Reboot and rebuild. Those words have dominated the conversation about the Charlotte Bobcats in the two seasons Kemba Walker has played for the franchise that made him the No. 9 pick in the 2011 Draft.
Be it coaching or personnel changes, they have always been accompanied by those words and whatever ramifications come with them in a franchise that has for too long used them as staples this time of year.
It feels different this time, though, at least for Walker. The addition of Al Jefferson, a seasoned low-post operator acquired via free agency, presents an entirely new dynamic that Walker can't wait to take advantage of in this latest reboot under new head coach Steve Clifford.
"I've honestly never really played with a dominant big man, a guy who commands the kind of attention he will night in and night out," Walker said. "I don't think people realize how he changes the game for guys like Gerald [Henderson] and myself, the guys who have to work on the edges. I looked back at the way we played last season and some of the shots we took, and the situations we were in was ridiculous. The degree of difficulty was off the charts. It won't be like that with an anchor down low."
Jefferson's addition didn't push the Bobcats into a different category in the Eastern Conference and it didn't inspire the sort of universal praise from the pundits that helps generate the sort of buzz and excitement you usually get with a big offseason move. But internally, and perhaps most importantly in the locker room, adding a 6-foot-10, 290-pounder with the production (career 16.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks) and experience the nine-year veteran brings changes everything.
Jefferson's addition didn't push the Bobcats into a different category in the Eastern Conference and it didn't inspire the sort of universal praise from the pundits that helps generate the sort of buzz and excitement you usually get with a big offseason move. But internally, and perhaps most importantly in the locker room, adding a 6-foot-10, 290-pounder with the production (career 16.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks) and experience the nine-year veteran brings changes everything.
It takes the pressure off of not only Walker, Henderson and other returnees, but also a young and talented 7-footer like Cody Zeller, the No. 4 pick in the June Draft.
"No offense to the guys we've had in that spot before, but you don't realize how important it is until you play in this league without that kind of presence," Walker said. "It makes all the difference in the world to know that we have Al rolling with us. It changes everything."
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