Apr 14, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Hornets mascot Hugo watches the video board displaying highlights of the Hornets history support following a loss to the Dallas Mavericks at the New Orleans Arena. The Mavericks defeated the Hornets 107-89. The game was the final home game for the Hornets franchise as they will be rebranded as the New Orleans Pelicans starting next season. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Have the Charlotte Bobcats ever connected with the Queen City, let alone NBA fans? Sure there’s a sizeable group of Bobcats fans who’ve been loyal through the most-recent rebuilding saga. But when the Bobcats clinched the franchise’s first playoff birth, Charlotte remained in the bottom third of NBA attendance. The Bobcats attendance has never ranked higher.

The Bobcats name isn’t a reason for low-attendance numbers, underachieving talent and poor merchandise sales. Unless of course one believes the clothes make the man, rather than vice versa. Since basketball returned to Charlotte, the organization has never built a foundation for fans to get behind, nor have they had the fortune of acquiring a superstar talent. How different would things be if the Bobcats won the Draft Lottery in 2004 and selected Dwight Howard? Would the name still be an issue?

When the Seattle Super Sonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder, the name was not viewed with unanimous approval by NBA fans. However, the rise of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook created a brand in Oklahoma City that made the Thunder name stick like bubble-yum. As of April 2012 the Thunder ranked Top-10 in NBA merchandise sales and are one of the league’s must-see teams year-round.

A return to the Hornets would bring back all sorts of nostalgia. The old Charlotte Coliseum, better known as the Hive,  was one of the NBA’s loudest environments. It featured a Hornets team that played an exciting style of basketball and the Hornets were consistently a playoff team during their best years. Since their expansion in 2004, the Bobcats have yet to bask in that ambience. It’s not the fault of Rufus, but it is the reality of what eight losing seasons in nine years of existence can do. There’s a losing culture attached to the Bobcats name, but it’s hardly permanent.

Since purchasing the franchise years ago, there’s always been rumors that Michael Jordan wanted a different name. Understandably so, since the Bobcats were named after ex-owner Robert “Bob” Johnson. The Hornets name always sounded better with Charlotte and the hope would likely be that bringing the Hive back would inspire more fans to support the team. As someone who went to a lot of Hornets game at the Coliseum, it would be fantastic to have a chance to recreate the feeling from the 90′s. Regardless, Charlotte can win as the Bobcats. They can win with any name they choose. The rebuilding effort under Michael Jordan has given hope to fixing the things that went wrong in past years.

If bringing the purple and teal back to Charlotte will represent a much needed new start in the franchise’s history, I’m all for it.

April 16, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson (15) jumps to pass the ball as he is defended by New Orleans Hornets forward Al-Farouq Aminu (0) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 75-67. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats preseason schedule has been released, and it features two home games that won’t be played in Charlotte.

The ‘Cats will take on Miami in Raleigh at PNC Arena in Raleigh NC, and they’ll face New Orleans at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston SC.

They open the preseason at home against Washington at 1pm on Oct. 7, then head to New Orleans for an 8pm matchup with the Hornets Oct. 9. They face ‘Nola in Charleston at 7:30 on the 11th, the Thunder in OKC at 8pm the 16th, and the Pistons in Detroit at 7:30 on the 20th. The Bobcats round out their preseason schedule with that game in Raleigh against Miami on the 23rd at 7pm, a home game against Milwaukee on the 25th at 11am and a trip to Dallas to play the Mavs at 8:30pm on the 26th.

It’ll be interesting to see Michael Kidd-Gilchrist go up against Anthony Davis in back-to-back games, and with a decently difficult schedule, fans will get an early look at how good, or bad, their Bobcats might be in 2012/13.

Apr 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon (10) shoots the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. The Clippers defeated the Hornets 107-98. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats aren’t expected to make any huge, blockbuster type moves this off season, but reports are surfacing that even though the Hornets are expected to match any offer Eric Gordon receives, he could be interested in taking his talents elsewhere.

Gordon wants a max contract (four years, 58 million dollars) and he’s scheduled meetings with the Pacers, Rockets and Suns, and Real GM says meetings could be scheduled with the Bobcats, Mavericks and Trail Blazers soon.

Gordon has averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds for his career. He’s also a career 45 percent shooter and 37 percent three-point shooter.

Even though the Bobcats are on this list of possible teams to meet with, there’s not a real chance he’s going to sign with them.

