Charlotte Bobcats

There hasn't been much news out of Charlotte lately, even with the draft only a mere nine days away. Pretty much every team reports their workouts with prospects for media availability, but the Bobcats have been noticeably quiet. It's been an odd silence from a team that has the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft, it's fourth top-10 pick in three years. What seems to be the case is that they just haven't been scheduling many workouts. With three of the top big men prospects injured and unable to display their skills, the Bobcats short list of players must have gotten shorter for pre-draft viewings. Still, in the past the team has had loaded schedules with player workouts. Because Charlotte dealt their second round pick to the Thunder, limiting themselves to a single pick in the draft looks to remain the plan. By not scheduling even the lesser-hyped late-first, early-second round prospects, the Bobcats seems to be completely satisfied not acquiring another late pick, which some could interpret as the team not doing its due diligence in looking at the prospects flying under the radar. Anyway, there is some news from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, as scarce as the scene is. ICYMI: Thoughts on Alex Len as he meets with the Charlotte Bobcats today: http://t.co/k5FfadACGw — Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) June 18, 2013 As far as Len's injury goes, he expects to be back running in August and fully ready for training camp in October. Alex Len has been one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's draft. He already has the base for being a serviceable big man, with good agility, solid athleticism, size, shotblocking skills and decent touch around the rim with either hand. Mainly the concern with Len is his foot injury (stress fracture) and developing his offense to an NBA level. Due to the Bobcats severe lack of talent in the frontcourt, they will have to seriously evaluate Len's possible impact and whether he'd be their best pick at No. 4. In other frontcourt prospect news, apparently Cody Zeller is coming to visit the Bobcats Wednesday, though no other top picks will be there. I hear Indiana's Cody Zeller coming in for a workout with the Bobcats Wednesday. Don't anticipate any other 4th-pick candidates Wednesday. — Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) June 18, 2013 Zeller is another highly touted big man like Len, but Zeller is much more polished. Coming out of Indiana, Cody Zeller made his name as solid jump-shooter with good scoring instincts, nice touch around the rim, NBA-ready size and a good repertoire of offensive moves in the post. The main concerns with Zeller are his length and his ability to maintain position in the post. With a wingspan and standing reach well shorter than the average measurements of players his height, he could have some issues on defense in trying to defend entry passes, obstructing passing lanes and views of the court, or on offense finishing over big men, or being able to be a good rebounder. Though he's 7 feet tall, Zeller struggles to not get pushed around in the paint at times and he'll need to add on some more bulk to help that. The Bobcats certainly are looking at a frontcourt player for their No. 4 pick, but I wouldn't count out much of anything. I'm not sure anyone outside the organization has an idea who they're going to take.

2013 NBA Draft Prospect Alex Len was in Charlotte and sat down with the media on June 18, 2013. Len, a 7-1 center out of Maryland averaged 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in his sophomore season.

PG - Kemba Walker, Ramon SessionsSG - Gerald Henderson, Ben Gordon, Seth CurrySF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeffery TaylorPF - Josh McRoberts, Thomas RobinsonC - Alex Len, Bismack Biyombo, Brendan HaywoodAssumptions (from easist to toughest to pull off):-Let Byron Mullens walk-Amnesty Tyrus Thomas-Draft Len-Resign Henderson and McRoberts-Sign Curry as an undrafted free agent-Trade next years second rounder for RobinsonI guess we could resign Mullens or another big man if the Robinson deal (which is far-fetched) didn't happen.Thoughts?PG - Kemba Walker, Ramon Sessions SG - Gerald Henderson, Ben Gordon, Seth Curry SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Jeffery Taylor PF - Josh McRoberts, Thomas Robinson C - Alex Len, Bismack Biyombo, Brendan Haywood Assumptions (from easist to toughest to pull off): -Let Byron Mullens walk -Amnesty Tyrus Thomas -Draft Len -Resign Henderson and McRoberts -Sign Curry as an undrafted free agent -Trade next years second rounder for Robinson I guess we could resign Mullens or another big man if the Robinson deal (which is far-fetched) didn't happen. Thoughts?

