Bickerstaff's Hits and Misses

The Observer's Rick Bonnell examines the highs and lows of Bernie Bickerstaff's tenure with the Charlotte Bobcats.

THE HITS

GRABBING GERALD WALLACE IN THE EXPANSION DRAFT: Wallace could be the best expansion-draft player chosen by the past seven NBA newcomers. The other contenders: Dell Curry with the then-Charlotte Hornets and Scott Skiles with the Orlando Magic.

TRADING UP TO PICK EMEKA OKAFOR IN THE 2004 DRAFT: He took some players off the Los Angeles Clippers' roster (they were assembling cap room, trying to sign Kobe Bryant) to move up from fourth to second. That was the difference in the Bobcats drafting Okafor or Stanford forward Josh Childress.

SIGNING MATT CARROLL: They found a player in the developmental league who ended up a sixth man/part-time starter. The definition of something-for-nothing.

THE MISSES

CHOOSING NOT TO TRADE UP IN 2005: Bickerstaff could have traded the fifth and 13th picks to Portland for the third pick -- presumably Chris Paul. Bickerstaff tried instead to trade No. 5 and a future first (the one the Bobcats later used to draft Jared Dudley), but the Trail Blazers wouldn't bite.

STICKING BY KAREEM RUSH: Bickerstaff gave Rush chance after chance as this team's shooting guard. Rush's attitude became such a downer in the locker room, Bickerstaff finally cut him late in the Bobcats' second season.


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