Last Season: Larry Brown shuffled the roster with three in-season trades and it paid off. With a record of 35-47, the Bobcats had their best season in their five-year history. They were in the playoff hunt until they skidded at the end of the season. Interesting fact: they were the only team the champion Lakers didn’t beat.

Acquisitions: C Tyson Chandler, G Gerald Henderson, F Derrick Brown

Departures: F Sean May, C Emeka Okafor

Starting Five: F Gerald Wallace, F Boris Diaw, C Tyson Chandler, G Raja Bell, G Raymond Felton

Bench Mob: Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown, DeSagana Diop, Stephen Graham, Nazr Mohammed, Flip Murray, Vladamir Radmanovic

Most Interesting Man in the World: Michael Jordan - The Greatest of All-Time won six NBA Championships while on the court, he seems far from getting his first as a part-owner. Many have questioned if he is capable of leading this team from the front office. So far he has been relatively hands-off with the team and that has caused some to question his motivation. If the losing continues, his name won't save him from drawing criticism from the fans.

Over the Hill: Tyson Chandler – There’s a reason the Hornets tried to trade Chandler midseason last year and finally unloaded him in the summer. Chandler played in just 45 games last year due to injury and has yet to play in the preseason this year. He won’t have the benefit of playing with the best point guard in the league in Charlotte and his numbers will suffer. He should still do well in the rebounding department if he’s healthy, but that’s a big ‘if’.

Ready to Break Out: Boris Diaw – He struggled with the Suns last season but really stepped up after being traded. In 59 games for the Bobcats he averaged about 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Diaw should be able to match that stat line and could surpass it if Gerald Wallace succumbs to injuries again.

Outlook: Larry Brown put his fingerprint on the team last year through mid-season trades and with another offseason under his belt let’s see what he can do for this franchise. Draft picks Gerald Henderson and Derrick Brown should be able to contribute right away and add some depth that was lacking last season. The Bobcats might need that depth as they have a couple players prone to injuries. Chandler and Gerald Wallace both missed significant time last year, which wasn’t out of the ordinary for either of them. The Bobcats will miss Emeka Okafor’s offensive game. Though Okafor wasn’t an offensive juggernaut for them, he had a few post moves that Chandler does not. The Bobcats have no clear-cut leader on this team and there’s only so far a platoon of above-average players can take a team. This will not be the year they make it to the postseason for the first time.

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