The draft is just 10 days away — we’re just as anxious as you at this point, so Greg, Mathew and I took some time to give our thoughts as to what’s going to play out  leading up to + on June 27th. 1- PLAY GM: Who do you take with the #4 pick? We’re going to assume that Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore & Otto Porter go in top-3. Spencer: Victor Oladipo. I really like Anthony Bennett + Alex Len upside is undeniable, but Oladipo is going to impact the game is more ways than Bennett & Len — that makes him the safest pick. It’s tough, because Charlotte needs the assets that all three of these players bring to the table — that also tells you what kind of shape this roster is in right now. I’m really big on character. I’m even bigger on character within a very young locker room — exactly why I think a player like DeMarcus Cousins is an awful fit for a franchise like Charlotte, but that’s for another day. Oladipo has a killer charisma to him + almost every source out of the Big 10 and college basketball has vouched for this. The biggest knock on Oladipo is his skeptical ability to knock down the outside shot consistently + make plays off the dribble. He shot 60% from the field last season + jumped to 44% 3FG from his 20.8% in 2011-12. I understand that these are really big jumps in shooting efficiency, so yes, this could be somewhat of an outlier — that being said, when you factor in that Oladipo is as hard of a worker as they come then, to me, there’s a direct correlation to the improvement and hard work being put in. Taking Oladipo would likely mean that Gerald Henderson is gone, but I believe the franchise is already leaning in that direction anyways. Hendo is likely going to get an offer for greater than his qualifying deal and good for him. Charlotte not going to waste their time chasing. What bothers me about Bennett is his inability to stay in-tuned on the defensive end of the floor + his lackluster effort on occasion. He can score in a multitude of ways and is probably the most versatile offensive player in the entire draft, but again, this franchise needs to be thinking about acquiring players with the ability to impact the game in just about every way + is going to bring the positive attitude/effort combination. Len is now being rumored to be the favorite to go #1 overall to Cleveland because of the fact that Dan Gilbert wants the Cavs to win now and it’s not appearing as if Nerlens Noel is even going to play next season (knee injury). Greg: If that’s how the first three picks play out, it’s basically a decision between Victor Oladipo, Anthony Bennett and Alex Len. I’ve already written a little bit about why I’m scared of picking Bennett, though David Thorpe does make a compelling argument for the Bobcats to take him in this Insider article. Picking between Oladipo and Len comes down to taking the best player available, full stop, or making a choice that takes team fit into consideration. I don’t think either strategy is necessarily wrong. In the abstract, the best player available is always the correct decision — but real life is a lot messier, even on a team with as little talent as the Bobcats. Most pundits would probably rank Oladipo as the better prospect; for what it’s worth, Chad Ford lists Oladipo as the second-best player in the draft and Len at fifth. But taking Oladipo almost definitely means giving up on Gerald Henderson — in addition to their similar style of play, there just wouldn’t be enough minutes for the two of them. Wing minutes were already hard to balance last year, and keeping both players would have Oladipo, Henderson, Ben Gordon, Ramon Sessions, Jeff Taylor, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist all competing for time at shooting guard and small forward. Ditching Henderson is definitely an option, but swapping him for Oladipo is likely a lateral move at best in the short-term and a question m

With the draft a little over a week away and Free Agency to follow shortly after, it's time to put out your summer wish list. These are your hopes for THIS Summer only. Draft Bennett Amnesty TT Pray Ben Gordon walks (threaten to move him to Milwaukee if he signs his player option) Resign Hendo ($30M over 4 years tops) Resign McBob ($7.5M over 2 years) Renounce Mullens, Adrien, Williams, and (with great sadness) Diop Aquire a lightly seasoned Big. (Asik comes to mind - Houston will want future draft picks to free up cap space to sign CP3 & Howard) Find a spot-up shooter (Redick? - open to suggestions) Sign Shawn Livingston Potential Roster: Kemba/Sessions/Livingston Hendo/Redick MKG/Taylor Bennett/McBob Asik/Biz/Haywood Not too shabby, and keeps us moving in a nice upward trend while shedding some cancer off our roster. I think the 2nd unit becomes a strength. I'd love to hear what you guys would like to see happen, or if this scenario could even work under the current CBA. With the draft a little over a week away and Free Agency to follow shortly after, it's time to put out your summer wish list. These are your hopes for THIS Summer only. Draft Bennett Amnesty TT Pray Ben Gordon walks (threaten to move him to Milwaukee if he signs his player option) Resign Hendo ($30M over 4 years tops) Resign McBob ($7.5M over 2 years) Renounce Mullens, Adrien, Williams, and (with great sadness) Diop Aquire a lightly seasoned Big. (Asik comes to mind - Houston will want future draft picks to free up cap space to sign CP3 & Howard) Find a spot-up shooter (Redick? - open to suggestions) Sign Shawn Livingston Potential Roster: Kemba/Sessions/Livingston Hendo/Redick MKG/Taylor Bennett/McBob Asik/Biz/Haywood Not too shabby, and keeps us moving in a nice upward trend while shedding some cancer off our roster. I think the 2nd unit becomes a strength. I'd love to hear what you guys would like to see happen, or if this scenario could even work under the current CBA. Poll Would you like to see this roster in 2013-14? Oh please make this happen! We can do better Sucks, dude 0 votes | Results

