Bobcats Trade Rumors

Bobcats' Chandler leaves game with back spasms
"Between the back spasms early and the back-breakers late, this one was painful on several levels for the Charlotte Bobcats. Even with their starting center sidelined by back spasms and their starting power forward playing through a similar injury, the Bobcats were tough and skilled enough to beat the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday. They weren't smart or precise enough. So they lost their sixth straight overall, 86-84, at the Wachovia Center. For the record, the Sixers won it on a transition layup by Lou Williams with three seconds left. But it was the disorganization on the previous play, leading to a desperate, 20-foot miss by Boris Diaw, that did them in. The Bobcats (3-8) were coming out ..."
Raja Bell will undergo surgery on left wrist
"Warriors guard Raja Bell, who was acquired Monday from Charlotte in the Stephen Jackson trade, has decided to have surgery to repair the torn ligament in his left wrist, but he doesn't know how long he will be out. Depending on the severity of the tear, which can be determined only during surgery, he could be out a month or five months. Coach Don Nelson said the Warriors were aware that Bell could miss the season. Considering he's a free agent after this year, it may mean he never plays a game for the Warriors. "It's a good thing to get it taken care of," Nelson said before Tuesday's 114-108 loss at Cleveland. Bell said he made the decision days ago, before he got traded to the Warriors. ..."
Warriors trade disgruntled Stephen Jackson to Charlotte
"The Warriors found a home for the disgruntled swingman Stephen Jackson on Monday, sending him to the Charlotte Bobcats in a four-player deal. The Bobcats sent shooting guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Jackson and guard Acie Law. The deal gives Jackson his wish: a ticket out of town after his difficult relationship with Warriors coach Don Nelson, who acknowledged last week they had been trying to trade him. Jackson's agent, Mark Stevens, told ESPN.com his client is just glad to no longer be a part of the Warriors. "He's happy about the trade, delighted about the trade," said Stevens. "This is what he wanted, a new start, and this gives him a chance to ..."
Warriors ship Jackson to Bobcats
"STEPHEN JACKSON HAS fled the Warriors as part of a four-player trade Monday with the Charlotte Bobcats, who don't exactly evoke the championship criteria Jackson pleaded to join in the summer. Out goes Stack Jack and backup guard Acie Law. In comes Vladimir Radmanovic and Raja Bell. The Warriors are off to a 3-6 start. So are the Bobcats. Give it a year before Jackson is demanding a trade again. Give it a day or two or a few months before this backfires on the Warriors, simply because nothing ever goes right with that frustrating franchise. Getting rid of him was a must considering how vocally disgusted he was with the Warriors. The sooner the better that it took place. But the ..."
Warriors trade Jackson to Bobcats
"The Charlotte Bobcats have acquired disgruntled wing scorer Stephen Jackson from the Golden State Warriors in a package that will involve guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic, an NBA source conformed. Jackson, a 6'8" swingman, is currently in his 10th NBA season. The Bobcats will also acquire point guard Acie Law from the Warriors. Law was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks. Jackson figures to give an immediate bump to a Bobcats offense that is last in the league in both points scored and field goal percentage. Jackson had frequently requested a trade from the Warriors in a personality conflict with coach Don Nelson. The Warriors were under some pressure to get him out of ..."
Bell to start tonight
"Charlotte Bobcats guard Raja Bell will play and start tonight at home versus the New Jersey Nets, despite not having fully participated in a practice since tearing a ligament in his left wrist. Coach Larry Brown said he'll start Bell, but has no expectation as to how long Bell Will play. Bell has parttially participated in practices -- mostly non-contact shooting, passing and drills. He's yet to test how he'll impede players defensively with the injury. "It felt pretty good yesterday. We came in and worked out,'' Bell said. "I got some passes with the one hand to see if I could catch, and I threw some passes. It felt good. I said once I could do that, I'd give it a shot.''"
