The title of this article is misleading. It suggests that jettisoning veterans is, in fact, the Charlotte Bobcats’ problem, and I suppose that it can’t really be denied that by giving away guys like Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, win totals are inevitably going to drop. But really, in the big picture of the franchise, dumping long-term contracts in favor of younger guys and draft picks is a much friendlier way to rebuild.

While you can make the playoffs behind guys like Wallace and Jackson, it probably would only ever happen as a seven or eight seed, and even then you’re most likely looking at a first-round loss.

When that happens, when a team is only good enough to barely miss the lottery, just sneak into the postseason, and then immediately lose, there’s simply no way to get better. You can’t win a ring, but you also can’t draft top rookies. Unless you get lucky with a late pick or a trade, there’s no way you’re ever going to slip out of that basketball purgatory unless you do something dramatic.

Something like, say, trading away all of your best players.

It’s really the only way for a team to truly rebuild. Sometimes, the only way to get better is to get worse.

In Charlotte’s case, that’s exactly what they’ve done. A year ago they made their first playoff appearance in franchise history, and within twelve months they had traded away the best player in their franchise’s history (Wallace) for Dante Cunningham, Sean Marks, Joel Przybilla, the draft pick that would eventually turn into Tobias Harris (traded to Milwaukee as part of the deal that shipped out Jackson and brought back Corey Maggette and Bismack Biyombo), and a 2013 first-rounder. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t.

So why make the deal? Two reasons—first, they’re hoping Biyombo and whomever they get with that 2013 pick play a huge role in this rebuilding process. Secondly, they’re hunkering down to be bad for a few years so that they can stockpile a few more lottery picks and put together a core they can move forward and grow with.

Despite whatever talent they currently have on the payroll, the only ones that appear to be part of this long-term plan include Biyombo, fellow rookie Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, and Tyrus Thomas. If they’re bad enough in 2011-2012, and there’s no reason to think that they can’t be, they’ll have a shot at top-tier guys in June’s draft, as well. Anthony Davis, Quincy Miller, Harrison Barnes, and Jared Sullinger all are guys that could help alter the fate of a franchise, and that ’12 draft class has plenty more guys that could bloom into perennial all-stars as well.

A group built around the four current Bobcats listed above, plus Davis or Barnes, plus two more first-round picks in 2013 (maybe—eventually they’re going to have to give up a first-rounder to Chicago from the Tyrus Thomas trade) will be plenty young, but will also feature plenty of big-name talent from three or four consecutive draft classes.

That’s perfect for Charlotte, because in their current financial standing it’s ideal for their best players to be on rookie deals, anyway. Considering that literally every other big veteran contract on the book (Maggette, DeSagana Diop, Boris Diaw, Matt Carroll, and even D.J. Augustin should they decide to let him go) will expire either this coming summer or in the summer of 2013, the ‘Cats look like they’re in pretty good shape to be more or less where they want to be in two years’ time.

The real challenge—and this sounds odd, I know—is playing poorly enough in the meantime to contend for the draft picks they really need. They must resist the temptation to play the vets and instead give the younger players a full opportunity to learn and grow. If they can do that, then rebuilding will go much more smoothly, at least for the long-term.

It’s not going to be pretty in the meantime, but these types of things rarely are. What matters is that the organization drafts well, steers clear of any big veteran contracts, and lets the next generation of Charlotte Bobcats come into their own. If they can do that, they’ll be all right. Eventually.

Photo by donaldmacleod on Flickr

June 26, 2008: The Charlotte Bobcats pick D.J. Augustin with the ninth pick in the draft. This is surprising, as they already have Raymond Felton on the roster. Everyone assumes that they’re planning to trade one of them as soon as possible. They don’t, though — when the season begins, Augustin backs up the former number-five pick and shares the floor with him, too.

