After missing the playoffs for the sixth time in the franchise’s seven-year history last season, the Charlotte Bobcats have the opportunity to reshape their roster in a way that will determine their future.
When the 2011 NBA draft is held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on June 23, the Bobcats will have two first-round picks and one second-round pick. They are the ninth, 19th and 39th overall selections and come one year after not having any draft picks last summer – or after the franchise had made its first postseason appearance in franchise history in 2010.
Since only two players on the team’s current roster are former Bobcat draft picks, it’s safe to say they still seek the kind of “franchise player” that could ensure future success.
How likely is it to find that kind of player in this draft?
Since Kansas forward Marcus Morris and center Bismack Biyombo of the Congo are some common projections for the No. 9 selection in some mock drafts, most would say no.
But as any longtime NBA analyst would tell you, finding and developing All-Star talent often takes a few years.
And, after all, just last season, the remaining two Bobcats’ draft picks on the Charlotte roster – D.J. Augustin (2008 first-rounder) and Gerald Henderson (2009 first-rounder) – showed tremendous progress.
Much of their improvement came after Paul Silas replaced Larry Brown in December. And the always positive Silas is confident this draft will be beneficial to the franchise.
“Well, I think we’re going to get two real good players at 9 and 19,” Silas said. “At 39, I wouldn’t be surprised if a player drops to us that most people aren’t looking at, and we can grab him also. For our needs, at the three spot and big people, I think they might be there.”
But it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bobcats tried to package their draft picks to move up in the draft or even acquire a veteran.
Silas admits as much.
“We’ve talked about that and if there was a player out there that we could move up and he could be a star-quality player, then certainly you have got to look at that,” Silas said. “Right now, I think 9 and 19 is going to be very good for us. So, we’re going to look at that right now and if something comes about, then we’ll certainly have to look at it.”
Whatever Charlotte does or doesn’t do, they’ve held workouts – with majority owner Michael Jordan among those in attendance – for six days and brought in 40 players.
Among the workout candidates have been Morris, Florida State forward Chris Singleton and Kansas guard Josh Selby – or guys linked to the franchise in various mock drafts by league websites.
Yet, even if Charlotte doesn’t workout prospective players, that won’t rule choosing them anyway, according to Silas.
“You still have to depend on your scouts,” said Silas, whose top draft pick as Charlotte Hornets coach was a player who didn’t workout for the team (Baron Davis in 1999) but eventually became a NBA All-Star. “They have seen these guys. You have to depend on your DVDs and watching them play games and that kind of thing. And then you make an evaluation, because there are going to be other people that teams are going to be looking at, too. And word gets around about who’s going to draft who. If a team’s in the back of you and you know they’re going to draft this guy and you like him, then you take him. Baron Davis was a key example. I had not seen him play at all.”
