The Charlotte Bobcats plan to audition Bostjan Nachbar and Jamario Moon today, looking for another small forward to fill out the roster.

The Bobcats chose not to match a Memphis Grizzlies offer sheet on restricted free-agent forward Dante Cunningham. Doing so would have obligated the Bobcats to about $4 million in total guarantees this season and next.

With long-range shooter Reggie Williams recovering from surgery to repair knee cartilage, player-personnel chief Rod Higgins would like another scoring option.

Nachbar, a 6-foot-9 Slovenian, was the 15th overall pick of the 2002 draft, chosen by the Houston Rockets. He also played for the New Orleans Hornets and New Jersey Nets before signing a three-year contract with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian league. He has averaged 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the NBA.

Moon, a 6-8 forward who was never drafted, has played portions of four NBA seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers. His NBA average is 6.4 ppg., and 4.3 rpg.

The Bobcats cut three players Friday: Melvin Ely, Durrell Summers and Taylor Griffin. Cutting Ely, who played here most of the Bobcats' first two seasons, was a mild surprise in that he was a big man signed in reaction to Kwame Brown leaving for Golden State.

But Ely's contract was unguaranteed, and subsequently the Bobcats traded for Oklahoma City Thunder 7-footer Byron Mullens.

Point guard Ben Uzoh practiced Friday, but it's no given he'll make it to the regular season here.

Not best effort: Some players told coach Paul Silas they didn't give their best effort in Thursday's exhibition loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Silas says that's unacceptable.

"They didn't think the game was as important as it should have been," Silas said. "I told them every game is important. We've got to come with the effort every game if we look to win.

"So one of the guys said, 'Coach, we don't have three or four LeBrons on our team, so we've got to play hard every night and come with it.'

"I think they understand."

As a 92-75 loss illustrated, there's precious little margin for error, as this team approaches Monday's season-opener hosting the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a young team limited to about two weeks of preseason leading into a 66-game schedule.

The biggest problem Thursday was rebounding, as the Bobcats were beaten on the boards by 20. Silas, one of the NBA's all-time rebounders, was concerned about the lack of blocking out by his various big men. He demonstrated as much during a video session Friday.

"Find your man, get a piece (of him) when the (shot) goes up," Silas reminded. "Don't just think about the basketball and going to get it right away. Make sure your man doesn't get it.

"The flip side is on offense (where) you've got to go to the boards. We didn't even look to go to the boards."

Thomas still uncertain: Silas said he still didn't know if power forward Tyrus Thomas might recover from an ankle sprain in time to play Monday. That would be a week from Thomas suffering the injury.

He's been walking in a protective boot and working out in a pool to exercise the joint.