Adam Morrison didn't show up to practice dressed as a knight in shining armor, but he might as well have. The rookie off-guard out of Gonzaga should give the Charlotte Bobcats a desperately needed outside shooting threat.
The floppy-haired gunner who reminds some of Larry Bird entering the NBA averaged 28.1 points a game his senior season. He is seemingly a perfect fit for the poorest-shooting team in the league a year ago.
Odds are this bunch team isn't ready to hit .500 or qualify for the playoffs, but a 35-win season is a strong possibility if talented power forward Emeka Okafor stays healthy and forward Gerald Wallace and point guard Raymond Felton continue their progress. Primoz Brezec certainly doesn't embarrass himself in the middle. Though the Bobcats could use a stronger presence at center, they're certainly not alone.
The third-year Bobcats might feel compelled to still use expansion team status as an excuse, but there's too much talent here.
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Key Additions: Morrison, F/C Othella Harrington
Key Subtractions: F Jumaine Jones
Player to watch: Okafor was sidlined most of last season, which definitely impeded both his and the team's maturation. He must remain healthy for the Bobcats to continue their growth as a viable playoff contender, which is realistically a year away. A tremendous rebounder who has consistently averaged in double figures in that category, Okafor is also a talented, but unselfish, close-in scorer. He doesn't have much range, and his shooting percentage did slip considerably last season. His style of play should result in nearly 50 percent shooting, but he hasn't approached that in his first two seasons. A front line of Okafor, Wallace and Brezec with an excellent rebounder in Morrison at the shooting guard spot should handle the boards quite well. But Okafor is the key.
Outlook: If Morrison makes an immediate impact, Felton and Wallace continue to progress and Okafor remains healthy, odds are the Bobcats will make a least a token run at the playoffs. Felton averaraged nearly 17 points and seven assists a game in the second half of the 2005-06 season, and one would be hard-pressed to find a more solid backup point guard than Brevin Knight. Don't bet on this team being ready to challenge Miami or Washington in the Southeast Division, but the Bobcats could set their sights on Orlando if everything breaks their way. The Bobcats finished last year on a four-game winning streak. Such momentum rarely carries over to the next season, but the mini-tear did give indications that they're primed to take the next step to respectability.