A max deal for a guy who hasn’t played a complete season since he joined the league probably isn’t something GM Rich Cho would feel safe with.

And, going to a team that just completed the worst season in league history probably isn’t something Gordon would feel safe with.

February 4, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards small forward Rashard Lewis (9) dribbles the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

I saw this tweet about the recently traded Rashard Lewis a few minutes ago:

Rashard Lewis to be waived teams interested in him Magic, Lakers, Clippers, Bobcats, Nets, T-Wolves, & Heat-DeRozan

— NBA NewsRumors (@NBA_NewsRumors) June 21, 2012

I’m not sure how accurate the rumor is, but if it’s true, I don’t see any problem with the Bobcats picking up Lewis… On the cheap.

Sure, the Bobcats could pick him up before he clears waivers Friday, but then they’d be on the hook for the rest of his massive contract.

Lewis would probably rather play for all of those other teams that tweet mentioned, but who knows how much any of them will offer him.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens if he actually does get waived, and if the Bobcats actually make a move for him.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA Charlotte Bobcats dance teams performs during a timeout during the second half against the New York Knicks. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats have officially changed their uniforms in time for next season.

Gone (for the most part) is the orange color that had dominated Charlotte’s jerseys for years. Gone (entirely) is the “Bob”.

The Bobcats’ home jerseys are all white, with “Cats” running across the chest in navy blue and the jersey number under the “S” in Carolina blue. a navy blue accent with orange trim runs down the side of the jersey.

Their road jerseys are all navy blue, with “Charlotte” running across the chest and the jersey number under the “tte” in white. A Carolina blue accent with orange trim runs down the side of this jersey.

For a slideshow of the new jerseys, click this link.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the team said this move had nothing to do with symbolizing the ownership change from Bob Johnson to Michael Jordan.

The paper also said the team is willing to change jerseys in the future, and even change the team’s name, depending on things like how the change would lead to “improved ticket and merchandise sales and marketing.”

A recent comment on BringBackTheBuzz.wordpress.com (a group dedicated to bringing the Hornets likeness back to Charlotte) from “Parks Neilson” had this sentiment in it: “Looks like they are just trying to get Bob Johnson’s association with the team removed… I don’t really think the current management really understands the passion that exists for our Hornets, but I am sure MJ remembers.”

It seems like that’s a common thought shared amongst former Hornets and current Bobcats fans, and if the team will only change its name if it leads to improved ticket and merchandise sales and marketing, bringing back the Hornets to Charlotte seems like the right thing to do.

Mar 23, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Anthony Davis (23) brings the ball up the court against the Indiana Hoosiers in the semi-finals of the south region of the 2012 NCAA men

Horran Cameron and I took some time to look at each possible pick of the first round in this year’s NBA draft and hit the interwebs with a little 2-on-2 action. Without further adieu here are our picks for Roberto Gato’s 2012 NBA Mock Draft.

1. New Orleans

(Horran) Anthony Davis: He is clearly the best player in the draft. I view him as an energetic player, a la Dennis Rodman. Davis is known for his defense. He is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker.

(Bryan) Anthony Davis: There’s really no possible scenario that ends up with the Hornets not taking Davis. The kid is a monster. He’s a beast. He will become great. He was a legendary college defender with a better offensive game than people give him credit for.

2. Charlotte 

(Horran) Harrison Barnes: At 6’8”, 215 lbs., Harrison has the perfect size and skill set to play the 2 or 3 in the NBA. Many people criticize his dribbling, which needs improvement. However, Harrison has the makings of a star player. He has experience taking the game-winning shot while playing at UNC. In addition, he is level-headed and not a distraction off the court.

(Bryan) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: As far as instant impact, you can’t go wrong with Kidd-Gilchrist. And that’s what Charlotte needs… Instant impact. In college his offensive rating (points produced per 100 possessions) was 115, his defensive rating (points produced allowed per 100 possessions) was 91 and he averaged 7.1 rebounds per game. Bradley Beal, Harrison Barnes and Thomas Robinson are nice players, but I don’t think any of them are better than Kidd-Gilchrist right now.

3. Washington

(Horran) Bradley Beal: Beal is an athletic shooting guard, who has earned a big reputation leading up to the draft. In my opinion, I feel that critics are comparing Beal to Westbrook, labeling him as the next best thing. I don’t think Beal will be the starting shooting guard over Jordan Crawford, but I do think that Beal will play significant minutes and average between 12 to 15 points a game.

