May 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Ramon Sessions (7) celebrates after scoring a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of game three of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats have finally made some moves in free agency.

Former Myrtle Beach High School star Ramon Sessions signed a two year deal with the Bobcats, probably worth around $4.4 million (the qualifying offer Charlotte rescinded from D.J. Augustin).  In 19 starts for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, Sessions scored 12.7 points, dished out 6.7 assists and grabbed 3.4 rebounds per game.

Augustin scored 11.1 points, dished 6.4 assists and grabbed 2.3 rebounds a game for Charlotte last year.

As a replacement, Sessions does have the better numbers, but it’s somewhat shocking the Bobcats didn’t try to work a sign and trade with a team that really needed a point guard. The Indiana Pacers nabbed Augustin off the market just one hour after he became an unrestricted free agent. Surely Charlotte could’ve got something back for him.

The Bobcats are still in desperate need of a proven player at the power forward spot and anyone who can play (true) center.

Charlotte’s number one option at center is Brendon Haywood who could be picked up off the waiver wire. The Mavs amnestied Haywoood, taking his remaining $35 million off their books (they still have to pay the remainder of that minus whatever the team that picks him up off the wire pays him). Teams under the cap have first dibs at amnestied players, and the Bobcats are expected to put in a serious bid for him.

Another amnestied player could be the guy Charlotte is looking for at PF. Elton Brand won’t be with the 76ers next season, because they’re going to use the one-time amnesty clause on him to clear cap space. The Bobcats will have serious competition with the Dallas Mavericks on this bid; The Mavs have had one of the worst off seasons of any team this year, and they’re in desperate need of proven players to surround Dirk Nowitzki.

The three other players the Bobcats are interested in at power forward are Antwan Jamison (who is deciding between signing for not so much money with a contender, taking more money to be part of a sign and trade that would send him to New Jersey, or taking the most money to play in his home town, Charlotte) and Kris Humphries (who’s probably going to end up in Brooklyn; The nets have reportedly offered Humphries a 3-year, $23 million deal while the Bobcats only offered a 3-year $22 million deal. The Nets are better, and offering more money… kind of a no-brainer).

The most likely PF candidate to end up in Charlotte is Jamison, but don’t count out his desire to get a ring when penciling him in as the Bobcats starting 4 next season. He’s seriously considering playing for the Lakers in 2013.

There could always be more wrinkles, twists, and turns thrown into this off season, but right now, those are the moves Charlotte is pushing.

May 23, 2012; Philadelphia, PA USA; Philadelphia 76ers power forward Elton Brand (42) reaches for rebound against Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (5) during the second quarter of game six of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE

A new free agent-ish PF has entered the mix for the Charlotte Bobcats. Elton Brand will be amnestied by the Philadelphia 76ers and people who follow the Bobcats and basketball for a living think they’ll bid on his services.

Source confirms Philly to use the amnesty clause on the final year of Elton Brand’s contract worth $18.1 million. Comes off the cap July 11.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 6, 2012

Bobcats will be one of those teams. RT @WojYahooNBA There will be significant interest with NBA teams to claim Brand off the amnesty wire.

— Spencer Percy (@QCsportscrave) July 6, 2012

A secondary waiver claim on Elton Brand (pay part of his guarantee) would be a bold move by the #Bobcats.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 6, 2012

A secondary waiver claim would be a bold move indeed, and, teams like the Bobcats who are under the salary cap, have first dibs on amnestied players.

Those teams will bid on Brand and he’ll go to the team with the highest bid… Unless he goes unclaimed, in which case he’ll become a free agent. I fully expect the Bobcats and Houston Rockets, among other teams, to be bidders, though.

The other guy who is 100 percent on the Bobcats wish list, free agent Antwan Jamison, is also in the mix for Golden State:

Jamison is intrigued by veteran role with Bobcats, but he works out in off-season with @StephenCurry30 and loves @warriors improving roster.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 6, 2012

Jamison is 36 and he put up some good numbers in Cleveland last season. He scored 17 points, grabbed 6.3 rebounds and dished out two assists per game.

Brand is 33 and he scored 11 points, grabbed 7.2 rebounds and blocked 1.6 shots per game last season with the 76ers. Brand was far and away the better defender of the two. He put up a defensive rating of 96 last season (10 points per 100 possessions better than Jamison).

No player can be claimed/signed until July 11, but Jamison and the Bobcats could reach an agreement before that time. No team is allowed to amnesty a player before the 11th, so no team can bid on a player before that time, either.