The Charlotte Bobcats – Nowhere to Go but Up

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What can possibly go wrong when you’re the worst team in the NBA? You certainly won’t disappoint anyone next year! For the Charlotte Bobcats, being last place is strong motivation to make a change. No wonder then that the team decided to let Paul Silas go, after a disastrous 7-59 season. In fact, it went down in the record books as the least winning percentage in history. Silas, a 68-year-old veteran of the sport, did seem oddly matched with one of the youngest rosters in the league.

Silas later told the press that he found the release acceptable. “I have had a very successful career coaching and playing and it’s time to move on.” Team owner Michael Jordan promised Silas a job somewhere in the organization and for that, the retired coach is happy. The question is, now who is going to come in and restore the Bobcats to at least some degree of competitiveness?

Of course, this is not exactly a dream job, given that a newly hired coach would have to thanklessly bring the team up from the dust, rebounding from a history-making low. Not only is the losing record intimidating, but the fact that the team is inexperienced and lacks at least one major asset, is also a de-motivator. Many players on the team actually tried to keep Paul Silas when rumors of his replacement went public, noting that circumstances, not the ability of Silas, is what ruined the season. For example, notable team members like Corey Maggette, D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson were injured this past season. Corey Maggette later said, “[We were] shooting under 30 percent from the field. You just can’t win any games that way.” Was a string of poor luck responsible for the team’s descent into oblivion?

Nevertheless, maybe a major shakeup is just what the team needs to get back on track. The momentum will certainly be there next season, as the Bobcats’ last place status gives them the right to choose one of the top four picks in the next NBA draft. Could this be the year of the Bobcats’ comeback?

Categorized in: NBA

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