Brown: Bell could play as soon as Monday
"Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown says shooting guard Raja Bell could play as soon as Monday's home game against the New Jersey Nets. Bell has a torn ligament in his left wrist. As the days pass, he's using less and less wrapping to protect the injury. Now he's down to a neoprene strap that offers some protection but isn't as cumbersome as the heavy bandages he was using earlier in the week. Bell said at Friday-morning shootaround that he needs to go through a full practice, probably Sunday, to test what it will be like when his wrist is jostled while playing defense. He felt a significant twinge of pain Friday when he tried to make a reverse layup with his left hand."
Felton will play after taking 15 stitches
"As if the Charlotte Bobcats' 33-point season-opening loss at Boston Wednesday night wasn't bad enough, they had trouble getting away from it. The bus scheduled to take the Bobcats to the airport wouldn't start, forcing the team to wait an additional 45 minutes before they could leave the TD Garden and put some distance between themselves and their opening-night flop. "We deserved that," coach Larry Brown said Thursday afternoon. "That was God punishing us." Brown's approach was to put his players in a dark room and have them spend two hours watching tape of the Boston game, focusing on the mistakes that littered the screen. They saw the turnovers, the 31 percent field goal shooting, the ..."
Chandler's recovery ahead of schedule
"Tyson Chandler played 16 minutes in the Charlotte Bobcats' preseason victory against Milwaukee on Tuesday night and was "gassed" when it was over. It was a sweet feeling. "It was better than I expected," the 7-foot-1 center said of his return to court. Chandler is ahead of schedule in his recovery from spring surgery to repair ankle and toe problems that kept him out of 37 games with the New Orleans Hornets last season. Depending on how things go in a 10:30 a.m. exhibition against Memphis today at Time Warner Cable Arena and over the next few days, Chandler is hopeful of being close to ready when the Bobcats open the regular season Wednesday in Cleveland. Chandler is a critical component ..."
Bell may need surgery on torn wrist ligament
"Larry Brown is still trying to figure out not just what he has as the Charlotte Bobcats approach the start of the regular season next Wednesday but who he has. Brown and the Bobcats are still waiting to find out whether shooting guard Raja Bell will require surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist suffered Sunday in a loss to the Utah Jazz. Bell plans to seek a second opinion to determine whether he needs surgery, which could sideline him for four months. It's possible Bell can avoid surgery and be available for the Bobcats, who were counting on him in the relatively near future. "We still don't know what the right course of action is," Brown said after practice Wednesday. "Kobe ..."
NBA fines Brown, Bobcats
"Talk is cheap, but not so much for coach Larry Brown and the Charlotte Bobcats Wednesday. Brown and the franchise were each fined $60,000 by the NBA, regarding Brown's comments and actions this week. The first $35,000 of each fine was for Brown "verbally abusing" referees during Monday's preseason loss in Atlanta and for not leaving the court in a timely manner after being ejected. The additional $25,000 in each fine related to the NBA's perception that Brown publicly criticized officials after the game. Neither Brown nor Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins chose to comment on the NBA's decision. These fines come at a sensitive time for the league, which has employed replacement officials ..."
Bobcats Exercise Option On Augustin, Mull Over Ajinca
"The Bobcats exercised a $2.45million option on D.J. Augustin, weeks before the deadline, but are still undecided whether to guarantee a similar, $1.47million option on forward Alexis Ajinca. That speaks to the divergence of the situations: Not only did Augustin have a fine rookie season, he's the team's only protection at point guard should Raymond Felton leave after this season. Ajinca is still looking to prove he belongs in the rotation, and should get plenty of minutes during the preseason to display what he can or can't do at the start of his second season. The Bobcats have until Oct.31 – three games into the regular season – to decide on Ajinca's status."