April 15, 2009: On the last night of the regular season, Charlotte loses by 25 to the eventual Eastern-Conference Champion Orlando Magic. It finishes 35-47, a new franchise-best in its first year under coach Larry Brown. Felton and Augustin start together for the third straight game and combine for a total of three assists whilst shooting 4-16 from the field. This is the same day that Bill Simmons publishes his MVP column, angering the blogosphere by calling Felton “the guy I’d pursue this summer if I ran an NBA team” and comparing him to Chauncey Billups.  He credits Felton for dealing with “ten weeks of trade rumors” and, at season’s end, many assume Felton is done with Charlotte as he approaches restricted free agency. Augustin’s promising rookie year means that Felton seems expendable, especially when looking at the rookie’s excellent efficiency in games in which he started, that Magic game notwithstanding.

September 22, 2009: Felton signs a one-year, $5.5 million qualifying offer to stay with the Bobcats. David A. Arnott writes, “here’s hoping that Felton backs up Augustin by default going into the season.” Tom Ziller writes that Felton has “proved if nothing else over four seasons that he is just not very good.”

December 5, 2009: After losing confidence and shooting less frequently and accurately than he did as a rookie, Augustin registers his second straight DNP-CD with Philadelphia in town. Felton hits the game-winning layup, playing through bruised ribs. Larry Brown says of Augustin’s benching a month into his sophomore season, “He hasn’t defended like he needs to defend. He hasn’t made shots. He hasn’t distributed the ball.” Ten days later, Frank Isola writes that Augustin is a “player of interest” for the New York Knicks.

April 26, 2010: The Bobcats are swept by the Magic in their first playoff series in franchise history. Augustin averages 18 minutes and shoots 5-17 from the floor in those four games. Felton averages 32 minutes a game and, like everyone else going up against that Orlando defense, failed to score efficiently. With unrestricted free agency looming, his future is once again uncertain.

July 9, 2010: Felton signs a two-year, $15 million contract with the New York Knicks, three days after Amar’e Stoudemire signs there. This is the Knicks’ big free agent splash, after spending years creating cap room. I’d say this means Augustin is no longer a “player of interest” for the organization.

October 27, 2010: In his first game as a full-time starting point guard, Augustin scores 8 points on 2-10 shooting and adds 5 assists in 40 minutes against the eventual-champion Mavericks. Charlotte loses by 15.

December 4, 2010: The Bobcats lose by 18 in Philadelphia and Gerald Wallace says that they look like an AAU team and miss Felton. He continues,  “D.J. doesn’t have the fight. Not to compare them as far as abilities, but D.J.’s personality is not as high as Ray’s was as far as aggression and attitude on the court. D.J. is more laid-back.” Larry Brown familiarly says, “We don’t play together, we don’t play hard enough. We don’t move the ball, we don’t defend as a team.” Stephen Jackson adds, “We had such professionals last year… And Raymond led this team.” Meanwhile in Chicago, Raymond Felton records his first 20-point game and his first 10-assist game as a Knick. He shares the floor with another small guard, Toney Douglas, who scores a career-high 30 points. The two combine to shoot 9-15 on threes against the team that would finish with the best record and best defense in the league.

December 21, 2010: The Bobcats take a 1-point lead into the fourth quarter at home against Oklahoma City, then allow a 25-3 run. They register their first field goal with 2:52 left in the game and go on to lose by 18. Due to first-half foul trouble, Augustin only plays 18 minutes. Backup PG and personal favorite Shaun Livingston plays 18 and Sherron Collins, called up from the D-League that day, plays 13. The next day, the Thunder lose to Felton and co. in New York. Also, Larry Brown is fired in Charlotte.

December 27, 2010: Augustin plays his first game under new coach Paul Silas. He scores 27 points on 15 shots in 36 minutes in a 5-point win over the Pistons. Gerald Wallace says, “He was free. He looked like a little kid at the park, just out there playing ball.” Silas adds, “Raymond wasn’t nearly the shooter this kid is, but he was stronger and more vocal. At the end of the day, you’ve got to (accept) they’re two different people.” Two days later, Augustin scores 28 on 14 shots against the Cavaliers and Tim Povtak publishes a feature where Felton says, “I think now, I’ve found my home. I’ve found it. I’d love to spend the rest of my career in New York. When this contract ends, hopefully we’ll work out another one.” A day after that, Felton has his worst shooting night as a Knick, finishing with 14 points on 6-22 shooting, including 1-7 on threes. New York loses to Orlando by 9. This is the beginning of a regression to the mean — at this point an All-Star candidate, Felton shoots 29% in January, struggling to convert floaters and layups. His team loses six straight games against Western Conference opponents starting on January 12, as we are bombarded with stories about Carmelo Anthony coming to NYC.

