his back to back top 3 picks were some of the biggest busts of recent times.

Add to the fact that the Bobcats have minimal following since they have no history or have ever been a winning franchise - why would they feel the need to spend valuable air time on them? Gerald Wallace was our top player, and he's not probably 3rd or 4th best on the Blazers team trying to hold onto the 7th seed in the West. Think about all of this for a minute.

So we're to judge the current bobcats based on the wizards from years ago? Yeah...

I don't think so, but I know that's what others base it on (in terms of MJ's ability to run a team that is)

[captaincrunk]

While I think that sucks too, if you're ESPN wouldn't you do the same thing? Everyone (casual and enthusiast) in the country would agree Jordan cannot properly run an NBA team. He has yet to prove otherwise since the Wizards debacle and his back to back top 3 picks were some of the biggest busts of recent times.

Add to the fact that the Bobcats have minimal following since they have no history or have ever been a winning franchise - why would they feel the need to spend valuable air time on them? Gerald Wallace was our top player, and he's not probably 3rd or 4th best on the Blazers team trying to hold onto the 7th seed in the West. Think about all of this for a minute.

So we're to judge the current bobcats based on the wizards from years ago? Yeah...

I don't think so, but I know that's what others base it on (in terms of MJ's ability to run a team that is)

Which is part of why they're dumb!

[Paydro70]

ESPN isn't stupid... it's not like it's hard-hitting journalism, it is in the business of entertainment. As such it tells the stories people are most interested in hearing: what's up with the Heat, the Celtics, the Lakers, etc. A mediocre-to-bad team with a small fanbase? Why would it get extensive coverage?

Certainly I don't see why anyone would be biased against us in their interpretation of the team. What about us is promising? We're in a pretty terrible place right now, and our management has made consistently poor decisions so it's not like there's reason to have faith in our future either.

The best thing we could do for the franchise would be to tank it up, play the young guys as much as possible, and see if there's any way to get out from under the contracts we have for 2012-13 (Jackson's 10m, Diop's 7m, and Carroll's 3.5m... to a lesser extent we would want to try to deal Najera and Diaw's expirings for next year, 2.75m and 9m respectively) over the summer. We attempt to assemble as many young players and picks as possible, make a run at a good free agent (which I'm well aware is both a longshot and risks overpaying), and hope to strike it rich like other small-market teams have done.

[dmutombo321]

Well stated Paydro

[captaincrunk]

Certainly I don't see why anyone would be biased against us in their interpretation of the team.

You don't have to be biased to be stupid.

[therebirth]

You guys are naive if you don't think personal feeling are sometimes involved. The media's business is "rub my back and I will rub your back". How are teams such as Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland Milwaukee with better futures. When was the last time espn broke any story abouts the cats? The coaching hire, fire,trades, signing are all first reported by yahoo. There is a dislike between espn and our front office.

[BobsBuddy]

Paydro is right. Believe me MJ knows it now because his wallet's hurting and he doesn't want to be the first Hall of Farmer to lose a franchise. Jax Diaw,Najera and If remotely possibly Carroll and Diop will be shipped this off season. Why? Because both Higgins and MJ are now desperate,they will dump most all the big long term contracts or risk losing millions. They need to load up with young talent.
HOW?
Package Jax/Diaw/Diop and 8-10 pick and 18-20 pick to some Western Conference team(s) that has stockpiled young talent and also has multple 2011 1st round picks. Who? Memphis, Houston, OKC has allot of 2-3 year NBA players who were drafted 1st rounds from 2008 to 2010. They either havn't fit into their system or are playing behind players like Durant. They may want to target veteran players with some players in the 2011 draft to complete their team not rebuild. Jax / Diaw might be the veterans they need. Memphis might want to trade OJ Mayo and Shane Battier, expiring fillers and their 2011 pick for Jax/Diaw and both our first round picks? OR Houston Trades their first round pick and Terrance Williams and Expiring Veterans for Jax/Diaw/Diop and both our first round picks?
MJ and RH need to thing about a drastic mega trade when draft time comes around to start rebuilding and dump these toxic contracts and get something back for them.

[dmutombo321]

^ No team is touching diop. And due to Jack's age/contract, the best they can probably hope for in return for him is salary relief. Otherwise, he would probably already be gone.

[Rich4114]

Actually come to think of it, a few years back ESPN did a special on the Bobcats where they followed the team around and got behind their doors for a full day leading up to a televised game vs the Magic. It was quite disastrous. ESPN shows meeting between Sam Vincent and MJ talking about putting Jermario Davidson down to the D-League. Then they break the news we traded the expiring contracts of Primoz and Walter Herrmman for the long term expensive contract (at the time) of the aging Nazr Mohammed. Then fast forward to the actual game where Sean May appears to have his break out performance playing well in the 1st half only to have us get completely waxed by a superior talented Magic team in the 2nd half.

I say we ought to thank ESPN for the experiment because it was clearly closer to a comedy than an exciting day with an up and coming serious team looking to compete for a playoff spot.