--The Bobcats chose to exercise options for next season on F Adam Morrison and F Jared Dudley that would add about $6.5 million to the 2009-10 payroll. Morrison's cap number (over $5.2 million) seems excessive to what he's done as a Bobcat, but had the Bobcats not exercised that option, they'd lose the right to trade him without his permission.
--The Bobcats have already decided not to extend point guard Raymond Felton's contract before the Oct. 31 deadline. That means Felton will be a restricted free agent after this season. Felton has yet to really prove himself as a starting NBA point guard. --F Justin Williams played parts of the past two seasons with the Sacramento Kings and was signed to a non-guaranteed contract. Williams is a shot-blocker and a decent offensive rebounder, so he's worth a look.
MAIN REASON BOBCATS CAN WIN: Because Larry Brown usually has an immediate impact, and he has his players' attention. After a season adrift under Sam Vincent, they want to learn from a coach with Brown's credentials.
MAIN REASON BOBCATS CAN LOSE: The front office did little over the summer to address the lack of depth at power forward. Sean May is penciled in as the starter almost by default, and that's a wild gamble that he will hold up. He's played only 58 of a possible 246 regular-season games, due primarily to a right knee injury that required microfracture surgery.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's way, way behind (in conditioning), but that's to be expected. You can see him struggling out there." -- Bobcats coach Larry Brown, on F Sean May this preseason.
