Share
No. 0 Bismack Biyombo
Position: Center-power forward
Season: Second
Ht./Wt.: 6-9, 245.
Key preseason statistics: 3.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks.
What are realistic expectations? Biyombo is a physical phenomenon – long, a remarkably quick leaper and tough enough to go chest-to-chest with Dwight Howard. That’s the plus. The minus is he arrived in the NBA with next-to-no basketball schooling by NBA standards. Then-Bobcats assistant Rob Werdann literally drilled him how to catch a basketball with any efficiency his rookie season. If he averages seven rebounds, 1.5 blocks and five points, he’ll be doing well.
No. 13 Matt Carroll
Position: Shooting guard
Season: 10th
Ht./Wt.: 6-6, 212.
Key preseason statistics: 1.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, missed his first six 3-point attempts.
What are realistic expectations? It says a ton about Carroll’s character and persistence that coach Mike Dunlap asked him to be a co-captain of this team because he might hardly ever play on a roster full of shooting guards. He defines pluck and class, but he’s on the roster only because he’s in the last guaranteed year of his contract. Maybe he makes a big 3 to win a game. He’d make a super color analyst in his next act.
No. 2 Gana Diop
Position: Center
Season: 10th
Ht./Wt.: 7-0, 280.
Key preseason statistics: Zero starts, 3.6 rebounds.
What are realistic expectations? Had a frontcourt free agent – Kris Humphries or Antawn Jamison – said yes to the Bobcats, you can take it for granted Diop would have been waived under the amnesty clause. Nicest guy in the world and in better shape this season. But with Brendan Haywood and Bismack Biyombo on the roster, Diop figures to play little in the last year of his contract.
No. 8: Ben Gordon
Position: Shooting guard
Season: Ninth season.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3, 200.
Key preseason statistics: 15.2 ppg, 37 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Gordon isn’t a great NBA player, but he’s the best pure scorer this team has. Whether or not he starts, there will be close games where he’ll carry the Bobcats in the fourth quarter to squeeze out a victory. If he matches his career 3-point average – 40 percent from the arc – it will be a much-needed asset.
No. 33 Brendan Haywood
Position: Center
Season: 12th
Ht./Wt.: 7-0, 263.
Key preseason statistics: 61 percent from the field, 0.8 blocks.
What are realistic expectations? Anyone remember all the cheap jokes on sports-talk radio when the Bobcats signed Kwame Brown to a one-year minimum veteran contract? This was the most cost-effective thing they ever did. They will pay Haywood a total of $6 million the next three seasons to be a post defender/leader/Biyombo mentor. That’s less than they will pay Diop this season. If he averages six rebounds, one block and five points, he’s a steal.
No. 9 Gerald Henderson
Position: Shooting guard/small forward
Season: Fourth
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 215.
Key preseason statistics: 11.4 points, 38 percent from the field.
What are realistic expectations? Henderson must shoot better than he did in the preseason, but he should be this team’s leading scorer. He needs to drive more to exploit his explosion to the rim. He should average 16 points, six trips to the foul line and 45 percent from the field.
No. 11: Cory Higgins
Position: Point guard
Season: Second
Ht./Wt.: 6-5, 180.
Key preseason statistics: 31 percent from the field, 2.8 ppg.
What are realistic expectations? The Bobcats’ third point guard should be a big option who can shift over to shooting guard in a pinch. Higgins is that, but nothing more. This seems like a developmental position, and it’s hard to picture Higgins being in the NBA long-term.
No. 14: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Position: Small forward-power forward
Season: Rookie
Ht./Wt.: 6-7, 232.
Key preseason statistics: 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds.
What are realistic expectations? Kidd-Gilchrist was the second overall pick in June’s draft. The preseason suggests new coach Mike Dunlap is still figuring how best to use him. He brings energy and defense to a team that needs both. But he has technical flaws, particularly his jump shot. If they get nine points, five rebounds and 45 percent shooting from him as a rookie, it will be a victory.
No. 22 Byron Mullens
Position: Center-power forward
Season: Fourth
Ht./Wt.: 7-0, 275.
Key preseason statistics: 14.8 ppg, 46 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Did anyone think Mullens would be the Bobcats’ best player this preseason? Trading for Mullens has been a big success. He’s always had rare shooting range for a 7-footer, but he discovered defense at Las Vegas Summer League. Dunlap wants him to get some rebounds and roll to the basket more. A reasonable request: 15 points, 5.8 rebounds, a block every game and 37 percent from 3-point range.
No. 7 Ramon Sessions
Position: Point/Shooting guard
Season: Sixth
Ht./Wt.: 6-3, 190.
Key preseason statistics: 13.4 ppg, 4.9 apg.
What are realistic expectations? Sessions is proven and adaptive, whether as a starter or backup. Raymond Felton or D.J. Augustin could have been that guy, yet they thought they were better than the job. The small-ball agenda works in Sessions’ favor: Nine points, four assists and 20 minutes per game.
No. 5 DaJuan Summers
Position: Power forward
Season: Fourth season.
Ht./Wt.: 6-8, 240.
Key preseason statistics: 36 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Summers is better than the other unguaranteed contracts in camp, but that makes him a tease. He can make outside shots, which bought him some preseason minutes. But he’s an undersized power forward who probably can’t transition to small forward.
No. 44 Jeff Taylor
Position: Small forward
Season: Rookie
Ht./Wt.: 6-7, 245.
Key preseason statistics: 29 percent shooting, 18 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Taylor will be a better player than he demonstrated this preseason. He’s an impactful defender and can shoot from distance. But he seems a little shell-shocked by the NBA experience. So if he sits most of this season, this is still someone worth developing, even slowly.
No. 12 Tyrus Thomas
Position: Center-power forward
Season: Seventh
Ht./Wt.: 6-10, 225.
Key preseason statistics: 46 percent, 6.8 points, 4.3 rebounds.
What are realistic expectations? Thomas is a mystery. He needs to be an energy player, running and jumping in the trapping, pressing defense Dunlap wants. But you don’t get that from him every game. He’s certainly not playing up to what he is paid. Figure on seven points and three rebounds this season.
No. 15 Kemba Walker
Position: Point guard
Season: Second
Ht./Wt.: 6-1, 184.
Key preseason statistics: 14.0 points, 3.8 assists, 38 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Dunlap challenged Walker to play more like a point guard, as in better decisions with the ball. This is a work in progress, but Walker’s preseason performance vs. the Bucks – 20 points, seven assists and no turnovers – says progress. If he averages 12 points, four assists and fewer than two turnovers per game, he’ll be on the right course.
No. 55 Reggie Williams
Position: Shooting guard/small forward
Season: Fourth
Ht./Wt.: 6-6, 205.
Key preseason statistics: 3.2 points, 31 percent from 3-point range.
What are realistic expectations? Shooting guard is the Bobcats’ deepest position. Williams was signed last season to improve their horrible 3-point shooting. He didn’t deliver what he did as a Golden State Warrior, and now he plays behind Henderson and Gordon. He’ll play more if Dunlap continues to lean toward small ball to get more shooters on the floor. If he averages two 3s made and 36 percent from the arc, he’ll contribute.
