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The Charlotte Bobcats' final record this season is irrelevant.
That's not to suggest the Bobcats shouldn't be held accountable for a 4-26 start, the longest losing streak in franchise history or the worst point-differential in the NBA. It's more that the second half of this season should be about evaluation, because contention is long gone: What can be salvaged and what should be discarded among the 15 players on this roster?
You start with point guard D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson. They are the only two young players who have established they belong in the rotation of an NBA team that would contend for a playoff spot. Augustin is this team's best jump-shooter and ballhandler. Henderson has found a jump shot to complement his natural explosion to the rim and a growing knack for getting to the foul line.
Two rookies chosen with lottery picks, Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo, still have work to do before they'd be in that top seven of a typical NBA playoff team. Walker's shot is streaky and he's still learning how best to set up teammates for easy baskets. For all of Biyombo's athletic ability, he's probably had the least high-end coaching of any rookie entering the league this season.
The Bobcats gave a huge contract to forward Tyrus Thomas and have yet to see much return on that investment. He's bounced between two positions without excelling at either and is a reserve not challenging to become a starter. The guy starting in front of him, Boris Diaw, is a player of exceptional skill but inconsistent effort.
Veteran small forward Corey Maggette has brought much of what coach Paul Silas asked - scoring and leadership - but he's been hurt most of the season, as he was off-and-on the past three seasons.
Diaw figures to depart because his contract is expiring. Others could leave through trades. And the Bobcats could cut one player in the offseason under the NBA's amnesty clause.
Amnesty wouldn't free the Bobcats from their financial obligation to that player, but the salary would no longer count against Charlotte's salary cap or, potentially, a future luxury-tax bill.
As the Bobcats inch toward the mid-point of a lockout-shortened 66-game schedule, Observer NBA writer Rick Bonnell evaluates where each of 15 players stands:
THE KEEPERS
• D.J. Augustin
Contract: $3.23 million this season, an anticipated $4.38 million qualifying offer this summer to restrict his free-agency.
Key averages: 32.3 minutes, 13.4 points, 6.4 assists.
Analysis: Augustin's value became most apparent in his absence. He is this team's most consistent jump shooter (34 percent from 3-point range) and by far the best point guard at running the offense. Although rookie Kemba Walker grew at the point when Augustin was out 11 games with a toe injury, Augustin would be the hardest player to replace on this roster.
• Gerald Henderson
Contract: $2.25 million this season, $3.1 million next season.
Key averages: 32.8 minutes, 15.0 points, 4.4 rebounds.
Analysis: His improvement over the last year (or roughly when Gerald Wallace was traded, opening a starting spot) has been dramatic. Henderson showed up from Duke as more an athlete than a refined basketball player. He now has a reliable jump shot, which was a must to play shooting guard. He still needs to be a better ball handler, but he's getting to the rim and drawing shooting fouls. He and rookie Bismack Biyombo probably have the highest upside on this roster.
THE ROOKIES
• Bismack Biyombo
Contract: $2.8 million, $3 million next season.
Key averages: 15.4 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.36 blocks.
Analysis: It's obvious what he offers - a 7-foot-6 wingspan, an agile, springy body and the reflexes you need to be a defender at the rim either as a center or power forward. But seldom has a player entered the NBA having received less top-level coaching. Offensively he was so limited, the Bobcats spent considerable time just improving how he catches the ball. Silas has said it might take three years to really gauge what Biyombo is at the NBA level.
• Kemba Walker
Contract: $2.3 million this season, $2.5 million next season.
Key averages: 29.3 minutes, 13.1 points, 3.6 assists.
Analysis: The question with Walker is still "What is he?" His 6-foot height means he needs to play mostly point guard. However, he's more a scorer than a facilitator. He can have explosive quarters (14 points in the fourth against Philadelphia), but he also can miss eight shots in a row. Silas has said fixing his jump shot is a must, as he's currently making 37 percent of his attempts.
THE VETERAN
• Corey Maggette
Contract: $10.3 million this season, $10.9 million next season.
Key averages: 28.5 minutes, 12.9 points, 5.2 rebounds.
Analysis: Maggette has his own category because, while he doesn't figure to be a Bobcat beyond his current contract, he is a productive starter. When healthy, Maggette scored in double figures in eight of his first 10 games. Unfortunately the term "when healthy'' is important: He's averaged 63 games (out of a possible 82) over his previous three seasons, and has already missed 19 games in this 66-game season.
THE UNDERACHIEVERS
Boris Diaw
Contract: $9 million this season.
Key averages: 28.6 minutes, 8.2 points, 5.2 rebounds.
