May 19, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (0) guards Los Angeles Lakers point guard Ramon Sessions (7) in the second half of game four in the Western Conference semi finals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center. Thunder won 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Since there’s really no “must have” free agent left on the market, I feel like it’s finally OK to grade the Charlotte Bobcats off season.

It all started with a trade that I, nor anyone really, never saw coming. Corey Maggette, coming off a terrible, injury plagued season, for Ben Gordon AND a future first round draft pick. Gordon can still shoot, he can still score, and he’ll likely be asked to do it coming off the bench, so his age isn’t really a problem for Charlotte.

Then there was the trade that never happened. Everyone, including me, thought Charlotte was going to deal the second pick in the draft for something… anything, really. The Cavs #4 and 24, the outside shot at James Harden, and all the other rumors thrown around were viable deals. Instead, Charlotte held pat, and made their pick.

TRADES: A

After deciding to keep their pick, Charlotte drafted Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a great defender with the skills to become a potent slasher and deadly finisher in transition on offense. Then, they picked Jeffrey Taylor, who I was calling a steal even before the draft started. Taylor might have been the third best defender in the draft behind Anthony Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist. He’s also become a very good shooter, he has a solid all-around game, and he can play two positions on offense and guard four positions on defense.

Some people think you should always draft talent, and others say you should draft need. Charlotte did both this year.

DRAFT: A+

After the draft, all attention turned to free agency. The Bobcats let D.J. Augustin and D.J. White walk, and they brought in Ramon Sessions and Brendan Haywood. Combined with Gordon, Kidd-Gilchrist and Taylor, those two additions almost solidified a two-deep rotation.

Although Sessions will most likely be a back-up to Kemba Walker, the Myrtle Beach graduate will see plenty of time, and he adds height to Charlotte’s historically short back-court. Haywood is the Bobcats starter at center.

To me, though, this free agent period was about who Charlotte failed to land. They had their eyes on plenty of very good power forwards and couldn’t get a single one of them.

Antwan Jamison chose the Lakers over them, the ‘Cats couldn’t land J.J. Hickson, Carl Landry signed with the Warriors and the team either failed to bid on or didn’t bid enough for Elton Brand or Luis Scola.

Since they could’ve filled all their needs through free agency and didn’t, I have to grade them as above average.

FREE AGENCY: C+

Overall, the Bobcats almost built a completely new roster. They have new faces at every position… except power forward. The position will probably be a platoon between several players, including Tyrus Thomas (blehhh), Byron Mullens (love him off the bench, throw up when he’s in the starting lineup) and even Bismack Biyombo (really think he needs to stay at the center position).

Charlotte would not have been a playoff contender if they landed any of those free agents, but they would have been much more competitive heading into the season. It would’ve been nice to know that they were doing all they could to revamp the roster at every position after a 2012 season that many pundits say the ‘Cats tanked.

If they would’ve landed anyone better than the three guys they already have at power forward, I would’ve given the Charlotte Bobcats an A for their work this off season. Instead:

Overall: B

What the hell's goin on here! We got who? What? No Dwight? Mo' Dwight?. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

After saying he couldn’t see himself in a Lakers jersey, Steve Nash is now their point guard.

After saying they’d match any offer for Jeremy Lin up to “$1 billion”, the Knicks will probably let Linsanity flow out of Houston.

It is “highly doubtful” NY will match Jeremy Lin’s offer sheet with HOU, source tells Y! Sports. NY likely to wait 3 days before declining.

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 15, 2012

Dwight Howard trades to LA, Houston and Brooklyn have been “imminent” a dozen times, Ray Allen is on the Heat and Landry Fields got $20 million to play in Toronto.

With Nets out of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes, Rockets have emerged as the front runners.

— Legion Sports (@MySportsLegion) July 12, 2012

The 76ers waived Elton Brand and let Lou Williams walk to Atlanta. Speaking of the Hawks, they did the unthinkable and managed to find a team willing to take on Joe Johnson’s contract; The Nets.

The Charlotte Bobcats got a first round draft pick AND Ben Gordon out of Corey Maggette from the Pistons.