February 21, 2011: A day after the All-Star Weekend, Felton, along with just about every asset New York has, is traded to the Denver Nuggets as part of a package for Carmelo Anthony. His replacement? Chauncey Billups. Once again, he finds himself teamed with a younger point guard: his successor at UNC, Ty Lawson. There is much speculation over whether or not Denver will trade him somewhere else in the next three days. Meanwhile, Augustin is hoping the break will be the end of a slump that saw him shoot 14-49 over six games.

February 24, 2011: On trade deadline day, the Bobcats trade Gerald Wallace to the Blazers for a pair of first-round picks. This solidifies that the team is in rebuilding mode, a process that began with letting Felton walk and trading Tyson Chandler to Dallas the previous summer. Felton remains a Nugget, despite his agent saying the previous day, “Raymond is not going to be a backup.” He makes his debut that night on TNT, coming off the bench to score four points in a strange 14-point victory over a depleted Celtics squad. Marv Albert quotes Scott Schroeder during the broadcast. Felton continues to come off the bench for the rest of the year, but gets about the same amount of playing time as Lawson on an incredibly fun team that has similar depth at every position.

April 13, 2011: Charlotte ends its regular season with a win over an Atlanta team resting its starters. Augustin finishes the season on a high note, averaging 16.7 points and 10.7 assists with 65% shooting in his last three games, though it should be added that none of them had playoff implications on either side. In an exit interview the next day, Stephen Jackson tells Silas and General Manager Rod Higgins that he wants to stay in Charlotte. Jackson also has a revealing end-of-season presser, saying that he lost respect for Larry Brown before the season when Brown told him that they weren’t going to be a playoff team. Augustin adds, “We have a good coach now.” Felton sits out of Denver’s final game of the regular season against the Jazz, so he can rest for the highly-anticipated THUNDERNUGGETS matchup.

April 25, 2011: The Nuggets avoid a sweep and Felton gets his first playoff victory of his career. It was mostly thanks to starting point guard Ty Lawson’s 27 points, though. Two nights later, their season ends in OKC. The next day, General Manager Manager Masai Ujiri says, “We are going to try and keep the core together and build from here.” With a team characterized by interchangeable high-quality parts and no true stars, however, one has to wonder who makes up the “core.”

June 23, 2011: On draft day, new Charlotte GM Rich Cho pulls off a three-team deal with the Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings. Going out are Stephen Jackson and Shaun Livingston, coming in are Corey Maggette and the #7 pick in the draft. The Bobs already owned the #9 pick, but added another with their sights set on a defensive big. They unsurprisingly took Bismack Biyombo at #7, then at #9 they chose Kemba Walker, an undersized point guard. Immediately, there were questions about Augustin’s future with the team. Also that night, Felton was traded to the Blazers for Andre Miller. This is his third new team in less than a year, after spending his first five years with the Bobcats. Thankfully, he’s reunited with Gerald Wallace, the original Bobcat.

It’s been three years since they were questionably aligned in Charlotte and I’m not sure either of these point guards has found his place yet. Felton, the superior player based on his defensive ability and relative consistency, has found himself in a superior situation — he has talented teammates and he does not have a highly-touted rookie competing with him for minutes. However, he’s let himself go this summer to the point where Jonathan Abrams said, “he looks like a roly-poly.” So there’s that.

Augustin’s in a tricky spot, even if he knows it well. He can play with the younger Walker for stretches on a rebuilding team, but we all know they can’t both be part of the long-term plan. On the court, these players are extremely similar right now, but Kemba’s bringing Charlotte the personality, the smile, and the NCAA Champion pedigree, while Augustin is weighed down by years of up-and-down play and a continually shifting role. It feels like the best thing for Augustin is to get a fresh start somewhere else. Mind you, if there’s one thing that we’ve learned through this saga, one’s place within the context of a team and in the landscape of the NBA can change instantaneously.

