Bobcats Pick 19 Low-Profile Players

Choosing players with mostly low profiles and low salaries, the Charlotte Bobcats began stocking their roster Tuesday night by selecting 19 players in the NBA expansion draft.

Jahidi White of Phoenix, Marcus Fizer of Chicago, Gerald Wallace of Sacramento and Predrag Drobnjak of the Clippers were the most experienced players among the Bobcats’ selections from the other 29 teams.

White, a six-year veteran, will have the highest salary of any Bobcat player -- $5.88 million. But the Bobcats received $3 million and a future first-round pick from Phoenix for agreeing to take White, who has one year remaining on his contract.

The Bobcats also selected Utah guard Aleksandar Pavlovic, who will be dealt to Cleveland for a future first-round draft pick. Pavlovic will give the Cavaliers a shooter to replace Jason Kapono, who was one of four guards chosen by the Bobcats.

“What we want is players who need an opportunity to show they can play. Players talk all the time, they want PT -- playing time -- and they want to know their role. We can guarantee both,” said Bernie Bickerstaff, the Bobcats’ coach and general manager.

A big name will be added in Thursday night’s NBA draft when the Bobcats select either Emeka Okafor or high school phenom Dwight Howard. Charlotte traded the No. 4 pick to the Clippers for the No. 2 selection.

Other picks by the Bobcats were: Indiana center Primoz Brezec, Laker center Jamal Sampson, Orlando forward Zaza Pachulia, Boston forward Brandon Hunter and Memphis forward Theron Smith.

Each NBA team could protect up to eight players but had to make at least one available.

The Bobcats drafted nine restricted free agents, thereby making them unrestricted free agents. They included Seattle guard Richie Frahm, Miami center Loren Woods, New Jersey forward Tamar Slay, Denver guard Jeff Trepagnier, Washington forward Lonny Baxter, Golden State guard J.R. Bremer, Fizer, New Orleans guard Maurice Carter and Portland swingman Desmond Ferguson.

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Indiana Pacer President Larry Bird believes his team made a better offer for the Orlando Magic’s Tracy McGrady than the Houston Rockets did, saying, “My personal opinion is they might have got a better deal from us.”

The Rockets were said to be the leading candidate to acquire McGrady, with Houston reportedly offering a package including Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Kelvin Cato and/or Bostjan Nachbar for McGrady, Juwan Howard, Andrew DeClercq and Tyronn Lue. Because of league salary cap rules relating to Francis’ salary, such a deal could not be completed until mid-July.

Bird would not say which players the Magic sought.

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Detroit Piston forward-center Ben Wallace and guard Richard Hamilton declined invitations to join the U.S. Olympic team, league sources told ESPN.com. ... Doug Moe, 65, the winningest coach in Denver Nugget history, is recovering at home in Texas following a heart attack Thursday, a team spokesman said.