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Charlotte Bobcats president of basketball operations Rod Higgins emailed a letter to season-ticket holders this week, asking the team’s customers to renew for next season.
Higgins made several points about where the Bobcats stand in their rebuilding efforts. Most of those were covered in Higgins’ and general manager Rich Cho’s midseason interview with the Observer two weeks ago.
But here’s a specific from Higgins’ email regarding the salary cap and free-agency that I found interesting: Higgins said this summer the Bobcats should have “upwards of $20 million to spend on players,’’ offering the chance to “add the best free agents possible, including max-level players that may be available.’’
The Bobcats did chase free agents last summer, and ended up with point guard Ramon Sessions. Sessions and Kemba Walker have been the most productive Bobcats the first half of this season. Sessions has been a bargain at a total $10 million this season and next.
Higgins also pursued veteran power forwards Kris Humphries and Antawn Jamison. Humphries re-signed with the Nets and Jamison passed on a Charlotte homecoming to chase a title with the Lakers.
Obviously the Bobcats need help inside – rebounders and post scorers, either at power forward or center. Cho said in that Observer interview the team would definitely address the rebounding problem, whether by the Feb. 21 trade deadline or over the summer.
There are some intriguing free agents at those positions starting in July. Atlanta’s Josh Smith, Indiana’s David West, Portland’s J.J. Hickson and Utah’s Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are all unrestricted free agents. Minnesota center Nikola Pekovic is a restricted free agent on a team already paying big for Kevin Love and planning for how to pay point guard Ricky Rubio down the road.
Would any of those guys sign with the Bobcats? No telling, but Higgins email suggests the cap space and will are there to make a pitch or two.
