Trevor Ruszkowksi – USA Today Sports Images
With the 2013 NBA Draft going down on Thursday night, the rumor-mill is about to spin off of its hinges. Despite their lack of success over the past two seasons and their tendency to bomb in the draft, the Charlotte Bobcats are making their way into several rumors that are going around.
Though the rumors circulating about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist being traded are simply untrue, one rumor that has been gaining traction on Wednesday is that Bobcats general manager Rich Cho is extremely high on Indiana big man Cody Zeller.
Had Zeller entered the draft in 2012, he was projected to be selected in the top five. However, after returning for his sophomore season with the Hoosiers, his draft stock dropped quite a bit and some mock drafts actually have him falling out of the top 10. However, according to reports, Cho is trying to convince the Bobcats front office that Zeller is worth taking with the fourth pick.
Zeller definitely has potential with his long frame and athleticism to be a solid big man in the NBA, but taking him with the fourth pick is absolutely ludicrous. Zeller doesn’t have the upside that some of the guys available then do and also has a little more potential to be a bust.
There are two even bigger reasons why the Bobcats can’t take Zeller with the fourth pick. The first of those reasons is that Charlotte has such a terrible history in the draft with overvaluing guys and having those picks not pan out. Emeka Okafor, Adam Morrison and Bismack Biyombo all fall into that category and Zeller could very well be one of those guys too.
The second and biggest reason why Zeller shouldn’t be an option with the fourth pick, though, is because they could get him later in the lottery. If they really believe Zeller is their guy, they should be working to trade down in the draft and possibly add another asset in that trade and still get Zeller a little later in the draft. That’s a much more sensible option than reaching for Zeller at four.
The Bobcats definitely need a ton of help in their frontcourt and Zeller could very well be a solid addition to their roster. However, reaching for him at the fourth pick isn’t smart for an organization that is trying to rebuild. They have to maximize the value of the fourth pick and selecting Zeller there definitely wouldn’t do that.
Cody Williams is an NBA Blogger with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
