2011-2012 NBA Preview #1: Charlotte Bobcats

Greetings everyone... As you can tell by the title, we're getting rid to hit all 30 NBA teams in under a week... I do have some help as my NBA confidant Ryan will be taking the Western conference (and I'll throw in the occasional editor's note lol), so let's kick things off with the Bobcats...

Roster Breakdown (Starters in Bold)

• PG - DJ Augustin, Kemba Walker
  
• SG - Gerald Henderson, Matt Carroll
  
• SF - Corey Maggette, Derrick Brown
  
• PF - Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, DJ White, Eduardo Najera
  
• C - Bismack Biyombo, Desagana Diop, Melvin Ely
  

General Thoughts

Disaster. That's the best word for what I believe the 2011-12 Bobcats will be. I will begin by saying that this is definitively the worst roster in the league, and I don't think there's too much doubt there. I actually LIKE Augustin and Henderson in the backcourt, but that doesn't strike me (or anyone else) as an NBA starting backcourt you'd want, and with an offense that will likely run through all-time black-hole Corey Maggette, they'll be lucky to be middle-of-the-pack offensively. Maggette, who will likely average 20+ on this team, has no business as the #1 option in the NBA, and while he's thrust into that duty, it won't serve him well. The frontcourt is a jumbled mess in that Diaw and Thomas are clearly the best 2 players on the unit, but both are power forwards, and tweeners in most senses (even if it's in a very different way for each). The Bobcats have reportedly discussed starting Diaw at center, which is reflected above, but that's kind of a joke in nature. He did play some center in Phoenix, but in that system, it simply didn't matter position-wise. I just don't see a path of resistance up front on defense unless rookie Bismack Biyombo (who is now clear to report to Charlotte following a buyout) is the real deal immediately, and with all reports about how "raw" he is in this year's draft, that's a stretch. Diop is a professional center, but he's totally one-dimensional (on defense), and wildly overpaid to the point where they've tried to shed him multiple times. On the bright side, Kemba Walker!!!

X-Factor

Biyombo. I believe that you kind of know what you're getting from the majority of the roster (shots from Maggette, average play from Augustin and Diaw, etc.) and with Biyombo there is at least some recognizable upside. If I had to pick a #2, it would be Henderson, who's a guy with great athleticism who showed some potential in year two averaging 10 points per in just 24 minutes.

Predicted Finish

15th (Last) in the East