(Bryan) Harrison Barnes: The Wizards need help in almost as many spots as Charlotte, but they really need a scoring punch from the wing position. Barnes will provide that. The biggest question surrounding Barnes is some incarnation of: “Will he ever be better than he is right now?” He’s a young guy, so the answer is probably “yes”, but how much better he can be is a whole different question.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

(Horran) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: This guy is an athletic freak. He is a jack of all trades, but he is a master on defense. His rebounding is exceptional for someone his size. I view MKG as the second coming of Shawn Marion. I expect MKG to guard the opposing team’s best offensive player. Although he is not an excellent shooter, he has the ability to out-hustle anyone on the court. His intensity and athleticism will be a great complement to Kyrie Irving.

(Bryan) Bradley Beal: This team needs a shooting guard. Even though Beal might be a little undersized (despite what the Florida athletic department wants you to believe), he’s still got the potential to become a solid NBA 2-guard. Pairing him with Irving and Tristan Thompson seems like a no-brainer.

5. Sacramento

(Horran) Thomas Robinson: T-Rob may not start, but he will be a solid 6^th man or 7^th player off the bench. The Kings’ backup power forward is Chuck Hayes, who is 6’6” 240. T-Rob has the size to play power forward. Playing along with DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson will help T-Rob develop his low-post game at the NBA level. This pick could possibly be traded.

(Bryan) Thomas Robinson: The Kings might look a little too stacked at the PF spot if they draft Robinson, but how can they pass up pairing him with Cousins? In a few years a Cousins/Robinson tag team at C/PF is going to look mighty scary.

6. Portland

(Horran) Kendall Marshall: Portland needs a floor general. Kendall was the best point guard in the nation last season. He is also the best point guard in the draft. He is a pass-first point guard, who shoots when he needs to. His passing skills will automatically boost LaMarcus Aldridge’s points per game average. Nicolas Batum is poised to have a breakout season, with Kendall as his point guard. Throw in Wesley Matthews and Marcus Camby, and the Blazers are the next big thing.

(Bryan) Kendal Marshall: I don’t necessarily think this is who they’ll take, but it’s who they should take. Marshall was the best point guard in college basketball last year (all things considered, like conference, level of competition, etc.), and as Horran said, Portland NEEDS someone to run that team on the floor.

7. Golden State

(Horran) Tyler Zeller: Golden State needs a center. Zeller has the size, but his agility at as a center will be a great asset for the run and gun offense that Golden State uses. In addition, I see a lot of pick and roll between Tyler Zeller and Stephen Curry.

(Bryan) Andre Drummond: He’s only 6’10″, but he’s strong enough to play center in the NBA. He’s a little raw (horrible, overused draft cliche, I know), but with a little work, he could become a very good player.

8. Toronto

(Horran) Moe Harkless: Harkless gives Toronto a legitimate small forward, but DeMar DeRozan would have to move to the shooting guard position. This could give Toronto a solid one-two punch at the 2 and 3. However, I could see Toronto going after a point guard here, also.

(Bryan) Damian Lillard: Toronto already has two solid point guards on its roster (Jose Calderon, Jared Bayless), but if Lillard falls this far, the Raptors won’t pass on him. He’ll have time to develop his “point guard skills”, but he’s already a sick athlete, and he can shoot the lights out, which Toronto likes.

9. Detroit

(Horran) John Henson: Detroit is excited about Henson. He gives them a shot blocker, excellent rebounder, and underestimated shooter at the power forward position. Pairing Henson and Greg Monroe could possibly place Detroit back into the playoffs.

(Bryan) John Henson: Most mock drafts have the Pistons taking Henson, and it makes sense. A possible big three of Brandon Knight (if he pans out), Greg Monroe (will/has panned out) and Henson (monster status on defense already)? Count me in.

10. New Orleans

(Horran) Terrence Jones: Drafting two Kentucky Wildcats would be “wild” for New Orleans. Jones is a combo forward, who would give N.O. a boost off the bench. Jones is quite an enigma because he has the size to play power forward, but he prefers to be a perimeter guy. I compare him to Antoine Walker.

