Daily Roundup 4.11.07
Posted on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 at 9:39 am by Xteve
Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down.
All hail Kevin Pelton for his story on Mike Wilks, new starting PG.
“It’s (the third point guard) absolutely critical in team-building, because that guy takes the team over himself,” says Sonics Assistant Coach Gordon Chiesa. “It’s hard not to be in this game. What he’s done though, over his career, is he’s embraced that role. Let’s preface this - he’s a good player. Mike Wilks, whenever he’s called upon, has played well. It’s a hard role to play. It takes a special person, and Mike Wilks is a unique person.”
“My role is just being ready,” Wilks says. “It’s a tough role, but I have to be ready to push guys in practice, to make Luke and Earl better, make the team better. Then stay ready at all times if my number is called. I never know what’s going to happen during a game. Somebody may get in foul trouble; God forbid, somebody may get hurt. I want to be a plus out there.”
Great Mike Wilks story from media day:
Mike was one of the first people there. When the actual media started showing up and filling the parking lot Rick Sund goes to Mike and makes him move his truck out of the main lot so there’s more parking spots. Mike runs out to the lot in full game uniform to go run the truck out back. He’s a great guy and it’s nice to see him get his moment in the spotlight.
Time for another run with the Suns this evening. Unfortunately Luke is out for the year so we won’t all be treated to a Steve Nash comparison fest. Or will we …
New financing plan means no state sales taxes will be used to finance this. Van Dyk poops his own ample pants upon hearing the news.
Randy Livingston is your new backup PG for the next few games and will join the team in Phoenix tonight.
Congratulations to Jeff Weaver, Jake Woods and Brandon Morrow for their performance yesterday. If they’d imploded any harder Fenway Park might have undergone gravitational collapse.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:00 am
In the Columbus Dispatch there is an article on Mike Conley Jr. His father just got certified as an offical agent by the NBA and he is the spokesman for his son(although his dad says he hasn’t signed to represent his son yet).
Mike Conley Sr. says that him and his son don’t yet have a formal announcement, but they are basing their decison about declaring for the draft on what kind of shoe contract his son can get. He said if Conley Jr. can get a good shoe endorsement contract then that might sway him.
Now that’s a different take on a reason to declare early for the draft and one I never thought entered into a players mind.
On a side note, I see where nbadraft.net has Seattle picking Rodney Stuckey in the second round. Surely someone here has watched him play and can fill us in on whether or not the kid is ready for the NBA. Just from what I’ve read he sounds like a Randy Foye type of player although he hasn’t had nearly the competition level that Foye has in college.
April 11th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Quite possibly the lamest Bill Simmons’ article I’ve read:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070411&sportCat=nba
April 11th, 2007 at 10:57 am
who in the hell is Walter Herrmann? Holly cr@p he can play!! why didn’t we go after him? are our scouts in a coma?
April 11th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Does anyone think the Supes have a chance at victory tonight?
April 11th, 2007 at 10:58 am
I think we have a chance if we play:
PG: Gelabale
SG: Lewis
SF: Brown
PF: Wilcox
C: Collison
April 11th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I know
I know
ROFL
April 11th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Myk, why did you link that Simmons dreck for us? It’s cruel.
April 11th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Logically, the Sonics have a chance. Practically, there is no chance.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
It was just such a horrible article (from an author I actually like) that I wanted all of you to read it as well…the logic behind all of it makes no sense.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
He doesn’t seem to understand that the 80s were a “golden era” of basketball in his mind because his favorite team was one of the best teams of that era. If he had been a Clippers fan I doubt he’d look at it the same way.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
what you thinks about this idea?
sign and trade Lewis to Charlotte for Hermann and their first pick (6-8)
this way the sonics take Brewer and Mike Conley Jr in the draft.
Roster
Conley Jr/Watson
Allen/second round pick
Brewer/Gelabale
Wilcox/Hermann
Collison/Petro/Swift
I want Luis Scola in the team. he`s amazing. He said will play in NBA next season
April 11th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Gelabale as possible future PG was always just a no stone unturned remote chance that probably should get set aside til year 3 or totally if his play doesnt feed the idea sufficiently far more than it has to date but one somewhat more realistic possibility would be to have him play SF on offense and PG on defense with a tall PG capable (like Barry, Jaric, Walton, etc.) who would be a competent playmaker but better suited speedwise to cover a wing. But will wait and see what they do with Lewis before discussing this possibility much further.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I like the idea of going back to each team having equal chances at a top 3 pick. It would limit some of the tanking mentality and make the lottery a bit more exciting for more team.
However, I am not sure that it would stop the tanking. This year the records are so close. Teams may employ the same strategy not for Durant or Oden but to make sure that you get a top 7 guy for sure instead of dropping to 10 or 11.
