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86 Responses to “4/16/08 Box Score: Sonics 126 Warriors 121”

1. Otto Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:00 pm

   So next, for the ‘on the court’ dates is the the day the draft order is announced.

   Please be #1…PLEASE.

2. Sam K Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

   May 20 is the date. If we get a top two pick it’s going to make this battle even uglier, as both Seattle and Bennett will fight that much harder for the team.

3. SpeedCat Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:07 pm

   http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3350289

   Sorry if this is a repeat… our two US Senators are now in the mix on our side of this issue!

4. SeattleFan91 Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

   DJS425 on The ESPN Sonics Board wrote a letter to Schultz attorney…

   “Mr Yarmuth actually responded. He didnt say much but just and FYI

   Heres what I email him;

   I think the Sonics history might lie on you. We sonics fans have a lot of faith in you and thankyou for what your doing for seattle on behalf of Mr schultz. Do you really think this has a good chance to have a favorable ending? Again thankyou!
   ___________________________________

   His response while not much

   Richard Yarmuth to me show details 8:52 AM (12 hours ago) Reply
   Thanks for the message… We’ll fight hard.

   Richard C. Yarmuth
   Yarmuth Wilsdon Calfo PLLC
   Fourth & Madison
   925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2500
   Seattle, WA 98104
   Telephone: 206.516.3870
   Fax: 206.516.3888
   Website: http://www.yarmuth.com”

   And to the moderators: DJS425 said he registered here months ago and his account has been reviewing his application for months. He says he registered here with the name daninthe425. So if you could accept his account he would be most grateful.

   http://boards.espn.go.com/boards/mb/mb?rls=Seattle%20SuperSonics&tid=2672424&lid=1

5. SpeedCat Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:16 pm

   If anyone has had trouble getting their sonicscentral.com account registered, I believe the best way to do that is to register again using a different email address. Worked for several posters I know of.

6. SeattleFan91 Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:17 pm

   Alright, I’ll be sure to let the guy know. Thanks Speed.

7. The South Florida Fan Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

   Sonics fans, You and I have agreed 100% on everything when it comes to the team staying in Seattle.

   Now as for that draft pick…I like my Heat’s chances with the lottery balls. Out of curiosity, if it goes 1. Heat, 2. Sonics, would you rather the Heat took Beasley or Rose?

8. Bennith13 Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

   I would rather the Heat took Beasley because I want Rose. I am sure many will disagree.

9. Paul Says:
   April 16th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

   I hope that there will be at least 50 to 100 show up at Boeing Field tonight. As I said that I wish I could be there since I am from Yakima. But I will be in the spirit with you guys! The Sonics players need to have some kind of cheering after what they have been through this year. Who knows that it will change the Sonics players’ tune to speak out against Bennett. Lauren Jackson have done that and look what happened to Storm. That is why I think it is important to get Sonics players to speak out in public somehow. I recommend you to make signs saying : We are not giving up on you guys!” something like that.

10. SpeedCat Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    holy crap…. I didn’t even read the top of the thread… OMG I thought it was a joke. How many Sonics had double-doubles tonight? FOUR. Very nice.

    Has Watson been playing great lately, or am I just seeing things?

    And Collison has been very steady too.

    And with the star rookies Durant and Green on the sharp ascent, you’re damn straight I don’t wanna lose THIS team.

11. Big Chris Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    I’d rather the Heat took Beasley, we already have Durant. Rose would fit our needs better, and I suspect Beasley fits your needs better, though I could be wrong.

    Big Chris

12. SpeedCat Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pm

    Bennith13 Says:

    April 16th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
    “I would rather the Heat took Beasley because I want Rose. I am sure many will disagree. ”

    Totally agree there. But then again, if we can’t get Rose, BPA will have to do. I trust Sam Presti will find the best value and a very strategic plan for what to do with that value, long term in mind of course.

13. Paul Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:24 pm

    I want Rose but I will let Miami Heat pick what they want. If Beasley is available for #2 and Sonics pick. Then Bennett will tell Presti to trade Wilcox to make the team to become worse. That is my thought. If we draft Rose and it will bring to trade Watson or Ridnour. But I believe Watson has better trade value after last 20 games showing he is a proven leader.

14. Vinny Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    I have this weird feeling that Watson will be a Maverick next season, backing up J.Kidd.

15. The South Florida Fan Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:27 pm

    I think you guys are right. The Heat would probably take Beasley to pair inside-outside with Dwyane Wade. You have to admit: Wade (healthy again)-Marion-Beasley would be a pretty fearsome Big 3.

    Then Rose would fall to Seattle. We may be in this together. My only concern with Beasley is that he apparently has real effort problems. That’s not a great recipe for NBA success.

16. Sam K Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    I’d be ecstatic with either Rose or Beasley. My preference is Rose because he’s an asset on offense and defense. Plus Beasley seems like a jackass. But he’s apparently good friends with KD so he could help our chemistry. Basically I’ll be elated with DR or MB, very happy with Mayo or Bayless, and skeptical of Lopez. And if we draft Gallinari I will murder Clay Bennett.

17. bonesbarry Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:29 pm

    I absolutely loved Durant’s Eff You, Al Who? 42 13 and 6 tonight. He even had a big block on Biedrins in the last couple minutes.

    While Earl has played really well the last couple months, I definitely want Rose. Earl is a good backup NBA PG but thats it. Rose is the real deal. So lets hope for good results on May 20.

    I’m with you SpeedCat, I completely trust Presti. He knows what he is doing and he’s going to set us up well. Free agents may be hesitant to sign with us, but he won’t overpay to compensate.

