Brown returns, sees flaws in Bobcats' roster

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Throughout his vagabond, Hall of Fame coaching career, Larry Brown has never been shy to say what he really thinks.

Michael Jordan was his target on Monday.

Preparing to begin his record ninth NBA head coaching job, Brown hinted that Jordan, his new boss and the Bobcats' managing partner, still has work to do to construct a roster good enough to get Charlotte into the playoffs for the first time.

"I'm concerned about who's going to be our third point guard. I'm concerned if we have a small forward that can guard," Brown said. "I'm concerned if we can find a power forward that can play if Sean (May) is not ready to go. Those are issues we're going to have to address from Day 1."

One thing is clear: The Bobcats open their fifth training camp Tuesday with a clear upgrade on the bench. Sam Vincent bombed in his only season as coach last season, clashing with players and making odd moves in a 32-50 disaster. Eager to redeem himself after getting fired following a 23-59 season in New York two years ago, Brown accepted Jordan's offer to take over.

But the 68-year-old Brown, the only coach to win NBA and NCAA titles, felt the Bobcats had to make several personnel moves to become a playoff contender in an improved Eastern Conference.

"When I got the job I told Michael and (GM) Rod (Higgins) that we needed three point guards that could bring the ball up against the press, one of them with size. We needed two small forwards that could defend. And we needed five big guys and try to make them as athletic as possible," Brown said.

So how does this roster mesh with what he wanted?

"I don't know if it does," Brown said. "We'll just have to wait and see how it plays out."

Jordan's questionable moves as an NBA executive have been well documented, from taking Kwame Brown with the No. 1 overall pick when he ran the Washington Wizards in 2001, to selecting Adam Morrison with the third overall pick in his first draft, to hiring the inexperienced Vincent.

And as Philadelphia, Cleveland and Milwaukee made significant offseason moves, the Bobcats did little to keep pace. They re-signed big man Emeka Okafor to a six-year, $72 million deal and took point guard D.J. Augustin in the draft.

But Charlotte has a clear lack of depth up front and a logjam at the wing positions.