2000-01 in Review: The summer of 2000 was perhaps Wally Walker's boldest since becoming general manager of the Sonics in 1994. The largest transaction in NBA history in terms of players was largely engineered by the unpopular Walker, bringing the Sonics future hall of fame center Patrick Ewing in exchange for forward Horace Grant, a first round pick, two second rounders, and filler salary that the Sonics wanted off their hands. And to imagine that this was a milder version of Walker's first plan, which would have sent out Vin Baker as opposed to Grant in the deal and allowed the Sonics to ink free agent forward Maurice Taylor to a contract. In addition, the Sonics added guard Desmond Mason with their first round draft pick, stole big man Olumide Oyedeji with their second rounder, managed to re-up restricted free agent Rashard Lewis, and added free agent forward David Wingate. The move to bring back Lewis was critical to the long term health of the Sonic franchise based on Lewis' enormous potential, and Ewing both upgraded the Sonics at the center position but also provided a great deal of excitement for fans. But it was all not enough to keep the Sonics in the playoffs. In hindsight, perhaps the most important part of Walker's off-season was not a move made, but a move not made -- not guaranteeing the third year of coach Paul Westphal's contract, as Westphal asked. It was clear once the Sonics started the season slowly that it was a matter of when -- not if -- Westphal was fired. The move itself came on November 27, providing another important decision for Walker, who to pick as his replacement. Walker chose Nate McMillan, a move proven to be correct by Nate's coaching the rest of the season even if the change was not enough to put the Sonics in the playoffs. Later on in the season, Walker ensured his position with the Sonics when he joined the ownership group purchasing the team from Barry Ackerly. He was subsequently elevated in title -- though not a significant change in duties -- to CEO, leaving the GM position ot Rick Sund.

Previous Career: A standout in college for the University of Virginia, Walker was the fifth pick of the Portland Trailblazers in 1976. After two seasons, Walker moved north up I-5 in a deal which sent him to the Sonics. Walker spent five seasons with the Sonics, including their championship season. He completed his career in Houston before heading to business school at Stanford University. After graduating with his MBA, Walker went into private business with the Goldman Sachs investment firm. During this time, Walker spent time as a color commentator for both Pac-10 games and the Sonics. In June of 1994, Walker became a consultant for the Sonics after Bob Whitsitt, the previous GM, left the team. After consulting during the Draft, Walker was named President and General Manager on July 21, 1994. In his first full offseason in charge of the Sonics, Walker oversaw the creation of a team that advanced to the NBA Finals and made perhaps his finest deal, acquiring Hersey Hawkins and David Wingate for disgruntled guard Kendall Gill. After the season, Walker made one of the deals which has drawn him the most criticism, inking free agent center Jim McIlvaine to a seven-year, 35 million dollar contract. The Sonics remained a strong team, winning the Pacific Division, but lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Houston Rockets. After the season, forward Shawn Kemp announced he would hold out if not traded over the summer, putting Walker between a rock and a hard place. After waiting most of the summer, Walker got what, under the circumstances, was a fantastic deal, getting Buck star forward Vin Baker straight up for Kemp in a three-way deal. The Sonics won their third straight Pacific Division title and seemed on their way to a big postseason, but were upset in the second round by the L.A. Lakers. Head coach George Karl's contract expired after the season, and after the season Walker elected not to resign Karl. Walker's choice for successor was Paul Westphal, another former Sonic. In the 1998 Draft, the Sonics added three youngsters -- Vladimir Stepania, Rashard Lewis, an excellent second round pick, and Jelani McCoy. In the abbreviated 'off-season' after the conclusion of the NBA's lockout, the Sonics added free agents Billy Owens and Olden Polynice to their lineup, and Walker eliminated his mistake with McIlvaine by sending him several thousand miles away to New Jersey in exchange for Don MacLean and Michael Cage. The moves backfired, as both Owens and Polynice struggled both on and off the court and Westphal failed to control his veteran team, and the Sonics missed the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. After the year, Walker oversaw a near total rebuilding effort, sending away veterans like Hawkins, Detlef Schrempf, Dale Ellis, Owens, and Polynice. In their stead came a pair of second year players -- Ruben Patterson and Shammond Williams -- and veterans Brent Barry, Vernon Maxwell, Horace Grant, and Greg Foster. The new mix provided an upturn for the Sonics, as they won 47 games and made the playoffs, taking the number two seeded Jazz down to a missed shot at the buzzer in the first round of the playoffs.

