Swinging for fences not wise on this draft

I keep hearing sports-talk radio hosts and fans, too, saying the Charlotte Bobcats should hit "home runs" with the ninth and 19th picks in Thursday's NBA draft.

Actually, what a wrong-headed approach which will doom someone to disappointment. If you ever swing for any fences inside of a draft like this, ensure miss a variety of singles and doubles. I'm confident in saying the 2011 draft class is all about singles and doubles.

For months, both outside and inside the Bobcats' front office, I've heard this draft referred to as relatively starless but slightly deeper than your typical draft pool. The superior prospects - Duke point guard Kyrie Irving and Arizona forward Derrick Williams - will probably be solid NBA players, however they fall short of the can't-miss impact on the Derrick Rose or Kevin Durant.

The compensation for your is you'll find guys, well to the 20s, which will generate a team's eight- or nine-man rotation for a good, period of time. You'll be able to disregard that basic truth in the event you choose, but this would run counter to your Bobcats' rebuilding process.

Coach Paul Silas articulated this well recently, when asked what he learned from your predraft workouts. He said he's well informed seeing that the squad selected together with the ninth and 19th picks will always make it to the rotation. But Silas cautioned that neither of people guys might play almost as much ast rookies.

Being one of many top eight players by using an NBA roster - any NBA roster - is difficult. Particularly if you decide to don't have a previous NBA experience. I appreciate why fans here are impatient for any quick solution, but forcing rookies into roles before they're ready often is counter-productive. Didn't we learn anything from watching Jimmy Clausen behind center with the Carolina Panthers?

New general manager Rich Cho obviously is a brilliant guy who can bring a new perspective to your franchise. The best interesting thing away from Cho's introductory news conference was this reply to mediocrity:

"One of your worst steps you can take during this league, I believe, is certainly be a middle-of-the-road team," he explained.

Cho described "middle-of-the-road" like a franchise that barely helps to make the playoffs one full year and misses them the following. A franchise it does not hold the patience to build up and develop young assets as time passes.

Cho said his goal while using the Bobcats is the thing that they achieved if your Seattle SuperSonics had become the Oklahoma City Thunder - sustained success.

I'm pretty confident you do not work toward sustained success by swinging for any fences within a draft rich in singles and doubles.