The Bobcats have acquired 22-year old center Byron Mullens from the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2nd round pick in 2013.  Mullens played in 13 games (0 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 6.5 minutes, 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.  He has now played in 26 games in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 5.3 minutes, 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.  Mullens is only shooting 34% from the floor so far in his NBA career.  This is a good deal for the Bobcats as they need size.  Mullens was a first round pick just a couple of years ago and he has been buried on the depth chart for the Thunder.  It will be interesting to see what he can do when given a real chance.

The Charlotte Bobcats have lost 35-year old forward Eduardo Najera for the next 6-8 weeks due to knee surgery.  Najera played in 31 games (0 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 12.0 minutes, 2.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  The Bobcats are losing players left and right to injury, so even the loss of Najera is going to hurt the team when the 2011-12 season starts.

The Bobcats have signed 25-year old small forward Reggie Williams to a 2-year, $5 million dollar deal.  Williams played in 80 games (9 starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 20.3 minutes, 9.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.  He has now played in 104 games (19 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 23.2 minutes, 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.  This was a good pickup for the Bobcats, who are likely going to be offensively challenged this year.

UPDATE:  (12/16/2011) – The Bobcats will be without Reggie Williams for the next 6-8 weeks due to knee surgery.

The Bobcats have signed 33-year old power foward Melvin Ely to a 1-year deal.  Ely played in 30 games (2 starts) for the Broncos last year and he averaged 12.2 minutes, 2.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  He has now played in 373 games (55 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 16.0 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.  Ely will likely play both power forward and center for the Bobcats in 2011-12.

UPDATE:  (12/23/2011) – The Bobcats have waived Melvin Ely.

The Bobcats have re-signed 24-year old forward Derrick Brown to a 1-year deal.  Brown played in 49 games (1 start) for the Knicks & Bobcats last night and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 3.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.  He has now played in 106 games (1 start) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 10.5 minutes, 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.  Brown will serve as a backup forward for the Bobcats in 2011-12.

If the season started today, 29-year old DeSagana Diop would be the Charlotte Bobcats’ starting center.  Diop played in only 16 games (0 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 11.3 minutes, 1.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 552 games (83 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 14.2 minutes, 2.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game.  The Bobcats are going to need to sign a free agent or make a trade for a center, because if Diop is their starting center….they will be in big, big trouble.

The Charlotte Bobcats have a lot of quantity at power forward heading into the 2011-12 season.  It all starts with 29-year old Boris Diaw.  Diaw played in 82 games (all starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 33.9 minutes, 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.  He has now played in 623 games (433 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 30.5 minutes, 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.  Diaw will also get some P.T. at small forward in 2011-12 for the Bobcats.  25-year old Tyrus Thomas flashes outstanding potential but it never seems to convert to the court.  Thomas played in 41 games (2 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 21.0 minutes, 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists and 1.6 blocked shots per game.  Thomas has now played in 320 games (97 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 20.5 minutes, 8.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game.  25-year old D.J. White is also a young player who has flashed some potential so far in his career.  He played in 47 games (0 starts) for the Thunder & Bobcats last year and he averaged 14.6 minutes, 5.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  White has now played in 66 games (0 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he is averaging 13.9 minutes, 5.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  19-year old Bismack Biyombo came to the Bobcats in the first round of the NBA Draft last June.  He played in Spain last year, so he has been playing against decent competition.  He claimed on Draft Night that he would lead the NBA in both rebounding and blocked shots down the road.  It will be interesting to see if he can backup his big talk.  35-year old Eduardo Najera is still around.  He played in 31 games (0 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 12.0 minutes, 2.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.  Najera has now played in 597 games (85 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 18.3 minutes, 5.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.

32-year old small forward Corey Maggette will get a big chance to shine with the Bobcats in 2011-12 as he will be replacing Stephen Jackson (who he was dealt for).  Maggette played in 67 games (18 starts) for the Bucks last year and he averaged 20.9 minutes, 12.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  He has now played in 777 games (450 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 28.6 minutes, 16.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.  Maggette is a very aggressive player on offense as he gets to the free throw line a lot by attacking the basket.  31-year old Matt Carroll will backup Maggette this year.  Carroll played in 54 games (1 start) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 10.8 minutes, 4.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  He has now played in 405 games (82 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 17.3 minutes, 7.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.

The Charlotte Bobcats are likely going to start 23-year old Gerald Henderson at shooting guard in 2011-12.  Henderson played in 68 games (30 starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 24.4 minutes, 9.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.  He has now played in 111 games (30 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 18.2 minutes, 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.  34-year old Morris Peterson will likely backup Henderson this year.  He only played in 4 games (0 starts) for the Thunder last year and he averaged 5.8 minutes, 1.0 point, 0.8 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.  Peterson has now played in 711 games (487 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 27.2 minutes, 10.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

23-year old D.J. Augustin is going to be the starter at the point for the Bobcats this year.  He played in 82 games (all starts) for the Bobcats last year and he averaged 33.6 minutes, 14.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.  Augustin has now played in 234 games (96 starts) in his first three years with the Bobcats and he is averaging 26.2 minutes, 10.8 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.  He continues to get better and the Bobcats hope that continues in 2011-12.

21-year old rookie Kemba Walker came to the Bobcats in the first round last June.  Walker will likely be the #3 guard for the Bobcats in 2011-12 as he will be counted on to add offense off the bench.  It’s even possible that the Bobcats will need to deal D.J. Augustin to get a legit center, and if that happens, Walker could be a starter from Day #1 for the Bobcats.