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As I sat in the stands at the Rocky Mountain Revue back in July I couldn’t help but think of No Limit Texas Hold Em. Why poker? Because when it comes to rookies, just like in no limit poker, you have to take chances to win big.

Maybe betting on the future of a marijuana-smoking, immature player doesn’t sound like the best move. When that player is Qyntel Woods, it is a mistake to not take a chance on him.

The Charlotte Bobcats had a chance to take Woods in the expansion draft. Maybe they were scared off by his pot smoking. Maybe they were scared that he used his trading card instead of his license to identify himself to police when pulled over in his car. Still, Woods is worth the gamble.

Without taking a risk Charlotte gets no reward. Woods has been the best player in the Rocky Mountain Revue for the last two years, without question. Jason Kapono could become a good shooting guard in the NBA, but he will never be a superstar. Qyntel Woods on the other hand could someday become a top 20 player in the league. He has outplayed every top draft pick in the Revue for the last two years.

Furthermore, Woods seems to realize that he needs to change his attitude. He's tried to change his image, gone through a drug treatment program, and gained 15 pounds of muscle. Even if he continues to waste his talent, it wouldn’t have mattered to Charlotte, because they only would have wasted an expansion pick.

Every NBA team is betting huge amounts of cash that their draft picks will develop into quality NBA players. Recent history, with the exception of the Pistons this year, suggests that you need a superstar to win the title. This is why Orlando took Dwight Howard instead of Emeka Okafor. At Okafor’s best he is going to be an Alonzo Mourning type, a bruiser who is a great player but not a superstar. Howard, meanwhile, could be the next Kevin Garnett. Of course he could also be the next Kwame Brown. That is the risk Orlando takes. Big risk for big reward.

Charlotte should have taken a chance on Woods. Instead the Bobcats took the safe route and used the expansion draft to take a bunch of role players who will be gone in two years and won't help the team do anything at all. By Chris Moon