Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Matt Carroll and Jason Kapono -- are restricted free agents, so the Bobcats could match any offer another NBA team makes. That discourages teams from making offers.
So if Wallace or Bogans expects more money than Bickerstaff will pay, the team can sit back and watch. At worst, the Bobcats receive an offer sheet they can match or reject.
Wallace apparently wants more than the Bobcats will pay. Don't be surprised if the compromise is Wallace signing a one-year qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Also don't be surprised if that's the first step toward Wallace playing elsewhere in 2006.