The Charlotte Bobcats recently agreed on a trade that sent guard Jason Richardson to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for forward Boris Diaw and guard Raja Bell. The deal also included the Cats sending a 2010 second-round pick and forward Jared Dudley to the Suns while getting back guard Sean Singletary from Phoenix.
The Jason Richardson experiment in Charlotte didn't last very long. The 27-year-old Michigan State product played in just 96 games for the Bobcats after being acquired in a draft day deal with the Golden State Warriors in June 2007. Richardson was brought in to help the club become more relevant, but the Bobcats managed a mere 32 wins last season and found themselves in the lottery yet again. Richardson did lead the team in scoring in 2007-08, averaging nearly 22 points per game, but he's probably better suited to play second fiddle to a true superstar.
It seems that it became clear to the Bobcats that they needed more than just one player to help shore things up in Charlotte. The team has been desperate for a frontcourt player to pair with Emeka Okafor, as former lottery pick Sean May has either been injured or out of shape for the last year. Diaw seems to fit the bill here, though he must be used correctly and has had his own conditioning question marks in the past.
Bell should come in and start right away for the Bobcats; he's the type of defensive-minded veteran that coach Larry Brown loves. Bell has slipped noticeably this season, but he can still defend and knock down shots. Singletary is a nice project point guard, who could develop into a solid player. His arrival could signal the end of the Raymond Felton era in Charlotte, as it's been reported that Brown is itching to ship the former Tar Heel out of town to free up more playing time for rookie D.J. Augustin. Augustin's play has been improving as of late and it's been rumored that he was handpicked by Brown in this year's draft.
Let's assume that, moving forward, the Bobcats starting lineup will be Augustin, Bell, Gerald Wallace, Diaw and Okafor. It's solid, but not great. Augustin has the chance to be a good floor general, but his size is always going to hinder him. Bell is a solid starting two guard right now, but he looks to be on the decline. Wallace is the best player on the team, an average defender and a solid offensive threat. Diaw is skilled and possesses above average passing skills for a frontcourt player, but, again, he must be used correctly to be effective; just ask the Atlanta Hawks. Okafor is more of a power forward, but he can play center and provide toughness and rebounding.
Is this a playoff starting five? Probably not, but it does make their lineup more well-rounded and gives Brown two quality perimeter defenders to work with in Wallace and Bell. Jason Richardson's highlight dunks may have sold a lot of Charlotte Bobcats tickets, but this team has the opportunity to become a more cohesive unit than it did with Richardson, which is more suitable for winning basketball games.
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