Analysis: The Bobcats anticipated Diaw's best because his contract expires. As an unrestricted free agent, he's essentially auditioning for the entire league. Maybe he's made so much money it no longer matters, but Diaw continues to send the message he's nonchalant and will never be in optimum shape. Considering the glut of power forwards on this roster, it's hard to imagine him being back here.
• Tyrus Thomas
Contract: $7.3 million this season, plus three more guaranteed seasons at an average salary of $8.7 million.
Key averages: 25.1 minutes, 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds.
Analysis: Thomas is, by far, the largest investment in player salary going forward, and his lack of productivity this season is confounding. He came in underweight by about 15 pounds. They tried him at small forward, and it didn't work. They moved him back to power forward. That's worked slightly better, but he's still a reserve behind Diaw and hasn't clearly separated himself from D.J. White for backup minutes.
THE MAYBES
• Derrick Brown
Contract: Veteran minimum scale of $854,000.
Key averages: 20.1 minutes, 7.3 points, 3.5 rebounds.
Analysis: Silas is delighted of late with Brown's improvement as backup small forward. Brown was a second-round selection for the Bobcats in 2009. This is his second stint here, after they had to cut him to create a roster spot at the trade deadline a year ago. The problem until recently was Brown's defense; he didn't position himself to be aware of both the man he guarded and the ball. Silas loves that Brown is a committed offensive rebounder and has improved as a jump shooter.
• Byron Mullens
Contract: $1.3 million this season, $2.25 million next season.
Key averages: 21.7 minutes, 10.1 points, 4.4 rebounds.
Analysis: Obviously trading for a center with Mullens' jump-shooting skills and ability to run the floor is more valuable than the second-round pick the Bobcats will eventually send the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, the question with Mullens is how much better he can become. Skilled as he is offensively, he'll never start more than a handful of NBA games unless he becomes more focused on defense and rebounding.
• Reggie Williams
Contract: $2.5 million this season, $2.5 million next season.
Key averages: 28.8 minutes, 10.3 points, 2.4 assists.
Analysis: Williams doesn't like being pigeon-holed as a "3-point specialist.'' He hasn't been the 3-point sure thing he was as a Golden State Warrior (42 percent last season, 24 percent this season), but he's a better driver and passer than anticipated. He's somewhat a defensive liability.
• D.J. White
Contract: $2 million this season, an anticipated $3 million qualifying offer next season to restrict free-agency:
Key averages: 20.6 minutes, 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds.
Analysis: White, like Mullens, was acquired from the Thunder. The fact that both are in Charlotte's rotation speaks to how well the Thunder develops players and the lack of talent on the Bobcats' roster. The contrast between White and Thomas is illustrative: White is more efficient (better shot selection and more sound defensively) but potentially Thomas' athleticism trumps what White offers.
THE WRITE-OFFS
• Matt Carroll
Contract: $3.9 million this season, $3.5 million next season.
Key averages: 12.8 minutes, 3.2 points, 1.3 rebounds.
Analysis: He's still playing on the contract he signed in his first stint as a Bobcat (traded to Dallas, then traded back to Charlotte) and has a player option next season. He's shooting under 40 percent from the field and 20 percent from 3-point range. Carroll's NBA skill is shooting, and he's not making shots. In the absence of that guaranteed deal, he likely wouldn't be here.
• Gana Diop
Contract: $6.9 million this season, $7.4 million next season.
Key averages: 12.1 minutes, 1.0 points, 3.5 rebounds.
Analysis: Diop has been the least cost-effective player in Bobcats history, a cautionary tale about the NBA's infatuation with size. On his current track, he'll be remembered more for air-balling free throws than for anything he contributed over what could be a 4 1/2 season Bobcats career.
• Eduardo Najera
Contract: $2.6 million this season.
Key averages: 7.3 minutes, 2.4 points, 0.9 rebounds.
Analysis: Accepting Najera's contract was part of the price for acquiring Erick Dampier's unguaranteed deal in the summer of 2010. That eventually got the Bobcats under the luxury-tax threshold. He'll occasionally make a 3-pointer and he was a classic NBA tough guy, but he's 34 years old with a body that has seen too many collisions.
THE SPARE
• Cory Higgins
Contract: League minimum scale of $473,000.
Key averages: 12.0 minutes, 4.0 points, 1.0 rebounds.
Analysis: Sure, it looks awkward that the team's 15th man is the son of the Bobcats' top player-personnel executive. What that disregards is Higgins (shooting-guard size, some ability to play both guard spots) fits what they were looking for from the last spot on the bench.
Salary source: Hoopshype.com