April 11th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Vinny that line doesnt have enough ballhandling or outside shooting as a group though you could steal a few minutes one at a time for Lewis at SG or Brown at SF if need required or to surprise and exploit a matchup.
Not sure if Sonics re-sign Brown. Team high turnover rate and doesnt draw many foulshots per shot. these things take time but there hasnt been a significant month to month improvement. He may have to come to camp and compete for job instead of getting signed early. Good chance he might go elsewhere if he gets the chance.
April 11th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
“Teams may employ the same strategy not for Durant or Oden but to make sure that you get a top 7 guy for sure instead of dropping to 10 or 11.”
The interesting thing is that I don’t really think any of the teams at the bottom sans maybe Boston and Memphis are actually tanking.
They’ve all come up with wins over the last 2 weeks that I thought they had no chance of getting.
In reality ‘tanking’ is only something fans think about. The coaches and players have thier careers to manage and ‘I was on the team that got Greg Oden’ isn’t a ringing endorsement.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
“In reality ‘tanking’ is only something fans think about. The coaches and players have thier careers to manage and ‘I was on the team that got Greg Oden’ isn’t a ringing endorsement.”
I agree players don’t stop playing. Maybe a third of most teams will be fighting for spots next year and they’re playing to win now.
Management however is different and you see many lottery bound teams “shutting down” players or opting to have their elective surgeries now rather than in the offseason. See Portland, Bucks, Sonics ect. If we were still in the hunt I bet Ray would be playing through his injuries as would many other players…..Paul Pierce, the entire Bucks team ect.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
“Management however is different and you see many lottery bound teams “shutting down” players or opting to have their elective surgeries now rather than in the offseason. See Portland, Bucks, Sonics ect. If we were still in the hunt I bet Ray would be playing through his injuries as would many other players…..Paul Pierce, the entire Bucks team ect.”
Very true, I have noticed that not many teams sat those guys down until they were out of the playoff race mathematically.
The other thing to note however is that on all those teams the players they put in there are still playing hard and trying to win. There’s a difference between sucking and tanking.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Management however is different and you see many lottery bound teams “shutting down” players or opting to have their elective surgeries now rather than in the offseason. See Portland, Bucks, Sonics ect. If we were still in the hunt I bet Ray would be playing through his injuries as would many other players…..Paul Pierce, the entire Bucks team ect.
- But is that even “tanking”? Sure Ray could play…but it doesn’t make sense for him to play right now…why risk his career?
April 11th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
A few notes on Livingston.
Although he is an on the edge journeyman who mostly bounces into the league in short stints he has played about 200 games and has about half the career NBA minutes on the court as Ridnour. Shot has been off in nbdl this season but it appears his assists per game average is the highest in the 6 year stat archive.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
He has about 50% more nba minutes than Wilks but he had 11 years time to Wilks 5.
Both might have assistant coach options in the future at some level.
April 11th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Just a friendly reminder to everyone that tonight’s game is radio only.
April 11th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Unles you live in Phoenix like me.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Or paid the jack for NBA League Pass
April 11th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
I know!!!
$169.00 for a season of basketball!!!!
The way I look at it - I can go to 1 game or I can order League Pass and see all the Supersonic games. Although this year was like self inflicted pain to watch all those games.
It was much easier when I used to watch the games on KONG!
April 11th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Just drove home from working out and heard on KJR that Frank Chopp is still not going to let this revised plan into the bill.
Now someone please tell me.
JUST EXACTLY WHAT THE FUK IS THIS GUY TRYING TO DO???????????????????
He won’t even let it be considered???
Are we still living in what is supposed to be a democratic society where EVERYONE has a say in everything???
Welcome to America, where you elect someone to dictate over you.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Chopp better be careful.
Hoop fans are crazy.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
No dude seriously.
If the sonics leave because a majority of people opposed it, I’ll be bittered but its the majority’s opinion.
If the sonics leave town because of ONE MAN’s ARROGANCE and down right Stupidity, I better not see this guy on the street in the NW anymore.
April 11th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Chopp’s another SEIU stooge. He’s just doing what he was paid to do.
Chopp’s the same guy who accused Richard Petty of being a drunk virtually to his face. He’s an embarassment to this State and its people.
http://tinyurl.com/2ujaay
April 11th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Good grief..
My optimism toward this arena deal just dropped through rock bottom after reading that article.
So we have someone who is misinformed, arrogant, and narrow-minded to run our state.
April 11th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
That is old news…it is amazing to me that the “liberal” people of Seattle would be OK with such out and out bigotry. Guess you can only be a bigot if their is color involved
April 11th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Chopp makes me realize that, while many like to think we live in a progressive, hip place, we really live in a distant provincial backwater. (That’s not entirely bad, though.)
April 12th, 2007 at 1:47 am
And to think i voted for the guy….
April 12th, 2007 at 9:35 am
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?name=simmons
Follow up to his horrible magazine article…