Tags: D.J. Augustin, justtradedj, Raymond Felton, rolypoly4lyfe

By MIKECRANSTON
The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE – Michael Jordan was up early Sunday in hopes of watching 12 players show why they should be one of the Charlotte Bobcats’ two first-round draft choices.

Injuries, though, made the large pre-draft workout less interesting and revealing.

Alec Burks of Colorado, a candidate for the ninth pick by the Jordan-owned Bobcats, and Marshon Brooks of Providence, a possibility for Charlotte at No. 19, couldn’t compete because of recent injuries. The Bobcats said Burks dislocated his shoulder working out for Milwaukee on Saturday and Brooks twisted an ankle Friday auditioning for New York.

“A couple guys stubbed their toes so we couldn’t go 3-on-3,” said coach Paul Silas, who was hopeful both players could return to audition before the June 23 draft.

Still, there was plenty for Silas, Jordan and general manager Rod Higgins to evaluate as they look to improve a roster that managed only 34 wins this season. Of particular interest was the second workout, which included likely first-round picks Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State, Jordan Hamilton of Texas, Tobias Harris of Tennessee, Tyler Honeycutt of UCLA and Florida State’s Chris Singleton.

“This is basically my class right here, my small forward class,” said Singleton, seen as possible replacement for the recently traded Gerald Wallace.

Added Hamilton, who could provide needed long-range shooting for the Bobcats: “This was definitely one of the best workouts I had. We all benefited from it.”

It included Jordan’s familiar needling of players. One of his top targets was the 6-foot-8 Honeycutt, who showed his athleticism with an impromptu, personal slam dunk contest at the end of the workout.

“He was talking smack,” Honeycutt said, smiling.

There was much less to see of the 6-8 Harris since the last time he was at Time Warner Cable Arena for Tennessee’s second-round NCAA tournament loss. Harris said he’s lost 15 pounds and is down to 220.

“It helped me a lot,” he said, “just moving faster and competing more. I’m more bouncy on the floor.”

Harris would like to shoot up draft boards like Leonard, whose large wing span and strong rebounding may allow him to play power forward, too

“People are starting to see how versatile I am,” he said.

The earlier session, with less star power after Burks and Brooks pulled out, was led by Washington State’s Klay Thompson. The 6-6 son of former NBA star Mychal Thompson shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range last season.

“I know they lack some perimeter shooting and every team needs a shooter,” Thompson said.

Charlotte ranked 29th out of 30 teams from long range and Silas has been stressing the need for shooters. And Silas indicated they wouldn’t shy away from Thompson, a potential candidate at No. 19, despite being cited in March for suspicion of marijuana possession.

“He’s going to be one we will consider if he’s around,” Silas said.

The Bobcats still could take Burks and Brooks despite their absence Sunday.

Charlotte’s brass has seen plenty of Burks, an athletic 6-6 slasher. Higgins’ son, Cory Higgins, was a teammate of Burks last season at Colorado.

The 6-5 Brooks’ stock has risen since his impressive showing at the Chicago pre-draft camp.

The workouts wrapped up four days of sessions that saw 30 players come to Charlotte. More workouts are scheduled Tuesday and Thursday, before several members of the organization attend a European camp in Italy.

It’s doubtful, though, the Bobcats will have another workout with as much star power.

“This is good because you see them go against each other and how they compete,” Silas said. “At the pre-draft camp we didn’t see them compete. Now you see how they’re going to play, what kind of passion they have for the game, what kind of toughness, all those kinds of things that make a player.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan was up early Sunday in hopes of watching 12 players show why they should be one of the Charlotte Bobcats’ two first-round draft choices.

Injuries, though, made the large pre-draft workout less interesting and revealing.

