Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
The Charlotte Bobcats agreed to terms with former Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson that will pay him $41 million over three years. On top of that, the Bobcats re-signed power forward Josh McRoberts and selected big man Cody Zeller with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. There is no denying that Charlotte’s front court has the potential to dominate in the near future.
Jefferson has consistently been one of the more overpowering centers in the league for quite some time. He will instantly improve Charlotte’s offense the second he steps onto the court. Not to mention, his presence in the locker room will give the Bobcats all they need to believe they can win any game they suit up for.
The 28-year-old has not had the best reputation in the league over his career. With that being said, he has certainly improved in that area. He has become someone that his teammates can trust on and off the court.
More importantly, the nine-year veteran has made solid contributions on offense and defense. He averaged 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game last season. He also managed to convert 49.4 percent of his 15.8 field goal attempts per contest.
“He’s done a great job, coming in, being known as an offensive player, getting numbers,” Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin said earlier this year, according to ESPN.com. “And he’s gotten numbers here, but they’ve helped us win a lot of games. He’s been healthy. He’s always ready and willing to play and likes to be on the floor, and I think he’s been a great guy with this team of guys.”
Not only are the Bobcats counting on Jefferson to continue being a dominant player, but also they want to see him help develop some of the younger big men as he did in Utah. Zeller and McRoberts have plenty to learn before they can be true assets for Charlotte. The good news is they will be learning from one of the best in the business.
