Now that we've had some time to think about it, I think most of us have come around on Al Jefferson's signing. Most people still don't like it, but it doesn't inspire the fury it once did.
That said, I've loved this deal since the beginning and I'll tell you why.
One, the Bobcats' starting frontcourt of Byron Mullens and Josh McRoberts was good for 19.3 points per game on 41.6% shooting last season. Jefferson, coincidentally, has a career average of 19.3 points per game. Difference is, he scored those points on 50% shooting. Throw in whatever other big you want to play with him; the Bobcats' frontcourt is going to be much better than last season.
Two, Jefferson's deal is only two guaranteed years at $13.5 million. The third year is a player option (or an Early Termination Option, we're not sure yet). So, if Jefferson opts out after year two like most expect him to, Jefferson's essentially an expiring contract after next season. A legitimate star player with an expiring deal. Sounds pretty valuable to me.
Three, while Jefferson undoubtedly makes the Bobcats better on offense, his defense is so poor that it will negate his offensive contributions quite often. Despite being the Jazz's best player last season, Jefferson's net rating was a team-low -3.0. Yup, their best player was also their worst player. Funny how that works. In other words, don't expect the Bobcats to get much better. Sure, Jefferson's a very good player, but he's not going to carry this team to the playoffs, so calm down. Wiggins is still in sight.
Four, Jefferson is one of the nicest guys in the entire NBA. He takes his role as a leader very seriously, and takes great pride in developing young talent. He had the benefit of working on his post game with Kevin McHale in both Boston and Minnesota. He and McHale also mentored a young player by the name of Kevin Love. In Utah, he took Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors under his wing. Both developed an assortment of effective moves that they attributed to Al Jefferson's work with them. Check out this quote: "They worked in earnest in the offseason. While Kanter was shaping his body into something resembling a Renaissance sculpture, he also was working with Jefferson in Santa Barbara, Calif. They would wake up and lift weights, then go to the gym and work one-on-one. They practiced footwork and jump shots." I see no reason Jefferson won't do the same in Charlotte with Bismack Biyombo and Cody Zeller. Expect both to be much improved post players, especially with the Bobcats' recently hired assistant coach -- Patrick Ewing. He's not bad in the post either.
Finally, Jefferson is a veteran. It's easy to forget just how much impact veterans have on young teams. Remember the Indiana Pacers in 2011? They were a young team with a bit of potential, but few took them seriously. They brought in David West, and everything changed. They became disciplined and confident. Jefferson should have the same effect on the Bobcats' young players. He comes off as brutish and introverted, but that's a huge misconception. Jefferson is an unbelievably humble and loyal player. When Steve Clifford implements his systems this training camp, expect Jefferson to coach the Bobcats' youngsters in real time. He's that kind of player.
If you put all of these things together, the Jefferson signing doesn't look bad at all. In fact, it looks pretty darn good. It was the perfect move at the perfect time.