Bobcats set to sign guard Murray
"The Charlotte Bobcats are finalizing a deal to sign guard Flip Murray, an NBA source confirmed Thursday night. Murray is a logical fit on coach Larry Brown's roster, since Brown prefers that his fifth guard be a point who can also play spot minutes at shooting guard. That likely made Murrary preferable to shooting guard Rashad McCants, who hoped to be a Bobcat but instead signed an unguaranteed one-year deal with the Houston Rockets. Murray played college ball for Shaw in Raleigh before being drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks. He's played seven seasons for six NBA franchises, most recently the Atlanta Hawks. He has a career scoring average of 9.9 points and shoots 42 ..."
Bobcats, Felton to Settle on 1-Year Deal
"Restricted free agency is only getting tougher, and Bobcats guard Raymond Felton is the latest to figure that out. After discussing a long-term deal last week, talks between Felton and Charlotte have broken down, and multiple sources now say that rather than continuing negotiations, Felton will simply sign the one-year, $5.5 million qualifying offer put forth by the Bobcats. That will allow Felton to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, putting another name into the already deep pool of 2010 free-agent players. In the meantime, Felton will look to boost his value with a good season. "Raymond is just ready to put the focus back on basketball," Felton's agent, Kevin Bradbury, said. ..."
May: Felton unsigned 'ridiculous'
"Sean May can't imagine why the Charlotte Bobcats have yet to sign ex-teammate Raymond Felton to a long-term contract. "I don't know what the numbers are - why they're so far apart - but personally I think it's kind of ridiculous that going a month into training camp he doesn't have a deal done," May said following Friday's North Carolina alumni game at the Smith Center. May and Felton were among 19 ex-Tar Heels who played to a sold-out house. May, a former Bobcats power forward, signed with the Sacramento Kings. Felton, the Bobcats' starting point guard, still hopes to work out a multi-year deal by the start of camp at the end of this month. "You go down the list: He plays every day. He ..."
No deal yet, but Iverson-to-Bobcats viable
"Dime Magazine's web site reports that Allen Iverson and the Bobcats already have agreed to terms on a contract that will be signed within a week. I'm told by a great source that's not true. However, that doesn't mean Iverson won't be a Bobcat. It sounds like there's a good chance that will happen. My source says definitively that Iverson's first choice is to play for Larry Brown again in Charlotte, and that there have been serious discussions about making that happen. However, there are complications. As Brown told me and ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, the team's payroll and roster both stand in the way. With the Bobcats inching toward the luxury-tax threshold, it's problematic to make Iverson ..."
Bobcats looking at Frenchman Pietrus' brother
"Bobcats coach Larry Brown confirmed a report in the French sports daily L'Equipe linking Florent Pietrus with the Bobcats. Forward Florent Pietrus, 6-foot-7, is the brother of Mickael Pietrus of the Orlando Magic. If they play at all alike, I can see why Brown would be interested; he loves strong, physical swingmen. Brown saw Pietrus with the French national team this summer while monitoring Bobcats Boris Diaw and Alexis Ajinca. "A lot of interest," Brown said when asked about Florent Pietrus. "But right now we're really focused on Raymond (Felton, the team's unsigned starting point guard). That affects everything else.""
Source: Bobcats on verge of Okafor trade
"A trade that will send center Emeka Okafor to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler might give the Charlotte Bobcats some salary-cap relief in a few years. But the more pressing question for the Bobcats - who according to a team source will officially announce the deal today - is whether they have become a tougher, more effective defensive team Chandler, 7-foot-1, might be a center who is more in the image of what coach Larry Brown prefers. But in Okafor - the team's first-ever draft choice in 2004 - the Bobcats are dealing a player who has played every game over the past two seasons and has better career averages in rebounds (10.7-9.0) and blocked shots (1.9-1.4) than Chandler. The ..."
Kings likely to sign forward May
"Sean May appears to be the frontcourt player the Kings have sought in the free-agent market this offseason. But hold that thought. A deal could take days or perhaps weeks to happen - if it doesn't fall through. But indications are that the fifth-year, 6-foot-9 forward will become a King with a one-year agreement worth the league minimum for veterans of $884,881. "There is strong interest on both sides, but nothing has been formalized," his agent, Bob Myers, said Friday. "Hopefully, we'll know soon.""
