bonnell: bobcats need to find man in middle

[BigSlam]

If we're gonna spent that kind of $, we need to bid on Hawes, the lumering but talented 23 yo seven footer who was a recent top ten draft pick and dare philly to match. I've mentioned him many times before as the most realistic FA 5 for us to target because Marc Gasol is a pipe dream we cant afford and most of the other 5's we can like Hilton Armstrong are scrubs.

Hawes is a skilled albeit slow footed 5 who can score in the post and save for Kanter, is more talented than any center in the draft. Given his age, he fits with our rebuilding plan and can serve as a solid cog in the middle. Signing him would be like us adding another top 10 lotto pick.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/six ... Hawes.html

76ers will qualify Young, Hawes

[dmutombo321]

^ Not unexpected. Hawes qualifier is $4million. I'd shoot for a $5-$5.5 per year offer sheet and dare philly to match.

They probably would but there's no reason not to try. Wouldnt go any higher than the high 5s.

If you recall, several years ago, Cleveland qualified Varajo and he refused to play. We broke the stalemate by finally signing him to a offer sheet.

[Snidely FC]

the reason i really like this idea is the learning curve involved for young nba centers. its gonna be hard to draft a c who will have an impact for years. even a guy like bynum has taken a looong time to get to where he can really play. there are exceptions, but they're guys like dwight howard. someone like jonas v won't impact until his rookie contract is over and then some. now you pick up someone like hawes who's been in the league several yrs already putting up near starter numbers has size and is still only 23, then that's good value. 5.5 is absolute max, but in two three yrs will probably look like a bargain considering the dearth of good centers available.

[fatlever]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/21 ... Until_2012

for anyone thinking of suggesting oden... the curse is still on. just ask the buckeye football team.

[BigSlam]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214143/Oden_May_Not_Return_Until_2012

for anyone thinking of suggesting oden... the curse is still on. just ask the buckeye football team.

I've got to trade this clown from my keeper team pronto.

[Jaruff]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214143/Oden_May_Not_Return_Until_2012

for anyone thinking of suggesting oden... the curse is still on. just ask the buckeye football team.

You might get McGuire for him at this rate.

[fatlever]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214143/Oden_May_Not_Return_Until_2012

for anyone thinking of suggesting oden... the curse is still on. just ask the buckeye football team.

I've got to drop this clown from my keeper team pronto.

fixed

[chrbal]

This is one I thought up for the Bobcats.

Cha/LaL/Pho

Bobcats send Garret Temple and DeSagana Diop to Phoenix. Suns send Josh Childress to the Lakers and Robin Lopez to the Bobcats. Lakers send Luke Walton to the Bobcats.

Diop makes less, and for fewer seasons, then Josh does. Lakers upgrade their bench. Bobcats add the solid Lopez and the forgetable Walton (whose contract is the same length as Diops, but for about $1.2 mil a year less).

[BigSlam]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214143/Oden_May_Not_Return_Until_2012

for anyone thinking of suggesting oden... the curse is still on. just ask the buckeye football team.

I've got to drop this clown from my keeper team pronto.

fixed

Wilbur or Thomo will trade for him.

[therebirth]

Paying kwame for anything more than $2.5m would be stupid. He knew he needed a new contract and played like it. I bet you he misses about half the season next year while not playing as well. How many times can a bum fool you. Kwame knows how to say all the right things to get what he wants. Check his history.

[ohara]

Kwame will make much more than $2.5 mil/yr. I was trying to think of other Centers we might go for if we dont draft one or resign Kwame. I was interested in Oden, depending upon whether Portland offers him a QO or not. Wondering why they would not so as to give him another year, but now I know and I would NOT want Charlotte to take a chance on him.

Reading Hoopsworld chat with Steve Kyler today. Brought up Oden and the fact that he has had such a difficult time with the injury after being the #1 pick that he developed a "drinking problem". It is apparently severe enough that friends and family set up a couple "interventions" to try and help him. Kid has so much talent and promise, but with a demon like that haunting him, I just dont want Charlotte to be the one to take a flyer on him at 3 year and $10-$15 mil. I hope he beats this problem and has a successful career, but it cannot be in Charlotte.

[Downtown]

A couple names I would like to bring up that aren't discussed much are Jordan Hill and Nick Collison.

I know Hill is considered more of a combo power forward/center, but I watched him a fair bit last season and from what I saw I think he can develop into a fulltime center. Alot of teams in the league are moving towards quicker, aggressive centers with athleticism over the traditional 7 footers who simply use bulk in the paint. It started I believe back in the year Ike Diogu was drafted. I recall reading a Sports Illistrated issue that declared him the best "center" in college basketball and the college trend was towards smaller, quicker, yet strong centers. I think it came about because of the year when Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, and Eddy Curry were all taken out of highschool.

I read where college teams didn't put much emphasis on recruiting tall centers after that because they would just be drafted out of highschool because of their size so why waste the resources, so they began to concentrate on other players that could play the center role even if they weren't considered a true center. I think the NBA is catching on to that trend. Al Horford, Al Jefferson, and a number of power forwards have been turned into centers. Even Kevin Love in his rookie season, as well as using David Lee at times.

Getting back to my point, I believe that rather than forcing a lesser 7 footer into your lineup you might want to consider a different option. Jordan Hill, at 6'10", with a solid frame could become a Nene type player(and I don't mean the hair) . Coming out of Arizona his comparison was Chris Bosh. He's actually stronger than Bosh. From what I've seen given the minutes he could be both an effective scorer and rebounder in the paint while still having a nice touch on his midrange jumper. He also got quite a few blocks in college and if his role was to be more of an inside presence I think he could get his share in the NBA as well. Houston didn't use him alot but if you study the games he got good minutes he produced accordingly. Also, with his age he would fit right into a quick rebuild with guys like Augustin and Henderson, and Thomas. And for some reason I don't think Houston really considers him a core piece so they might be open to a trade.

Nick Collison is that journeyman, blue collar type combo player that has been put into the center role. Smart, strong, and a work ethic that is rarely outmatched, he could be the steady, veteran presence for a couple of seasons while a young core was built up. I think given his fine play in this years playoffs OKC might value him more, but with Ibaka and Perkins maybe they would look at a deal.

So there's a couple other options to consider besides the mainstream thought of your classic 7 foot+ center. Just throwing it out there to think a little outside the box.

[Bassman]

No matter who we draft or aquire or sign, this team is being built to run. Hawes is talented I agree, but he really doesn't fit this design. Jordan Hill might be able to help but not Collison (at the 5 at least). In this draft Kanter is a guy who most closely resembles the prototype "new style" 5 in the league. It's why I like Vucevic also.

[ohara]

Dont discount Monti if he falls all the way to #19.

[dmutombo321]

Too bad we cant hop in a Delorean and bring back Matt Geiger. He was always one of my favorites - an extremely mobile 5 who made a living beating guys up and down the floor

[NCHeels2008]

What about the 9 pick for Omir Asik, he looked really good at times in the playoffs.

[SWedd523]

What about the 9 pick for Omir Asik, he looked really good at times in the playoffs.

No