Alec Burks of Colorado, a candidate for the ninth pick by the Jordan-owned Bobcats, and Marshon Brooks of Providence, a possibility for Charlotte at No. 19, couldn’t compete because of recent injuries. The Bobcats said Burks dislocated his shoulder working out for Milwaukee on Saturday and Brooks twisted an ankle Friday auditioning for New York.

“A couple guys stubbed their toes so we couldn’t go 3-on-3,” said coach Paul Silas, who was hopeful both players could return to audition before the June 23 draft.

Still, there was plenty for Silas, Jordan and general manager Rod Higgins to evaluate as they look to improve a roster that managed only 34 wins this season. Of particular interest was the second workout, which included likely first-round picks Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State, Jordan Hamilton of Texas, Tobias Harris of Tennessee, Tyler Honeycutt of UCLA and Florida State’s Chris Singleton.

“This is basically my class right here, my small forward class,” said Singleton, seen as possible replacement for the recently traded Gerald Wallace.

Added Hamilton, who could provide needed long-range shooting for the Bobcats: “This was definitely one of the best workouts I had. We all benefited from it.”

It included Jordan’s familiar needling of players. One of his top targets was the 6-foot-8 Honeycutt, who showed his athleticism with an impromptu, personal slam dunk contest at the end of the workout.

“He was talking smack,” Honeycutt said, smiling.

There was much less to see of the 6-8 Harris since the last time he was at Time Warner Cable Arena for Tennessee’s second-round NCAA tournament loss. Harris said he’s lost 15 pounds and is down to 220.

“It helped me a lot,” he said, “just moving faster and competing more. I’m more bouncy on the floor.”

Harris would like to shoot up draft boards like Leonard, whose large wing span and strong rebounding may allow him to play power forward, too

“People are starting to see how versatile I am,” he said.

The earlier session, with less star power after Burks and Brooks pulled out, was led by Washington State’s Klay Thompson. The 6-6 son of former NBA star Mychal Thompson shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range last season.

“I know they lack some perimeter shooting and every team needs a shooter,” Thompson said.

Charlotte ranked 29th out of 30 teams from long range and Silas has been stressing the need for shooters. And Silas indicated they wouldn’t shy away from Thompson, a potential candidate at No. 19, despite being cited in March for suspicion of marijuana possession.

“He’s going to be one we will consider if he’s around,” Silas said.

The Bobcats still could take Burks and Brooks despite their absence Sunday.

Charlotte’s brass has seen plenty of Burks, an athletic 6-6 slasher. Higgins’ son, Cory Higgins, was a teammate of Burks last season at Colorado.

The 6-5 Brooks’ stock has risen since his impressive showing at the Chicago pre-draft camp.

The workouts wrapped up four days of sessions that saw 30 players come to Charlotte. More workouts are scheduled Tuesday and Thursday, before several members of the organization attend a European camp in Italy.

It’s doubtful, though, the Bobcats will have another workout with as much star power.

“This is good because you see them go against each other and how they compete,” Silas said. “At the pre-draft camp we didn’t see them compete. Now you see how they’re going to play, what kind of passion they have for the game, what kind of toughness, all those kinds of things that make a player.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the six-foot-nine Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats centre Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back together and back to 100 per cent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk – it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.
Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.
The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.
Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.
“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”
Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.
“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.
“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”
The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.
“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”
The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.
MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.
Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.
Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.
Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.
“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”
Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.
“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”
___
Mike Cranston can be reached at http://twitter.com/MikeCranston1.

Updated Jun 4, 2011 1:56 PM ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)

Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

”I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. ”We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

”I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. ”It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

”I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

”It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. ”Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk – it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

”I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. ”It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

”I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. ”It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats’ bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas.

Oakley, who was in his first season as an assistant coach, had to be carried from the bench before a game in San Antonio on March 19. He missed Charlotte’s final 13 games with a sciatic nerve problem.

The 47-year-old Oakley, still moving gingerly, attended Charlotte’s workout of draft prospects Saturday. As he contemplates surgery, Oakley said he told general manager Rod Higgins to consider replacing him on coach Paul Silas’ staff.

Silas said Saturday there’s no timetable for making a decision.

