Will Tyson Chandler, Ray Felton, Gerald Wallace and Charlotte finally make the playoffs in 2010?

October 04 09

Every day until the regular season begins, HoopsVibe the Blog will ask and answer an important question facing each of the NBA’s thirty teams. Weigh-in with thoughts on our Key Questions feature in the comment box below.

Today’s team: Charlotte Bobcats.

Key Question: After last season’s relative success, has management done enough to help the Bobcats qualify for their first-ever post-season?

The Quick Answer: No.

An uncommitted owner has killed the momentum Charlotte built after last season’s valiant, but unsuccessful push for a playoff spot.

Owner Bob Johnson, with his penny-pinching style, has never put the resources or time into developing a credible organization. Doing things on the cheap and absenteeism from the top have always been the norm.

This summer, his approach, driven by an intense desire to sell the Bobcats, had a particularly damaging impact on the organization.

Rewind to last spring. After a season of transition and mostly hard knocks, this young Charlotte squad rallied to challenge for the final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. In the end, they failed. Yet, much was gained playing meaningful basketball.

For instance, Gerald Wallace emerged as a tough leader. Boris Diaw stopped resembling a French cream puff and started resembling the guy who once won the Most Improved Player award with Phoenix, while D.J. Augustin, Raja Bell, Ray Felton and Emeka Okafor took a step forward as a group.

Some personnel tweaks, a season together, and more of Larry ‘Play the Right Way’ Brown’s teachings should have put the Bobcats squarely in the race for the 2010 playoffs.

Well, it was a nice thought.

The East got better. A lot better, in fact. The top squads -Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando- were involved in a summer arms race that put some significant distance between them and the rest of the Eastern Conference.

The middle-class also got ‘theirs‘. Atlanta, Toronto, and Washington had solid summers and, along with Miami, have eyes for the fourth seed. And Detroit seem poised to move forward after a sub par 2009. Expect Chicago and Philadelphia to be in the hunt for a post-season birth, too.

That’s ten teams fighting for the Eastern Conference’s eight playoff spots, which likely puts Charlotte on the golf course when the all-important ’second season’ begins in April. Here’s why:

On paper, the team improved by swapping the methodical Emeka Okafor for the athletic Tyson Chandler. However, Chandler’s health, he has missed 82 games over the last two years, and contract, his deal expires in July, are reason for concern.

The rest of the roster isn’t stable. Ray Felton will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end after taking Charlotte’s one-year qualifying offer. More recently, Bell and Diaw have been linked to trade rumors.

These distractions aren’t good for any team, especially one as young as the Bobcats.

Prediction: 9th in the Eastern Conference.

Sound off: Where will Charlotte finish in 2010? Will they make playoffs? Why? Why not? Read Oly’s ’Key Questions’ feature in his HoopsVibe archive and follow him on Twitter. Photo courtesy of FLC.

12 Comments: Will Tyson Chandler, Ray Felton, Gerald Wallace and Charlotte (...)

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Posted by
Snika
on 10.6.2009

What kids? Who becomes an all-star on their team??? They have some good role players, and decent backups.. but you need a go-to scorer and a defined on court leader. They have neither, Iverson would’ve given them at least one of the two. .

Posted by
brandon
on 10.6.2009

I like the trade they made with the hornets., I think Tyson fits better with coach browns system and also gives them more size in the paint. But i still dont see them making the playoffs. Orlando, Cleveland, Boston, Toronto, Wizards, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami are the teams from the east to make the playoffs. Even after those teams I still would put Philadelphia and maybe New Jersey in front of them .

Posted by

on 10.6.2009

Iverson may have helped short term but the cats need to develop their kids. .

Posted by
Snika
on 10.5.2009

Bobcats should’ve gone after Iverson this summer. They had NO upgrade, and the rest of the East did... and they didn’t make the playoffs last year. Unless chemistry gets way better, and Wallace plays like an All-Star, there is no way they make the postseason. Coach Brown needs one superstar to push this over the edge. .

Posted by
Gm 4 Hire
on 10.4.2009

I think the Okafor/Tyson trade makes the bobcats a better team because of his flexability! There is no way Omeka could guard the KG’s and gasols of this league! I like okafor but maybe he doesnt need to be the biggest star on the team he needs to be on a team like the Hornets where he is the third and forth option this will let him develop into more of a rebounding and defensive role player which will be better for the team! Chandler on the other hand is not a threat as a post player but he is a DefensiveFloor leader like KG a shot blocker who is long and can take up space in the middle allowing the other four create and set screens for the ever changing larry Brown defensive oriented system! I think felton should come off the bench for a offensive spark, he is more of a shooter/scorer and I think this would help them on there play off run this year.. .

Posted by
O.Sandor
on 10.4.2009

Hi Vox, Thanks for reading and commenting. Good points.

The Chadler/Okafor swap can go either way. We just have to wait and see. However, I agree that it would be nice for the market of Charlotte, who have been mistreated by Shinn and Johnson, to qualify for the second season.

As for May: he’s in shape (261 pounds), but hasn’t played much and the jury remains out on what he can do. He has talent and, perhaps, moving on to Sacramento will be what is needed. Best wishes to him.

I like Diaw and Chandler at the four and five spots. Diaw has skill, passing and scoring, while Chadler, if healthy, can rebound, block, shots, and intimidate. A nice combination of finesse and ruggedness. Also, Wallace, if he’s at the three, can contribute on the gla-------and adds some toughness to the frontcourt.

Thanks for reading and contributing. .

Posted by
Vox
on 10.4.2009

I didn’t like their Okafor/Tyson swap and I don’t like their chances this year for the playoffs. They were much stronger in the second half of the season last year, but I’m not sure if it will be enough. However, It’d be nice if they did make it, I think they have been working harder. The author didn’t think Sean May will make a difference? .

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	About Oly Sandor
Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More

Will Tyson Chandler, Ray Felton, Gerald Wallace and Charlotte finally make the playoffs in 2010?

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