MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Jason Richardson carried them as a scorer the second half of the season, particularly with Gerald Wallace injured much of that span with a concussion and later a groin strain. He had the fourth-most three-pointers (243) in an NBA season.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER: The Bobcats signed Earl Boykins at mid-season, hoping he'd offer a pop as both a scorer and playmaker. Not much happened, but in Boykins' defense, he hadn't played in over six months and his minutes were sometimes sporadic in what was always a chaotic rotation of point guards. FREE AGENT FOCUS: The major focus is obviously on Emeka Okafor, who becomes a restricted free agent after turning down a long-term contract extension before this season. Okafor already turned down over $12 million a season, and though he says he wants to remain here long-term, it wouldn't be shocking if he signed a one-year qualifying offer to reach unrestricted free agency in July of 2009.
Ryan Hollins, Derek Anderson and Boykins are also free agents and it's a given the Bobcats won't exercise a team option on Othella Harrington for next season. Of those four, restricted free agent Hollins -- a young, athletic, but unpolished, big man -- seems the most likely to return to the Bobcats.
PLAYER NOTES:
--Point guard Raymond Felton had a strong finish to the season, once coach Sam Vincent left him alone to be this team's primary playmaker. It will be interesting to see whether he and the Bobcats can agree on a long-term contract extension over the summer, or whether he'll play out another season on the rookie pay scale and become a restricted free agent after next season.
--Rookie Jermareo Davidson got a bunch of playing time in late March and early April, but those minutes dried up of late. With the Bobcats using Emeka Okafor primarily as a center, they're casting about for a power forward. It wouldn't be a surprise if that's the position the Bobcats target in the draft. Their two greatest needs are probably depth at power forward and point guard.
--Power forward Sean May has missed 188 of a possible 246 games over three seasons with the Bobcats. The microfracture knee surgery he had in October was a bold step toward allowing him to have a sustainable career. The Bobcats could greatly use a healthy May, considering their chronic rebounding problems, but it's no given May's health problems are behind him.