Agent: Felton meeting with Charlotte Bobcats didn't go well
"So much for positive vibes. Following a meeting in Las Vegas Tuesday night with Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins, point guard Raymond Felton's agent says the two sides are "pretty far apart" on a long-term contract. Agent Kevin Bradbury was hopeful Tuesday's meeting might get the two sides to an agreement. While Felton's first choice is still to remain a Bobcat, Bradbury will explore other options. Those could include Felton drawing an offer sheet from another team or signing a $5.5 million qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. "Nothing drastic," Bradbury said, when asked how he'd react. "But in the meantime, we'll be reviewing our ..."
Felton's agent feels good about contract
"Raymond Felton's agent, Kevin Bradbury, says he "absolutely'' thinks things are moving positively toward Felton re-signing with the Bobcats. Bradbury said he is scheduled to meet with Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins in Las Vegas Tuesday night."
Iverson's chance to lift up Bobcats
"I'd love to see the Bobcats sign Allen Iverson. He wouldn't start, of course. That's the problem. How does coach Larry Brown convince Iverson, who eight seasons ago was the league MVP and helped lead Brown's Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA Finals, he no longer is good enough to start? For the Bobcats? The elite are reluctant to acknowledge when their talents have eroded. They lose credibility and quickness, and their teams lose games. Yet when they look in the mirror, they see a superstar. How can the world not see it? Maybe Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan could explain the phenomenon. If so, I think the conversation would go something like this. Jordan: "It happens to everybody, ..."
Many possibilities for potential Boozer trade
"Should they explore a Carlos Boozer trade in the wake of the two-time All-Star forward's decision Tuesday to opt against free agency in favor of playing out the final year of his contract, the Jazz can expect to have several options. A Boozer trade is expected in some circles if the Jazz re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap, to avoid a lame-duck season in which Boozer would be expected to leave afterward while Millsap possibly would have to continue to come off the bench. To make it happen, though, the Jazz would have to find a team interested in adding a power forward in Boozer or a team trying to save on a long-term salary commitment and/or clear salary-cap space for the ..."
Free agents McDyess, Bass intrigue Bobcats
"Looking to address the Charlotte Bobcats' need for a backup power forward, general manager Rod Higgins has contacted agents for Antonio McDyess and Brandon Bass. McDyess, who played for the Detroit Pistons, and Bass, a Dallas Maverick, are both unrestricted free agents. Higgins said both discussions were preliminary, but he made it clear either one could fill a hole on the depth chart. "You look at our roster, and he makes a lot of sense," Higgins said of 6-foot-8 Bass, who played a total of four NBA seasons with the Hornets and Mavericks. "But he's going to have options, too.'' It's unclear how the Pistons' and Mavericks' situations might affect McDyess and Bass. The Pistons reportedly ..."
Options Abound? Bobcats GM says nothing is set as draft looms
"Two days before Thursday's 2009 NBA Draft, Charlotte Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins did his best to leave all options open for his team. Higgins wants to add another piece or pieces that will push coach Larry Brown's team closer to its goal of making the playoffs. Higgins also said he feels an obligation to keep the payroll of owners Bob Johnson and Michael Jordan below the luxury tax threshold. Also, Higgins said the team will tender a qualifying offer (of $5.5 million) to upcoming free agent Raymond Felton while it will not tender a qualifying offer (it would be $3.6 million) to free agent Sean May. Given that each of the teams' last two drafts have produced surprises, it would be ..."
Bilas: Take Williams over Henderson
"I respect that Jay Bilas isn't one of those "Be true to your school'' zealots. So I wasn't surprised Monday when he said he'd pick Louisville's Terrence Williams over Duke's Gerald Henderson. Bilas, an ESPN analyst who lives in Charlotte, once played for Duke. The Bobcats could be choosing between Henderson and Williams when they make the 12th pick Thursday night. Bilas said the call would be close, but that Williams has the more rounded game."