“I want to do what’s best for the team, always,” Oakley said. “We’ll have to see what happens and if I’m not back, they’ll have someone just as good as me or better.”

Oakley has sued the Aria hotel-casino, claiming he was beaten by security guards in May 2010. Oakley is convinced the incident led to his current condition.

“I wasn’t going to sue, but they just did too much damage to me,” said Oakley, who filed the suit last month. “It just handicapped me for a period of time and they think it was a joke. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I never tried to assault them. They tried to assault me.

“I’m not a troublemaker. People say, ‘You got into a lot of incidents.’ Yeah, but it was on the basketball floor.”

The complaint contends five officers wrestled the 6-foot-9 Oakley to the ground and punched and handcuffed him after a verbal dispute over whether Oakley could return to a VIP pool area. It said Oakley was taken to the hospital with injuries to his neck, back, head and wrist. Oakley said Saturday two slipped disks suffered in the incident led to the sciatic nerve condition.

“It’s like having a nail in your tire. You can only go so far and then the nail keeps going in, going in,” Oakley said. “Once it reaches the peak, the hole gets bigger and all the air comes out of your tire. The damage to my disk — it just couldn’t take no more.”

The complaint alleges negligence, assault, assault with excessive force, battery, false imprisonment and defamation. It seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages.

MGM Resorts International, which owns the resort, has declined to comment since the suit was filed.

Oakley, a former teammate of Bobcats owner Michael Jordan in Chicago, was known as a relentless rebounder and collector of hard fouls in his 18-year career. Oakley, who ranks 20th in NBA history with 12,205 boards, also played for New York, Toronto, Washington and Houston.

Oakley was proud to prove he could coach. He routinely worked out with players in practice and was credited with helping Bobcats center Kwame Brown’s development late last season.

Then Oakley’s body gave out in a jarring scene in San Antonio.

“I hate to go out like that,” Oakley said. “It looks like somebody got knocked out of the ring and couldn’t get back on his feet. But I’m back walking and hopefully getting my back back together and back to 100 percent.”

Oakley said he’s moving better and recently started riding a bike. He hopes to avoid surgery.

“I just want to get back to normal,” Oakley said. “It’s draining sometimes, but you’ve got to stay strong. … Hopefully, I’ll be back coaching someday. If not, I’ve got to continue living.”

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas is glad his front office is investigating ways to move up in the June 23 NBA draft.

Still, Silas has misgivings about converting picks Nos. 9 and 19 into one higher pick unless they’re sure that one player would have big impact.

“We’ve talked about moving up. My point is that if we do move up, that guy has to be a star kind of player,” Silas said following the Bobcats’ first pre-draft workout Thursday. “I think we’ll get two real quality players here, to build on what we’ve established already.”

Silas said he’d favor trading up “if the guy is someone we think can really help us. But he has to potentially be better than what we have now. And looking at this draft, I’m not quite sure that guy is there. If he is, then we’ll certainly look at it.”

The general consensus on this draft is it’s short on star power, but relatively deep. Duke guard Kyrie Irving and Arizona forward Derrick Williams are expected to be the top two picks. While both are projected as solid pros, neither is expected to have the impact of recent high picks Derrick Rose of Chicago or Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City.

Silas, in his first season as Bobcats coach, was asked how the team’s needs would blend with their draft decisions. For instance, this draft is strongest at power forward, and that’s a position where the Bobcats already have abundant players.

“Absolutely, we want to draft the best player available,” Silas described. “Now, if everything is equal, then certainly you wouldn’t draft a four. But if the guy clearly is better than the rest of the people in that draft spot, then you’d take him.

“We really want some 3-point shooters – that’s huge for us. If we had a backup point, as well as a great shooter, that’s one of our basic needs.”

The Bobcats contingent watching workouts Thursday included owner Michael Jordan. Silas was asked how hands-on Jordan is, in addressing draft decisions.

“Rod (Higgins, the general manager) and I will make the final decisions, I think, but he certainly has input,” Silas said of Jordan. “If we come up with somebody he doesn’t necessarily care for, he lets us know. But the (final) decision will be ours.”