It's hard to imagine things looking any bleaker for the Charlotte Bobcats.
They've lost 10 straight games, have the NBA's worst record and are coming off a 44-point drubbing Wednesday night at Portland, the worst loss in franchise history.
That's why Rod Higgins, the Bobcats' director of basketball operations, said the team needs to exercise patience.
Higgins said the Bobcats are still very young, playing without their three best players and, perhaps most importantly, that making a trade right now that would eat up salary-cap space next season could be detrimental to the long-term future of the franchise.
"You have to resist a knee-jerk reaction," Higgins said.
Being patient is a lot to ask of fans because the present is so bleak. The Bobcats are 3-20 entering Saturday night's game at Phoenix. However, by standing pat this season, the Bobcats would be in shape to make some noise in free agency next season.
According to NBA documents, if the Bobcats remain status quo this year they'll be around $20 million under next year's salary cap.
They could potentially create even more cap space if they were to use the amnesty clause on Corey Maggette (due $10.9 million in 2012-13), Tyrus Thomas ($8 million) or Gana Diop ($7.3 million).
They're looking to be in even better shape in 2013-14 with only three players — Tyrus Thomas and rookies Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo — under contract at a combined salary-cap hit of $13.8 million.
That means the Bobcats potentially could sign a big name or two in free agency, in addition to adding a top draft pick next year.
"Being a competitor, you want to win," Higgins said. "So it's hard. ... You have to stay the course and see it through and try to develop your young guys."
Higgins predicts the Bobcats will be "active" in free agency, but stopped short of saying how much turnover there will be in the roster.
He said that will be determined over the next three months.
"We're set up to get into the free-agent market the next two years," Higgins said.
"And with that advantage all kinds of situations come into play for you — whether it's signing a big-time free agent or maybe signing two or three quality players that enhance the talent level on your team, or being a conduit in a trade.
"Maybe there is a three-way opportunity where two teams are in a situation to make a trade and you're helping yourself because of your ability to wash money through the deal and pick up an asset in return. Maybe that's a first-round pick or a young asset from another team."
In the meantime, this has been a brutal season for the Bobcats.
Coach Paul Silas said he's spent plenty of sleepless nights trying to figure out how to help the team become more competitive. He has not had it easy.
Maggette has missed almost the entire season; D.J. Augustin has been sidelined for six games and Gerald Henderson has been in and out of the lineup, too.
Silas said before the season he expected Maggette to be the focal point of the offense and to average more than 20 points per game.
He called the team a work in progress.
"We have to understand that, but it's been difficult," Silas said. "It's been unbelievably hard. And there's really nothing I can do about it. The guys are playing as hard as they can.
"We just don't have enough (talent) at this particular point."
The 10-game losing streak is the longest in franchise history.
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