Dalembert to Bobcats?
"The latest rumors have the Sixers in talks with the Charlotte Bobcats, sending C Samuel Dalembert and the 17th overall pick in the Thursday's draft for F Vladimir Radmanovic, C Nazr Mohammad, and the 12th pick in the draft. Though I'd love to see Sammy go, this trade wouldn't help cap-wise, since both Radmanovic and Mohammad have another two years remaining on their deals. In actuality, the team would take on approximately $2 million more. In addition, the jump to 12 in the draft really doesn't seem to offer that much value, unless the team is really high on Ty Lawson and don't want to risk that they'll be able to nab him at 17."
Henderson or Williams - who's the pick?
"So which one do you want? The pure shooting guard with the untapped potential or the multi-position player who's also a ballhandler and passer? That's how Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown contrasts Duke's Gerald Henderson and Louisville's Terrence Williams. Those two were back in Charlotte Monday for a second workout before Thursday's draft. Each is well-suited to be the Bobcats' backup shooting guard. Each has potential to be a superior defender at the NBA level. Each is good enough to justify using the Bobcats' 12th pick. But they are different, as Brown described. "Gerald, in my mind, is a (pure) two…and I think he has more room'' to grow, Brown said. "He's not as far along in terms ..."
Henderson, Williams back for 2nd workout
"The Charlotte Bobcats have convincecd shooting guards Gerald Henderson and Terrence Williams to come in today for a combined second workout, one more strong indication how serious the Bobcats are about selecting one of them with the 12th pick."
Hansbrough in Charlotte Wednesday
"North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough told me at the Chicago NBA combine he didn't intend to work out for more than about eight teams. The Bobcats -- with the 12th overall pick -- are on his list. Hansbrough is among six players auditioning for the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena Wednesday. Others scheduled: N.C. State's Ben McCauley, Southern Cal's Taj Gibson, James Madison's Juwann James, St. Joseph's Ahmad Nivins, and Memphis' Shawn Taggart. Of those players Hansbrough would have the highest draft projection, although using the 12th pick on him might be a reach. He's generally ranked in the 18-25 span. Still, drafting a power foward with Hansbrough's motor and ability to get to the foul ..."
NBA Commissioner David Stern addresses sale of Bobcats, economy
"When NBA Commissioner David Stern gives his annual state of the league address before the start of the NBA Finals, it usually draws a packed room of eager ears. It did again prior to Game 1, and two of the Orlando Magic's top executive guns — President Bob Vander Weide and Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins — were both on hand to hear about where the league is headed during continuing tough financial times. Stern all but confirmed Thursday that another of the league's small-market franchises, the Charlotte Bobcats, would likely be up for sale soon. News has leaked in recent weeks that Bobcats majority owner Bob Johnson, who founded the team in 2004, was losing over $10 million annually ..."
Could former Pistons Iverson, Brown reunite?
"Former Piston Allen Iverson needs a team, and ex-Pistons coach Larry Brown needs a scorer. Just think, they could reunite. Seven years after his famous rant in Philadelphia during a feud with Brown over missing practice, Iverson is set to become unrestricted free agent. Brown is coaching the low-scoring Bobcats, and Iverson was recently spotted in Charlotte. It's fueled speculation Iverson, who had a difficult season in Detroit, could be paired with Brown again. Iverson's agent, Leon Rose , said his client would be willing to play for Brown again. "I love Allen," Brown said."
Bobcats must address depth
"This started with a call Monday from an NBA scout. For lack of a better description, this guy does quality-control for an Eastern Conference team. I ask him a lot about various players and so once a year he calls to ask for my review of the Charlotte Bobcats and, particularly, their free agents. The guy figures if I see these guys 70 or more games a season, I should have some sense of what they are, who they are and what they're worth. That got me thinking about the Bobcats' depth chart, their payroll and how they might proceed during an offseason that should lead to a first playoff spot. What started out as some scribbling on a legal pad led to - I hope - giving you a better picture of ..."