(Bryan) Perry Jones III: The Hornets are low on small forwards and they’re even lower on small forwards who can score. Jones can do that. If it weren’t for the questions about his drive (unfounded), he’d probably be a top five pick.

11. Portland

(Horran) Fab Melo: He is ready to bang down low in the NBA on the defensive end. Although being an offensive juggernaut is not his forte’, it’s not going to hurt him; Batum and Aldridge will get the majority of the shots. Picking a center with this pick will solidify a starting five for Portland.

(Bryan) Terrence Ross: Some people think this sophomore out of Washington might turn into the best shooting guard of this draft class. All I know is, Jamal Crawford isn’t getting any younger, and after him and Wesley Matthews, the Blaizers aren’t what most people would call loaded with quality two-guards.

12. Milwaukee

(Horran) Perry Jones III: Some people believe that Jones III will play the small forward position in the NBA. At 6’11”, he needs to play down low in my opinion. His laid-back demeanor should not be a bad thing. He has the skills to start at the power forward or center position in Milwaukee. However, some people including myself question his intensity.

(Bryan) Tyler Zeller: No more Bogut. That’s the main reason Milwaukee should draft Zeller. He’d look great paired with a (resigned) Ersan Illyasova, too. He’s long, athletic, smart and runs the floor extremely well; All things Milwaukee needs from a new center.

13. Phoenix

(Horran) Dion Waiters: Waiters is a combo guard. He was the best player on Syracuse’s roster last season, and he was the 6^th man. If Nash is still wearing a Suns’ uniform next season, Waiters would be a great complement to start at the shooting guard position.

(Bryan) Austin Rivers: He wasn’t great defensively, and he wasn’t as good offensively as some people thought he’d be at Duke, but Rivers can shoot the basketball, and he’s got some humungous stones (ice-water runs through his veins). If Marshall or Lillard are available, the Suns would take one of them, but I don’t think either of them will be. Still, they should take a guard either way and Rivers will probably be the best available.

14. Houston

(Horran) Meyers Leonard: Houston lacks a center. After the Hasheem Thabeet bust, I do not see Andre’ Drummond taken here due to similarities between the two players. Meyers fits the Chris Kaman mold, a solid low post player who could make one or two all-star appearances in the future, but for the most part he will be a solid role player.

(Bryan) Meyers Leonard: Meyers probably won’t turn into a perennial All Star, but he will be a solid force in the post. His numbers did shoot up in his second season, though, and he finished his sophomore year with a true shooting percentage of 62 percent and an offensive rating of 115 (compared to 52 percent and an 80 rating last year), so he’s definitely still improving.

15. Philadelphia

(Horran) John Jenkins: Jenkins is a three-point specialist. He shot 44% from the arc last season. Philly lacks consistent outside shooting. Since Andre’ Iguodala will most likely be traded soon, playing time will open up at the shooting guard and small forward positions. Evan Turner as the shooting guard, and John Jenkins at small forward spells trouble for the Eastern Conference.

(Bryan) Dion Waiters: Some say they see a little Dwayne Wade in him. Others say he’ll probably end up being a nice role player off the bench. He’s a Philly native, and, even though the Sixers are pretty set in their guard rotation, they’re in desperate need of some instant offense.

16. Houston

(Horran) Arnett Moultrie: This guy plays inside and out. I assume that the Rockets will look for a power forward and a center in this draft. Leonard and Moultrie would make a nice tandem in the paint for the Rockets.

(Bryan) Arnett Moultrie: He can score in a number of ways, he pounds the glass, and he’s athletically gifted (to put it mildly). Houston needs to get bigger, and even though there are some questions about his size, he’s got the frame to add more weight once he’s in the NBA.

17. Dallas

(Horran) Andre Drummond: I think Drummond’s stock will fall tremendously. The buzz around this player is that he is an underachiever. His numbers at UConn last season did not stand out. However, Drummond is a physical specimen that could blossom into a future star. I think that teams will pass on him, because they do not want to take this risk. Mark Cuban has no problem doing this.

(Bryan) Royce White: White was the do-it-all man at Iowa State. He averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and five assists per game last year. I’m sure Dirk can teach him a few tricks to become a better scorer, but he’s already a deadly-efficient player; His true-shooting percentage was 54 percent and his offensive rating was 103 last year. He wasn’t a slouch on defense, either, finishing 2012 with a defensive rating of 95.2.

