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The Charlotte Bobcats are in ongoing trade discussions with the Dallas Mavericks, and possibly the Oklahoma City Thunder, that could move Raymond Felton and Nazr Mohammed, two NBA sources confirmed to the Observer.
Some elements of a potential deal were first reported Sunday in the Boston Globe. The Observer has learned that any deal likely would include moving backup center Mohammed, who is owed about $13.3 million over the next two seasons.
If a deal is consummated, the Bobcats likely would end up with Dallas Mavericks center DeSagana Diop. They pursued Diop during free agency last summer before he re-signed with Dallas. The deal Diop signed with the Mavericks is large – four more seasons at an average salary of nearly $6.7 million.
It's unclear what else the Bobcats potentially could end up with if a deal is made. The Globe reported the Bobcats might get veteran point guard Earl Watson if the Thunder is involved. Watson could serve as a backup to rookie D.J. Augustin if Felton leaves for the Mavericks.
Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins declined to discuss specifics of any trade talks approaching the Feb. 19 deadline.
“It wouldn't be fair for me to speculate on any rumors,” Higgins said Sunday. “In the NBA, you're constantly talking to other teams. It's impossible to know if any deal would happen.”
It's clear why Felton and Mohammed would come up in trade discussion:
Felton will become a restricted free agent in July. He's having his best season as a pro; just good enough that some other NBA team might sign him to an offer sheet that would place the Bobcats in a no-win situation.
Augustin is playing well enough that he figures to end up the Bobcats' starting point guard. That makes for a potential dilemma, where the Bobcats either lose Felton to another team without compensation or overpay him to end up a combo guard off the bench.
Waiting until the summer to do a sign-and-trade also would be problematic. Under the NBA's base-year compensation rule (pertaining to players getting large raises from one season to the next) it would be difficult to trade Felton for fair compensation as part of a new contract.
Mohammed came to the Bobcats last season from the Detroit Pistons. He will make about $6.4 million next season and nearly $6.9 million the following season, and has been on the fringe of the rotation since coach Larry Brown took over this season.
Whether Diop would be an upgrade is debatable. He's struggled off the bench for the Mavericks, shooting 39 percent – strikingly low for a post player. Backing up Erick Dampier, Diop averages 1.7 points, 3.5rebounds and 0.73 blocks per game.
Watson has one season guaranteed beyond this one at $6.6 million. The Thunder is establishing rookie Russell Westbrook as its long-term starter at the point.
INJURY UPDATE: The Bobcats anticipate Augustin missing at least 10 days because of an abdominal/groin strain. Augustin suffered the injury vs. the Boston Celtics last week, then worsened it Saturday, feeling a “pop” as he passed off a cross-court dribble against the Washington Wizards. …
A magnetic resonance imaging showed no tear in Matt Carroll's sore right Achilles tendon. …
Felton anticipates playing Tuesday in Detroit with a sprained right ankle.
