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If you're reading this column, there's a good chance you saw the story I wrote in Friday's Observer about second-year Charlotte Bobcats point guard D.J. Augustin – how he's healthy, stronger and more decisive, following an abdominal strain that wrecked the second half of his season.
Many of you are savvy enough to connect the dots and pose this question: “If Augustin is making strides and Raymond Felton is routed toward unrestricted free agency, shouldn't the Bobcats cut the cord, either by not offering Felton a contract or pursuing a sign-and-trade next summer?''
The traditional way to approach a column is to vigorously argue one side of any issue, even if you can see merit in taking the opposing view.
I thought I'd try something different: Here's the argument for taking either side of how to resolve the Felton/Augustin situation:
Why you'd let Felton go and commit to Augustin for the future:
You might have noticed the economy isn't so great. There's a term called the “new normal,'' and it certainly applies to the Bobcats.
I've been told by someone who should know that Felton turned down a long-term contract from the Bobcats that would have paid him about $7million a season.
Barring a huge improvement in his performance, I don't know that anyone will offer him more than that next summer. More pertinent, I find it a reach that the Bobcats would offer him more next summer. This is a team, after all, that has projected losing as much as $30 million a season the next three years.
The market in general is shrinking, just as the salary cap is. Salary caps are designed to encourage teams to make hard choices. This dynamic could define that.
The Bobcats might have to decide between Felton and Augustin, and knowing Augustin would have two more seasons on the rookie scale, plus a qualifying-offer season, would make him the fiscally-safer choice between the two.
Why you'd do whatever it takes to retain Felton and Augustin:
Don't ignore the obvious: At least for now, Felton is better.
Felton is bigger, stronger, more decisive and more respected by teammates. I'm not implying Augustin isn't respected, but Felton is a leader who is universally admired in that locker room.
The only way Augustin is superior is as a jump-shooter. That might change because Augustin is coming on, but I'm confident Felton will still be better than Augustin at the end of the coming season.
What kind of statement do you make if you lose Felton for nothing? Let's review: They've traded Emeka Okafor and Adam Morrison. They chose not to re-sign Sean May.
I'm not suggesting they got nothing in return for Okafor or Morrison, but at some point must you not get long-term return from your lottery picks?
But forget all that. Here's the best reason to do what you must to retain Felton and Augustin:
Two is better than one, and that counts for more at key positions.
For all the ways the Carolina Panthers have screwed up, they had the foresight to draft running back Jonathan Stewart to back up DeAngelo Williams.
Running back is a position where people get hurt, and you're doomed if you don't have a reliable backup.
Point guard is a position where people get hurt, and you're absolutely doomed if you don't have a reliable backup.