Trading: Most of Walker's most gutsy moves have been made via trades. And, for the most part, these trades have worked out well for the Sonics. Take the aforementioned case of Kendall Gill. The Sonics had to move Gill and every team in the NBA knew this. Yet Walker was still able to pry a player arguably Gill's equal in Hawkins -- and a better fit for the Sonics -- and David Wingate as a throw-in who eventually became a key Sonic reserve. When Hawkins' age caused a deterioration to his game and the Sonics needed to get younger, Walker sent him on his way to Chicago for Barry, who has been extremely valuable to the Sonics as both a starter and a reserve the last two seasons. The worst deal of the Walker era has in hindsight been almost inarguably sending Kemp out for Baker, but who would not have made the move at the time? Baker's career collapse has been inexplicable and unpredictable, and should hardly be considered Walker's fault. One note -- Walker has seemed rather reluctant to make deals in season or even during training camp.
Grade: B

Free Agency: If one term were to be used to discuss the Sonics' free agent forays under Walker, it would probably be conservative. For the most part, the Sonics have chosen to re-sign their own free agents (ie Baker, Payton, Lewis) as opposed to pursuing outsiders. The two biggest deals monetarily given by Walker to free agents have been to a pair of centers -- McIlvaine in 1997 and Calvin Booth this summer. The jury is of course out on Booth, but McIlvaine's deal was a momentous mistake, even if Walker was able to make it the Nets' mistake. Other, more minor, veteran deals have largely failed, a la Craig Ehlo, Vernon Maxwell, and Greg Foster. Walker has done a good job of acquiring unproven talent through free agency, namely Patterson and Williams, and Moochie Norris (though he succeeded only after going to Houston).
Grade: D+

The Draft: In early years, Walker had very few chances to upgrade the team via the draft, for two main reasons. First, the Sonics were winning -- and winning big -- meaning poor picks. Secondly, then-Coach Karl almost unilaterally refused to use young players. The first round picks of 1994, 1996, 1997, and 1999 were all sent elsewhere. That meant Walker's only first rounder in his first four years was Sherell Ford, a total bust who lasted only a season. However, Walker did find some talent in the second round in Eric Snow in '95. After Karl's departure, Walker has been more free to add young talent, and generally done a good job. Though '98 first rounder Stepania has not lived up to his potential, second rounder Lewis has impressed, and McCoy provided quality minutes for three years. 2000 first rounder Mason looks like a starter for years to come, and Oyedeji was lottery pick talent in the second round. It would appear that Walker's drafting has come around.
Grade: B

Overall: Correctly or incorrectly, Walker has been identified by Sonics fans as the catalyst of the team's demise from its peak years between 1992 and 1998. While Walker should be blamed for letting Karl go largely because of personal issues, he has unfairly taken the fall for some general bad luck for the Sonics. It's possible that the Sonics might have made the playoffs all three seasons post-Karl if only Vin Baker had continued to play at the same high level he set before the lockout. Certainly it is not Walker's fault that Baker's game has prematurely deteriorated, is it? Wally Walker is certainly not the best GM in the NBA (though a case might be made for his predecessor, Bob Whitsitt; part of the fans' disdain for Walker could be the high standards set by 'Trader Bob'), but he is very far from the worst. It is not as if the Sonics are the first team to ever undergo a slump after their peak seasons. Even the L.A. Lakers were the eighth seed in the playoffs and in the lottery in successive years in the early 90's, yet does that mean that Jerry West was not a good GM? Of course not. Houston, which peaked along with the Sonics though peaking higher because of their good fortune to make the Finals when Michael Jordan was not there, has taken an analagous fall in recent seasons. Such is the cyclical nature of the NBA. Perhaps if fans gave Walker a chance to completely put together his team with his coach (Nate McMillan), they might be pleasantly surprised.
Grade: C+