Alex Len is literally everything you want in a big and the Bobcats are in desperate need of one. He can post up, face up, hit the bank, hit a long range 2, pass out of the double team INCREDIBLY well, likes to finish strong at the rim, and can protect the rim. If you watch the DraftExpress video on him right here you see what he brings to the table. Alex Len 2013 NBA Draft Scouting Report Video (via DraftExpress) One of the three things that impress me the most is his ability to create from the post. He uses jab steps, ball fakes and anything it takes to get to the rim. His post game is so versatile in that he knows how to get past his defender and get an easy shot. Many times in this video he gets past his defender and dunks with flare. I saw two very difficult reverse dunks out of the POST. The second of the three things is his ability to draw the double and pass it to the right guy. He created looks for shooters that we didnt see all season last year with the Cats. He passes it quickly out of the double too, making him more effective. The third has kinda already been said but there is almost not downside to this kid. Grouped with a coach like Steve Clifford, who has a lot of experience with bigs (Dwight Howard on the Magic), and playmakers like Kemba Walker and MKG, and shooters like Gordon and maybe someone from free agency we are going to be a team that can compete nightly in the NBA. Alex Len is literally everything you want in a big and the Bobcats are in desperate need of one. He can post up, face up, hit the bank, hit a long range 2, pass out of the double team INCREDIBLY well, likes to finish strong at the rim, and can protect the rim. If you watch the DraftExpress video on him right here you see what he brings to the table. Alex Len 2013 NBA Draft Scouting Report Video (via DraftExpress) One of the three things that impress me the most is his ability to create from the post. He uses jab steps, ball fakes and anything it takes to get to the rim. His post game is so versatile in that he knows how to get past his defender and get an easy shot. Many times in this video he gets past his defender and dunks with flare. I saw two very difficult reverse dunks out of the POST. The second of the three things is his ability to draw the double and pass it to the right guy. He created looks for shooters that we didnt see all season last year with the Cats. He passes it quickly out of the double too, making him more effective. The third has kinda already been said but there is almost not downside to this kid. Grouped with a coach like Steve Clifford, who has a lot of experience with bigs (Dwight Howard on the Magic), and playmakers like Kemba Walker and MKG, and shooters like Gordon and maybe someone from free agency we are going to be a team that can compete nightly in the NBA. Poll Should we draft Len at the fourth pick? Yes No 5 votes | Results

I joined Lewis Woodard of WFNZ (CBS Charlotte) to talk about the Bobcats hire of Steve Clifford + Patrick Ewing, trade rumors and the upcoming June 27th draft. LISTEN

