Larry Brown Wants Tyson Chandler to Play Power Forward

I would love to be able to defend Charlotte coach Larry Brown's comments regarding his plot for new Bobcat Tyson Chandler. The Baseline's Sean Deveney jumped on Brown's post-trade conference call, where Brown told reporters he'd be using the 7'1 Chandler as Boris Diaw's back-up at power forward.

I really wish I were brave enough to applaud Larry's idea. But unfortunately, I didn't drop enough acid this morning.

The Bobcats are disastrous on offense, and Chandler is a substantively worse offensive player than counterpart Emeka Okafor, who will now play in New Orleans. Charlotte rated No. 27 in the league in offensive efficiency last season. The team shot poorly, turned the ball over way too much and didn't draw fouls.

Color me a simpleton, but I fail to see how playing Chandler at power forward changes the fundamental problems with the team. Chandler averaged seven FGAs per 36 minutes last season -- which means he shoots extremely infrequently. (Only 14 "rotation players" -- 15 minutes per game or more -- shot less frequently last season. Of the makes, some 72% were assisted ... which means Chandler isn't terribly adept at creating his own shot.

Now, if Brown planned to play Power Forward Chandler with a dynamic scoring center, such as Amar'e Stoudemire or Carlos Boozer, maybe it works. (Of course, then we're probably considering Chandler the center and the scorer the power forward.) But Brown doesn't have a dynamic scoring center to pair with Power Forward Chandler. He has Nazr Mohammed (career 13 points per 36 minutes and DeSagana Diop (5 points per 36 minutes over his career).

Mohammed and Diop are terrible passers. Diaw is a good-to-great passer. Chandler needs to be set up to score. But Chandler will apparently not play alongside Diaw. HMMM ... I sense a problem here. Charlotte's guards and wings might go on strike before midseason. Once Diaw sits, they will have literally no help from the front line on offense. It will be, in effect, three-on-five.

Meanwhile, the team's defense performed quite well under Brown, finishing No. 7 in the league. Yet Brown's explanation for this unthinkable move is that ... Chandler's versatility will help in defending power forwards. Or, in other words, Brown thinks making Chandler Diaw's defensive-minded platoon partner will take the Bobcats over the hump. Because interior defense is the problem.

Brown might be the first person to call Chandler "versatile." He'll probably be the second, third and fourth, too, as he attempts to blame another Bobcat for this brilliant plan's failure. (Expect that to happen sometime in, oh, November.)