Felton wants to be back
"Ever since Raymond Felton became the Charlotte Bobcats' "point guard of the future" when he was the team's fifth overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft, he's been very emphatic about his goal of taking the team to the playoffs. Well, if Felton is to realize that goal with this franchise, he'll need to strike a contract deal with the franchise sometime this summer. Many players would greet such offseason uncertainty with anxiety. Not Felton. He's confident he'll be re-signed by the organization and be able to reach his own high goals for the soon-to-be six-year-old franchise. "I want to be here," said Felton, who will become a restricted free agent July 1. "They know that. We'll see what ..."
Bobcats may hold onto Felton
"The current Charlotte Bobcats management is 0-for-2, trying to snatch restricted free agents off other rosters via offer sheets. Sounds bad, but it might be good if that's any precedent. Because this summer the Bobcats could morph from predator to prey. Raymond Felton is available in July, and starting point guards are hard to find. First, a history lesson: The Bobcats tried to upgrade at power forward each of the past two seasons through offer sheets. They promised to pay Anderson Varejao $17.3 million over three seasons in December of 2007. They promised Carl Landry $9 million over three seasons in the summer of 2008. Nice gestures, but all the Bobcats did was lubricate the process for ..."
Luther Heading elsewhere
"Agent Mark Bartelstein just made it unofficially official: The Nets are out of the running for his client, Luther Head. And before you jump to conclusions, you should know this: It was only their inability to guarantee playing time that was the dealbreaker. And no, they didn't go cheap on you with a playoff berth at stake: "If we wanted to come, they were willing to pay," Bartelstein believes. But here's your basic bottom line: "They have a three-guard rotation right now that they're set with, and we want Luther to control his own destiny," the agent said of his free-agent client, who was waived by Houston Saturday. "So it's not going to be the Nets -- it's just not the right fit. It's ..."
Cavs free to spend if they choose
"As NBA front-office trade discussions centered on teams desperately trying to shed payroll Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the few franchises willing to bring on bigger talent and more salary, league executives said. After thus far failing to make a deal for Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire, the Cavaliers are trying to pry forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards, league sources said. The Cavaliers are offering Wally Szczerbiak and his $13 million expiring contract, sources said. The Wizards would have to add another player into the trade – possibly center Etan Thomas – to make the deal possible. So far, Washington wants no part of such a deal. Wizards executives aren’t ..."
Trade doesn't look likely before Thursday deadline
"Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown says the bar is high for making another trade before Thursday's deadline, and he doesn't anticipate one happening. "Michael (Jordan) said if we can get talent back, and maybe move some pieces that aren't playing a lot here, we would consider that," Brown said. "But I really don't anticipate that happening and I think we're all pretty happy with what we have to work with right now.""
Bobcats pondering what's next for Felton
"The obvious solution to the Raymond Felton situation is… Anyone completing that sentence with conviction is fooling himself. The thing that makes this so interesting is it's such a quandary. Each potential solution comes with a liability. Felton becomes a restricted free agent in July. As so often happens in contract years, Felton is performing the best he has as a pro. Against the Washington Wizards, in the Charlotte Bobcats' last game before the All-Star break, he nearly assembled a triple-double (15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, plus five steals). How can they afford to lose all that, plus the leadership Felton provides? Or maybe they can. The Bobcats used a lottery pick on ..."
Jordan: Bobcats want to keep Felton, but ...
"On Tuesday, Charlotte Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan held a conference call with Observer NBA writer Rick Bonnell and other media who regularly cover the team. It was clear in that interview that while Jordan values point guard Raymond Felton, it's no lock Felton will remain with the Bobcats beyond the Feb.19 trade deadline, because of his impending free agency. Jordan's responses (edited for clarity and brevity): Q: There's been so much talk about Raymond Felton this season. Where do things stand with him as far as dealing with the fact he's going to be a restricted free agent? No decision has been made. A lot of (teams) have called about Raymond. Our intention is to try to ..."
