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

But, there is still some news and opinion floating out there not created by Roberto Gato, so lets dig into it.

Brendan Haywood thinks he and Ramon Sessions can be a big part in turning around the Bobcats fortunes:

”Myself and Ramon will be great additions to this team,” Haywood said. ”We’re looking forward to getting this thing started and help this team be better than it was last season.” 

Kemba Walker says he’s ready to start, but also says he’ll do whatever it takes to win games:

“Yeah, definitely,” Walker told HOOPSWORLD on if he plans on being the Bobcats’ starter at the point next season. “Why not? I feel like I should start but at the same time whatever happens, happens. I just want to win games and I’m ready to do whatever’s possible to do that.”

The Bobcats are letting fans vote on who wore the best attire in the Lady Cats auditions. All you have to do to pick a winner is click here.

Finally, and this doesn’t have anything to do with basketball, the Bobcats home is being turned into the home for the Democratic National Convention, and the Charlotte Observer is asking some pretty good questions about the situation.

And while much has already been done to prepare for the early September arrival of 35,000 people – delegates, journalists, protesters, celebrities and others – several key challenges remain for organizers.

Apr 18, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood (33) warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets 117-110. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats have claimed center Brendan Haywood off waivers.

Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks used their one time amnesty clause on Haywood, who scored 5.2 points and grabbed six rebounds in 22 minutes a game last season.

The 7’0″ North Carolina native finished 2012 with a 101 defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) and ended the year with a .114 win-share-per-48 (estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player per 48 minutes), good for 14 points above the league average.

Haywood isn’t going to give the Bobcats an inside scoring threat, but he will give them a presence in the middle that they sorely lacked last year. He’s a good defender and has a career per-36 rebounding average of 9.4.

The Bobcats are still looking to solidify the PF spot on their roster. They have three players on their radar right now: Luis Scola, who was recently amnestied by the Rockets, Antwan Jamison who is deciding whether to take less money to play for a contender or more money to play for his home town team, and Carl Landry, who is an unrestricted free agent.

If Charlotte can land one of those three guys, at the very least, they will field a competitive roster next season.

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.