Eric Gordon spoke glowingly about Phoenix after receiving a max contract from the Suns only to have New Orleans match it.

Eric Gordon: “There is always a business element to the NBA when dealing with contracts but I never lost my appreciation for the NOLA fans.”

— Doug Mouton (@DMoutonWWL) July 14, 2012

Kyrie Irving broke his hand slapping a wall (and called out Kobe Byrant) and Blake Griffin hurt his knee with team USA.

Cavs’ Kyrie Irving breaks hand slapping wall padding. espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id…

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 15, 2012

And that’s not everything that went down.

Holy crap.

This summer has been far from slow for the NBA, after last summer ceased to exist.

It has to be a given that the upcoming season will be just as wild, right?

Apr 8, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Antwan Jamison (4) puts up a layup during the first half against the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-US PRESSWIRE

One of the surprise teams on restricted free agent Eric Gordon’s list of possible destinations was the Charlotte Bobcats.

Now it seems like that list is down to just one team; The Phoenix Suns.

BUT…Gordon going hard with public comments that he’d rather be in Phoenix than NO, says in a statement given to … sulia.com/my_thoughts/03…

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 4, 2012

New Orleans is reportedly going to match the Suns max offer, and Gordon would be forced to play in New Orleans again next season.

The first player with a legitimate chance to sign with the Charlotte Bobcats is going to have dinner with team officials according to a tweet from beat writer, Rick Bonnell.

A source close to the situation confirms Antawn Jamison will have dinner with #Bobcats execs in Charlotte Thursday.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 3, 2012

Jamison isn’t the guy fans wanted to see Charlotte target at power forward, but he is someone the Bobcats feel comfortable with giving a short deal to. Charlotte management has expressed their desire to sign a veteran guy that can still play this off season, and Jamison fits that description, and helps fill a gaping hole in the paint at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Outside of the world of free agency, Charlotte has apparently interviewed UNLV assistant (and former Charlotte Hornet) Stacey Augmon for the Bobcats assistant coach vacancy.

Other than that, the Charlotte Bobcats have been one of the more quite teams in the early days of this free agent frenzy, despite the amount of money they have to spend.

Still, once some of the bigger peices start to fall (Williams, Nash, Illyasova, etc), expect Charlotte to get right in the thick of things.

April 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons shooting guard Ben Gordon (8) during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

An ESPN report says Ben Gordon will not be on Britain’s Olympic squad after failing to meet with the team during its US training camp.

Britain’s coach Chris Spice was all in a funk after hearing that Gordon wouldn’t be playing for him:

“It’s really disappointing as he’s a world-class player who would have made a huge difference.”

Gordon is the second Bobcat to be nixed from Britain’s roster; Byron Mullens would’ve likely made the team if it wasn’t for a nagging ankle injury.

Mullens, Gordon and Chicago All Star Luol Deng would’ve given the Olympics’ host nation three NBA players to work with. Instead, Britain, who didn’t qualify for the summer games, but is allowed to play because of its host nation status, will have just Deng.

April 26, 2012; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons shooting guard Ben Gordon (8) moves the ball in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at The Palace. Detroit won 108-86. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats have apparently agreed to trade Corey Maggette to the Detroit Pistons for Ben Gordon and a protected 2013 draft pick.

Gordon gives the Bobcats a shooter, which Mike Dunlap is looking for, and Magette (and his expiring contract) give the Pistons some much needed salary relief.

According to ESPN, The pick being sent to Charlotte is lottery protected in 2013, top eight protected in 2014, top one protected in 2015 and unprotected in 2016.

Rich Cho likes to stockpile draft picks, so a move like this shouldn’t be surprising… except the move everyone thought Charlotte would make was a pick swap with the Cleveland Cavs.

There hasn’t been much movement on that front, and it’s still a strong possibility, but this is a move that makes Charlotte immediately better:

Gordon is a career 40 percent three-point shooter, he scored 16.7 points per 36 minutes last year and he’s a better passer and defender than Maggette.

Gordon has two years and just over 25 million dollars left on his contract.