The Charlotte Bobcats signed the 9-year veteran to an three-year, $40 million deal this off-season. Michael Jordan’s team knew they were getting somebody to provide some much-needed scorer in the front court, but in basketball there happens to be two ends of the floor.
Most coaches and organizations value two-way players and unfortunately for the Bobcats, Jefferson isn’t that guy. He even admitted to Zach Lowe of Grandland that he’s a bad defender.
“It ain’t no secret around the league that I struggle with my defense,” Jefferson says. “My pick-and-roll defense is my weakness. And that’s mind over matter. I just gotta suck it up, get my ass out there, and do it.”
The moral of this story is that Al Jefferson may get you 18 points a game, but he’ll give them right back on the other end of the court.