While most of us expected them to (which in their case meant stay the course), the Charlotte Bobcats are not playing the organizational tanking, the “riggin’ for Wiggins” game this year.
Make no mistake, the Bobcats are not going to be good, they are lottery bound, but this past summer went out and paid big money for Al Jefferson to make themselves better. This year’s Bobcats (soon to be Hornets) are better than a year ago by a long shot.
It seemed an odd time for the Bobcats to land the biggest free agent in franchise history — they got better in the year that is supposed to be the best, deepest draft in a decade. Most thought Charlotte would be in the Wiggins chase as well.
The reason they are not all in on that plan is owner Michael Jordan doesn’t believe in tanking for picks, he told the Associated Press.“I don’t know if some teams have thought of that. That’s not something that we would do. I don’t believe in that.”
He then laughed heartily and said, “If that was my intention I never would have paid (free agent) Al Jefferson $13 million a year.”
Just so you know MJ, other teams have thought of that — not only is it pretty obvious by their actions in places such as Philadelphia and Phoenix, there is a GM that anonymously told ESPN this was his plan.
Charlotte is not as far out of that mix as you might think — Jefferson and the growth of players such as Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gillchrist should improve the Bobcats by 10-13 games (their defense will still be terrible, holding them back). If they do improve by 13 games, that is still just 34 wins and a ticket to the lottery. Not as big a ticket, not as many chances, but they will get chances.
And in this deep draft, if they are in the Top 10 they should get a player that will really help them.