18. Minnesota

(Horran) Andrew Nicholson: Nicholson comes from a small D1 school in St. Bonaventure, but this should not be held against him. Nicholson is a solid player, who can play inside or out. Minnesota needs help down low. There is a plethora of guards in Minnesota.

(Bryan) Jeremy Lamb: His stock has fallen over questions about consistency and effort after not being able to take over for Kemba Walker in 2012. Still, the kid can put the ball in the basket. He averaged over 17 points a game last year and had a true shooting percentage of 58 percent. Lamb could go anywhere from the 9/10 slot, to the late teens in this year’s draft.

19. Orlando

(Horran) Jeremy Lamb: I think that Orlando will look to get younger next season. Everyone assumes that Dwight Howard will be traded. Howard’s departure will leave a scoring void. Lamb will fill this void. He can play either wing position. In addition, his athleticism would be a great complement to Jameer Nelson. Lamb has the opportunity to compete for a starting job in Orlando, due to the number of veterans on the Magic.

(Bryan) Jared Sullinger: Why not? The Magic are about to lose Dwight Howard, so they need to add a solid post presence to their roster in the draft. Sullinger would’ve been a top five pick last season, so at 19, he’d be one heck of a steal.

20. Denver

(Horran) Jared Sullinger: Sullinger will play either the power forward or center position in the NBA. Some people may feel that he is undersized to play center, but there have been exceptions to this (e.g. Alonzo Mourning, Ben Wallace, Boris Diaw). Sullinger has been NBA-ready for two years. He will get plenty of playing time in the Mile High city.

(Bryan) Maurice Harkless: He might not be ready to contribute too much right away, but this young gun could turn into one of the better players to come out of the 2012 NBA draft. He scored 15.5 points and grabbed more than eight rebounds a game last year and Denver is a little thin at the small forward position. The Nuggets have a successful recent history of developing talent, so this might be the perfect place for him.

21. Boston

(Horran) Austin Rivers: I see Rivers falling in this draft because there are questions surrounding what position he can play in the NBA, and his selfishness with basketball. Austin River’s had one of the best first steps in college basketball last season. I truly think that Boston is the best situation for Austin Rivers because his father and Boston’s head coach, Doc Rivers, will have him under control. In addition, Boston needs to get younger, especially in the backcourt.

(Bryan) Terrence Jones: At first glance it looks like his numbers went down during his sophomore season. That might be true on the surface, but it really isn’t the whole truth. His offensive rating went up six points to 115.3 this year. His defensive rating dropped to 88. His shooting percentage increased as well. Jones might just end up being the super sleeper of this year’s draft.

22. Boston

(Horran) Royce White: White increased his stock with a breakout performance against Kentucky in the postseason last March. White possesses the size and ability to play the small forward or power forward position in the NBA. Boston needs to get younger in the low post, also. White would provide a spark off the bench for Boston.

(Bryan) Doron Lamb: Ray Allen was on the trading block before the All Star break this season, and he isn’t getting any younger. He hit threes at a 47 percent clip last year and had an offensive rating of 131. He’s another one of those instant offense guys off the bench, but he very well could develop into a constant offense guy in the starting lineup.

23. Atlanta

(Horan) Doron Lamb: Lamb is one of the savviest players I have ever seen. He can play either guard position. However, his strength is his deadly outside shooting. Atlanta is set at the point guard position. Lamb’s shooting and underrated athleticism could be beneficial for the Hawks.

(Bryan) Andrew Nicholson: Nicholson played four years at St. Bonaventure and he put up solid numbers in the tough Atlantic 10 conference. He scored 18 points per game on 57 percent shooting, snatched 8.4 rebounds per game and finished the season with a defensive rating of 94.

24. Cleveland

(Horran) Tony Wroten: Wroten has high upside. His athleticism is off the charts. He almost led Washington to an upset of the Duke Blue Devils early last season. In that game, Wroten was practically un-guardable. His athleticism will be matched in the pros. I think that he will be a hidden gem in this draft. He reminds me of Jamal Crawford, a savvy player who can put up 20 to 30 points any given night.

(Bryan) Jeffrey Taylor: I would love to see this guy teamed up with Kyrie Irving. Taylor can score from anywhere on the floor, can guard any position except for maybe center and is a great leader. I’m not sure he’ll ever be an All Star, but he’ll be a fan favorite wherever he’s drafted and before long he’ll become a mainstay in the starting lineup wherever he goes.