Is Jordan lining up a free agency blockbuster this summer? Are the stars aligning!?! Probably not but let a man dream! Howard and CP3 are reportedly looking to play together. Why wouldn't Charlotte be an ideal place for them to join forces? NC is home for CP3 and he is a big fan of Jordan. His AAU team is here, his camp is here, his family is here. Howard bottomed out in a big market. He has a relationship with Clifford AND Patrick Ewing from Orlando. Maybe he wants to get away from the soul-sucking hell hole that is L.A. and come back to the beautiful east coast. I can see it as a possibility. Charlotte has to be a nice fit for these guys. GS, OKC, Memphis, and SA has shown that playing for a small market team can be a lot of fun. We have young pieces in MKG, Kemba, Taylor, Anthony Bennett(?). We have 3 first round picks so we will add talent for sure. I'll end by saying that I know next to little about our cap situation. Maybe someone can shed more light on that. But the way I see it is if Miami can sign 3 max players, why couldn't we sign 2? Is Jordan lining up a free agency blockbuster this summer? Are the stars aligning!?! Probably not but let a man dream! Howard and CP3 are reportedly looking to play together. Why wouldn't Charlotte be an ideal place for them to join forces? NC is home for CP3 and he is a big fan of Jordan. His AAU team is here, his camp is here, his family is here. Howard bottomed out in a big market. He has a relationship with Clifford AND Patrick Ewing from Orlando. Maybe he wants to get away from the soul-sucking hell hole that is L.A. and come back to the beautiful east coast. I can see it as a possibility. Charlotte has to be a nice fit for these guys. GS, OKC, Memphis, and SA has shown that playing for a small market team can be a lot of fun. We have young pieces in MKG, Kemba, Taylor, Anthony Bennett(?). We have 3 first round picks so we will add talent for sure. I'll end by saying that I know next to little about our cap situation. Maybe someone can shed more light on that. But the way I see it is if Miami can sign 3 max players, why couldn't we sign 2?

Chris Bosh may soon be on the move. Following the Miami Heat's practice Wednesday, Bosh told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he and his wife Adrienne have decided to put their 12,000-square-foot home on the market. He emphasized that the decision was made strictly with his family in mind and not because of concerns about the direction of his playing career. "I'm in Miami for the rest of my career," he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "I plan to be there. I plan to retire there. I plan to win hopefully a lot more championships there. So that's where home is." His wife, who is expecting their second child, took to Twitter to emphasize that point, "Our house is def not listed. We are in the middle of building a new nursery." After the news broke, speculation quickly turned to Bosh wanting to move on from Miami by opting-out of his contract, which includes an early termination option in 2014, and a player option for the 2015-16 season. Other speculation from the rumor mill, which has been quite busy in recent weeks, focuses on Bosh being an offseason target for the Charlotte Bobcats in a trade for the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft as reported by Sports Illustrated. Bosh has struggled during the postseason, experiencing one of the worst stretches of his entire ten-year career which only makes his decision to relocate seem timely and adds fuel to all the speculation. So, could Chris Bosh really be on his way out of Miami? What if he and his family really are just looking for a change of scenery in South Florida, what could have prompted this decision to hunt for new digs? Let's speculate... Sense of security after the break-inWhile out with friends, family and teammates to celebrate his 29th birthday, Bosh's home was burglarized and more than $340,000 worth of jewelry, watches, rings and more went missing according to Miami Beach Police. After being burglarized, a change of address can offer a new sense of security and a fresh start. The move could have something to do with that. Problems with the neighbors?Bosh lives next door to Miami Heat guard and teammate Dwyane Wade, and the two reportedly spend quite a bit of time together, especially on the eve before games. They've both struggled mightily this postseason and have relied on each other to work through their issues on the court. It's doubtful Bosh is having issues with his neighbors. Baby steps and crayonsHave you seen the interior of the Bosh household? It's the perfect canvas for a soon-to-be (if not already) walking baby Jack and his little sister who's on the way. Maybe the change in décor will deprive us of a mini Picasso in the making but save the parents from having to clean up a big mess. Is this beginning to sound ridiculous, or should I keep going? Trust me, I can. The point is that I can speculate as much as I want and come up with many reasons for the Bosh's decision to put their home on the market, whether for professional or personal reasons. Chris Bosh often finds himself in the shadows amongst his superstar teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and he's always in the middle of trade rumors when things seem to not be going Miami's way. However, his team is down 2-1 in the NBA Finals; down, not out. To speculate that Bosh's house being on the market is a preemptive measure to being the odd-man out because the Miami Heat big three is being blown up while they are still playing to defend their Championship is absolutely absurd. If he says the decision to sell his house is for personal reasons, take it for what it is and let the man play on."You know, man, I don't care," he said of the speculation. "At first, I used to care. But that hindered my game. And they're going to talk about you, anyway. It's something that you can't ever overcome. So why should you even try to prove people wrong? I just play the game."After all, if the Heat are able to defend their Championship and win it all, all the speculation probably woul

David Thorpe discusses why Anthony Bennett's skills and physicality is a perfect fit for the Charlotte Bobcats.