Bobcats strike out on Dunleavy, look to Reggie Williams, Al Thornton, and Kwame Brown

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/12/09/2837162/bobcats-to-open-training-in-flux.html

Mike Dunleavy and Al Thornton

The Bobcats made a pitch to Dunleavy's agent, Arn Tellem, that a source said would have paid Dunleavy about $3 million a season to be the backup at shooting guard and small forward.

Instead, Dunleavy accepted a higher financial offer from the Milwaukee Bucks that exceeds $7 million in total value.

Dunleavy would have addressed Bobcats coach Paul Silas' desire to improve the Bobcats' three-point shooting (second-worst in the NBA last season).

Bobcats management was exploring other options Thursday night, including possible trades. One option could be unrestricted free agent Al Thornton, who the Bobcats have looked into in the last week.

Al Thornton

Sean Deveney: Had heard that the Nuggets were in the Al Thornton market. That's cooled now. Most likely for Thornton: Charlotte and New Orleans.

Reggie Williams

Swingman Reggie Williams, a restricted free agent, will not be at camp when it starts Friday. Williams is expecting to be mulling over offer sheets instead. A league source said he is expecting at least two offer sheets right off the bat. Several teams have shown interest, including San Antonio, Orlando, Denver, Chicago and Charlotte. Contra Costa Times.

Marcus Thompson: Spurs, Bulls, Nuggets, Bobcats and Magic among teams that have shown interest in Reggie Williams.

Lang Greene: The Bobcats are targeting restricted FA Reggie Williams. Williams shot 42 percent from deep last year. Bobcats ranked 29th in NBA from three.

Agent Herb Rudoy says the Charlotte Bobcats have expressed interest in Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Reggie Williams, and Rudoy said that interest is mutual. Rudoy, based in Chicago, said the Bobcats are one of about a half-dozen NBA teams to have called about Williams, a restricted free agent who shot a remarkable 42.3 percent from 3-point range last season. Bobcats coach Paul Silas has requested another long-range shooter after the team finished 29th in the NBA last season in 3-point percentage. Charlotte Observer.

Kwame Brown

Agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed to the Observer today that center Kwame Brown met with Charlotte Bobcats management to discuss him re-signing here. Brown, an unrestricted free agent, finished last season as the Bobcats' starting center. As of now, Gana Diop, coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon, is the only true center under contract to the Bobcats. Charlotte Observer.

Brown’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Tuesday Brown does value his experience in Charlotte. But Bartelstein also cautioned there’s a business aspect, as in looking for the most compensation as an unrestricted free agent. Bartelstein indicated Tuesday that Brown’s decision should come in the next few days. The earliest free agents can sign with teams is Friday, the first day of training camp. Charlotte Observer.

Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas says Tuesday's meeting with free-agent center Kwame Brown went "great," as the Bobcats work to re-sign him. "He was adamant about trying to come here, that he really liked what we did for him last year," Silas described. "How positive we were with him, how we worked with him. He said nobody ever really worked with him as much as we did." Charlotte Observer.

NEW!!! It still seems there's a good chance the Bobcats will re-sign Kwame Brown. If they don't, they need a plan B -- Diop and Diaw as the two options in the middle could be quite problematic. Charlotte Observer.

Roster as of Right Now (10 Players)

Point Guard

1. D.J. Augustin

2. Kemba Walker (Draft Pick)

3. Will Blalock

Shooting Guard

1. Gerald Henderson

2. Matt Carroll

Small Forward

1. Corey Maggette

2. Derrick Brown

3. Ronald Dupree

4. Taylor Griffin

5. Ismail Muhammad

Power Forward

1. Tyrus Thomas

2. Boris Diaw

3. D.J. White

4. Eduardo Najera

Center

1. Bismack Biyombo (Draft Pick)

2. DeSagana Diop

Bobcats Free Agents

PG- Garrett Temple (UFA

SF- Dante Cunningham (RFA)

PF- Dominic McGuire (UFA)

C- Joel Przybilla (UFA)

C- Kwame Brown (UFA)

The Bobcats currently have five open roster spots.

[HeatCheck]

I want Reggie Williams. We need some scoring.

[d-run]

Kwame is a must, and he will be back.

Between Thornton and Williams, I hope we get Williams. I think Derrick Brown pretty much takes Thornton off the radar. I may be wrong, but they are both athletic forwards that can play the 3 and 4. We really need a solid 2/3 that can backup Hendo and Maggette. Plus we could obviously use his outside shooting.

[GritsRgreat]

Dam i wanted Dunleavy! :(

[d-run]

Did we give a qualifying offer to Cunningham before the lockout?

[HeatCheck]

Did we give a qualifying offer to Cunningham before the lockout?

Yeah I believe we did. Isn't he a RFA now?

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Did we give a qualifying offer to Cunningham before the lockout?

Yeah, he just hasn't signed it yet and his agent said he may not sign it. He will not be at camp this week.

What becomes of swing forward Dante Cunningham, a Bobcats restricted free agent? Cunningham resolved criminal charges in suburban Philadelphia, involving marijuana possession in the off-season. The Bobcats made a qualifying offer of about $1 million for this season that allows them the option to match any other team's offer.

Cunningham's agent, Joel Bell (also the U.S.-based agent for Biyombo) emailed the Observer Thursday night to say Cunningham won't be in Charlotte today to sign the qualifying offer. It's possible Cunningham could draw an offer sheet from another NBA team. The Bobcats would then have to make a quick decision on whether to match, or let Cunningham go elsewhere.

Until Cunningham signs the offer sheet, he is not considered apart of the roster.

[HeatCheck]

Until Cunningham signs the offer sheet, he is not considered apart of the roster.

But we are able to match any offer though.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

But we are able to match any offer though.

Yeah, I just don't think we will. I think the Brown signing has pretty much closed the door on Cunningham if he doesn't decide to take the offer on the table.

[HeatCheck]

Yeah, I just don't think we will. I think the Brown signing has pretty much closed the door on Cunningham if he doesn't decide to take the offer on the table.

Yeah, that may be true.

We need scorers, and he isn't one of them. We have enough 3/4 tweeners.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Yeah, that may be true.

We need scorers, and he isn't one of them. We have enough 3/4 tweeners.

There was a article that said we actually had a little space to fill out a roster with good role players. So I am a little baffled that there is not much news out there regarding the Bobcats. I guess they just get lost in all the talk around Paul, Howard, Lakers, Hornets, Knicks, Heat, etc...

[HeatCheck]

There was a article that said we actually had a little space to fill out a roster with good role players. So I am a little baffled that there is not much news out there regarding the Bobcats. I guess they just get lost in all the talk around Paul, Howard, Lakers, Hornets, Knicks, Heat, etc...

We probably don't want to be spending just to be spending though. That's what has got us in trouble in the past. We need to make smart moves money wise. We aren't going to make that big of a splash this year considering we aren't near playoff caliber.

I would like Reggie Williams though. And also we need to add a center, and as it looks Kwame is the only realistic option.

[Chaos]

As far as Kwame goes, wanting to explore the market for the "business" side of the deal. Have any other teams expressed an interest in him?

[HeatCheck]

As far as Kwame goes, wanting to explore the market for the "business" side of the deal. Have any other teams expressed an interest in him?

Yeah, I believe the Heat, Celtics, Raptors and Kings have an interest.