Sources: Bobcats, Pacers talk trade
"The Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Bobcats have engaged in serious discussions on a multiplayer trade centered around point guards Jamaal Tinsley and Raymond Felton, multiple sources told ESPN.com Tuesday. The discussions between the teams have been ongoing for weeks, though the parameters and pieces have continually changed. If the deal comes to fruition, the sources said, it would likely include Tinsley, Jeff Foster and a third player (Brandon Rush, Stephen Graham, Marquis Daniels) going to the Bobcats for Felton, Nazr Mohammed and Sean May. One source said there was only one team other than the Bobcats interested in Tinsley, who has been told to stay away from the Pacers since the start ..."
Extreme makeover? Bobcats not done
"This isn’t over. If you think the Bobcats are done, trying to make over their team, then you don’t understand Larry Brown’s compulsion or Michael Jordan’s zeal. I’m not saying they definitely make another deal in the 12 days remaining until the NBA trade deadline. They’ve already made three trades that make this roster so different, you wouldn’t recognize it if you were in Wilmington for training camp. I am saying they’re still looking, probing, checking. The roster is in flux right now because, if healthy, they’re already talented enough to make the Eastern Conference playoffs. Won’t happen for two reasons: They didn’t start the season with this group and now, because of injuries to ..."
Augustin targets Friday for return
"It says something that point guard Raymond Felton - a guy who never seems to tire of playing basketball - is ready to play a little less basketball. That was Felton's reaction to D.J. Augustin practicing Wednesday for the first time in nearly a month. "I've averaged 40-plus minutes for the last 15 or so games," Felton said. "I love being on the court, but sometimes fatigue sets in." Certainly that was true on a five-game trip, when Felton played 53 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers and 44 against the Utah Jazz. Augustin said he felt no pain in the abdominal strain he suffered Jan. 10 against the Washington Wizards. If that's the case in today's practice as well, the plan is for him to ..."
Don't buy that house just yet
"One month before the NBA trade deadline, there has been plenty of talk but little action. That could change before Feb. 19. In a year when six head coaches were fired during the first two months of the regular season, some believe management will be just as impatient with unproductive and/or high-priced players, whose performance has done nothing for their team's won-loss record and whose salary limits future roster flexibility. Call it a sign of these economically-depressed times. Charlotte point guard Raymond Felton is a likely target of several suitors. Felton was the No. 5 pick in the 2005 draft, taken just behind Utah's Deron Williams and New Orleans' Chris Paul. While he is not ..."
Dallas Mavericks make trade for 3-point shooter
"The Dallas Mavericks have added another shooting guard to their stable after trading backup center DeSagana Diop for Charlotte Bobcats guard Matt Carroll and young backup center Ryan Hollins on Friday. This comes after last week's failed three-way bid to land Bobcats point guard Raymond Felton for Diop, who, in the span of 11 months, was traded by the Mavs in February, signed as a free agent in July to a five-year, $32 million contract, and traded again Friday. Carroll, a 40.3 percent career 3-point shooter, has had trouble finding minutes under new Bobcats coach Larry Brown. He's averaging 4.1 points in 14.0 minutes a game, but has started 10 games this season. He's shooting 40.6 percent ..."
Addition of veterans invigorates Bobcats
"Whenever Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown gets a bit too high or a bit too low, he remembers his debut with this team. That was in Orlando, and 40-9 was the deficit to the Magic in their first preseason exhibition. That showed how young this team was and how confused it was by all that Brown threw at the players intellectually. Change had to happen; some of it from within and some of it by shaking up the roster. And while they're still not a playoff team, they're dramatically closer to that status of late. After 39 games - two short of the technical midpoint - the Bobcats have the same 15-24 record as last season. However, there has been a clear uptick since their Dec.10 trade. The ..."