25. Memphis

(Horran) Marquis Teague: Teague is another athletic freak. He is not a pure point guard, but he has the ability to handle the position. I compare him to Russell Westbrook, because he will play point guard by default. He will be a decent backup to Mike Conley Jr., and will possibly see time at the shooting guard position with the second team.

(Bryan) Marquis Teague: Memphis needs another point guard and Teague will be the best available this late in the draft. He’s got a ton of upside, and should see some decent playing time next season wherever he lands.

26. Indiana

(Horran) Jeffery Taylor: Taylor is known for his defense. However, last season was a breakout one for him on the offensive side. Taylor and Jenkins formed a high-scoring tandem at Vanderbilt last season. Indiana lacks depth at the small forward position when Danny Granger gets a breather.

(Bryan) Quincy Miller: Like Horran said, the Pacers lack depth at small forward. Miller played in the shadow of Perry Jones III at Baylor, but he still put up decent numbers.

27. Miami

(Horran) Terrence Ross. Ross can play the shooting guard and small forward position. Playing alongside Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will increase this player’s confidence, who is already accustomed to playing above the rim. Terrence would be a huge spark off the bench. He could be the Robin #3 or #6.

(Bryan) Fab Melo: Miami needs to get bigger in a hurry. Even though he’s about as raw as a player can get, he’s still so good defensively and on the glass that he could be a starter after the All Star break if Miami picks him up. 

28. Oklahoma City

(Horran) Damon Lilliard: Lilliard is a scoring point guard. OKC could use a scoring point guard to take the pressure off Durant, Westbrook, and Harden. Many teams will be calling for Harden’s services. If he departs OKC, more playing time will open for another player. If Harden stays, Lilliard would give OKC a very, quick team high-scoring small ball lineup.

(Bryan) John Jenkins: This dude can flat out shoot the basketball. He hit treys at a 47 percent clip last year, finished 2012 with a 66 percent true shooting percentage and figured out how to get the ball in the basket other ways when he needed to. The next Reggie Miller? I don’t know about that, but never say never.

29. Chicago

(Horran) Draymond Green: Green is a hustler. He bangs. He plays inside and out. He earned the Big Ten Conference player of the year last season, because he outplayed everyone else on the court EVERY game. He is a jack-of-all-trades, who will contribute in a variety of ways. Chicago could use his versatility in playing multiple positions and guarding multiple positions.

(Bryan) Festus Ezeli: The Bulls found out just how hard it is to get things done in the playoffs when your main big man and point guard go down. They probably would’ve been ok if they had anyone other than Carlos Boozer to rely on down low, though. The Bulls should stack their front line by taking Ezeli, and maybe even look to trade Boozer this year.

30. Golden State

(Horran) Kevin Jones: Jones went from being a role player to the go-to player for West Virginia. Jones played three positions during his tenure at WVU. In the NBA, he will play power forward, most likely. His size and athleticism would give the Warriors another energy guy to play in the low post.

(Bryan) Draymond Green: As a Bobcats blogger, I really hope this guy falls into the second round, because he is the quintessential glue guy. Whether it’s chemistry, basketball skill, or leadership ability, Green has it all. If the 10 teams at the bottom of this draft let him fall through their hands, they will regret it one day.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA Charlotte Bobcats dance team member holds up a jersey during a timeout during the second half against the New York Knicks. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

The Charlotte Bobcats probably won’t be changing their nickname anytime soon, but they might be switching up their team colors.

NBA.com released an image of the Bobcats 2012 draft hat with a light blue bill, a dark blue cap and “Bobcats” in white. The only orange on the hat was “Charlotte” in small lettering above the “Bobcats”.

I like the new look, and I’ll like it even more if the Bobcats come out with new jerseys in that color scheme next year.

It’s doubtful Charlotte will become the Hornets again any time soon.

The Charlotte Observer had this story first, and explained what it would take for the Bobcats to switch nicknames:

“NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver said in April the league ‘would clearly look at’’ returning the Hornets name to Charlotte if Bobcats owner Michael Jordan wants it. Typically the league wants two seasons of lead time before installing a new team name, but Silver said this could be simpler since the league already owns “Charlotte Hornets.’” (Rick Bonnell)

Tom Benson, the Hornets’ new owner, has already said he wants to change the team’s nickname, so when he takes over, the “Hornets” will be available.