18. James B. Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:32 pm

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004354343_apokxgrsupersonicsqualityjobs.html

    Not sure if people read this; it came out a couple of hours ago. Imagine that: state legislators feeling blackmailed like they are being held hostage! Funny how C.B. manages to create enemies everywhere he goes.

19. courtsense Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:43 pm

    If Rose goes #1 or anywhere ahead of the Sonics, Presti should try to trade down and draft Mayo. Maybe Presti can use Beasley as bait to dump some of our current roster trash, or pick up an extra first-rounder.

    My preferences, in order:

    pick 1: Rose, Mayo, or Love
    pick 2: Augustin or Thompson
    pick 3: Hardin, Jawai, or Lee

    As for Watson, despite my previous feelings about his game, he’s earned my respect as a man and as a pro - to the point where I’m hoping he returns next year and Luke moves on.

20. epx Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    If we can’t get Rose I’d probably considering trading the pick as well with the right offer…

21. James B. Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:49 pm

    Definitely a great night for KD and Green, and Watson has been playing his best ball of the year recently. If Crow still thinks that Green is not worthy of a #5 pick based on his rookie PER alone, he should rethink that. I really like the work ethic and conditioning of both KD and Green. There have been so many reasons to give up on this season, and they still give us something to watch and enjoy as fans…

    ———————————-

    I think that the three guys who could help us the most in the draft would be: Rose, Mayo, and B. Lopez. Beasley just wouldn’t fit our needs… I’d rather slide down to #5 and snag Brook Lopez than draft Beasley in a higher slot. Just my opinion…

22. DK Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    As much as I don’t wish to discount the great effort from Kevin Durant, if you look at the boxscores from around the league you’ll notice individual stats from players that are off the chart from their usual averages. Surely some teams and players haven’t put in their best efforts tonight with nothing on the line.

    But Kevin Durant rose to the occasion tonight when he knows he should put a stamp on his rookie season and prove without a shadow of a doubt that he deserves to be rookie of the year. But who was playing him and how motivated were they after the deflating loss to Phoenix to get knocked out of the playoffs? Beautiful final 2008 game from Kevin though.

    Jeff Green showed the enthusiasm of a young player with nothing to lose and also closed out his rookie season in style. The best stat from him was how many times he went to the line. I feel that’s an area Seattle has to improve on. Teams regularly had far more foul shot attempts than Seattle. It means the difference in many games both by putting teams in the penalty early by drawing fouls and also forcing opposing coaches to alter their game plan and substitutions.

    Nick Collison was, well, his usual blue collar self with yet another workmanlike game. A good arguement can be made that they could trade Chris Wilcox and be just as well off at power forward with Collison logging big starters minutes. The biggest thing I’ve been impressed with in his game the last third of the season was how he managed to stay out of foul trouble, which allowed him to stay aggressive for the whole game.

    How do you explain Earl Watsons late season stats? I can’t, but he has been impressive. But I also look at a guy like the Bucks Ramon Sessions, who was in the D league most of the year and when he gets the call to be the Bucks starter after both Mo Williams and Charlie Bell go out with injuries steps in and suddenly puts up stats better than any pointguard in the entire NBA. Go to nba.com and check out his last few games. Mind boggling.

23. courtsense Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    Oops - I totally forgot about Westbrook. He’d be my choice if both Rose and Mayo were already gone and the Sonics pick down around 7-10. Basically, my priority is I want either Rose or Mayo or Westbrook with the first pick, then Thompson or Hardin or Lee in the late first or second round, then BPA’s.

24. Otto Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

    I hate robert Jamison. I am sure saving face is one of the reasons, but he can’t say for sure the only one.

    http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/jamieson/359356_robert17.html

25. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

    Court,

    I like all your picks except Love. He is just not a top-10 type of pick. Plus he doesn’t really fit into the Sonics fast-paced offensive scheme, due to his mobility. I’m not saying I don’t like him. I think he’ll be a good pro. But he’s definitely not worthy of anything higher than a late-teen pick.

    Just my two cents.

26. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    We’re guaranteed no lower than pick #5, so Mayo still should be there if we don’t fall into the top 3. But I’m really hoping we either get 1 or 2. If we pick at #3, I’m gonna pee my pants because I have a feeling Presti would pick Lopez at that spot. And I’m still not sold on that guy. I actually think his brother has a solid chance to be a better pro than Brook.

    I think Bayless would be a much better pick over Lopez at 3.

27. bonesbarry Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

    Sonic Scott,

    I understand what you’re saying about Love not being a top-10 pick, but I disagree with your secondary reasoning. The concerns about his mobility are real, but what would be a better fit for a fast break team than a guy who can rebound and throw a 70 foot pass right in stride with a streaking teammate? He threw a couple of those a game this year and teams were so fearful about it that they dropped defenders back, which opened up more defensive rebounding opportunities for UCLA. You think KD, Green, and even Weezy wouldn’t look forward to those runouts?

28. SpeedCat Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:08 pm

    nice post downtown.

    Good night everyone. Sorry I can’t make Boeing Field.

29. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:10 pm

    That’s a good point, Bones. Love is an exceptional passer… probably the best outlet passer since Walton. I just question where he plays with the Sonics? Do you play him at the 5 spot? He’s got the beef to play center, just not the height.

30. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    I will say this… Presti has a ton of options. With so many picks, it gives him alot of freedom to make some interesting moves. And it also allows him to pick one or two gambles (guys that have huge upside, but also could be complete busts.)

    But I’ll be disappointed if we don’t land Rose, Bayless or Mayo.

31. courtsense Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:18 pm

    Scott, thanks for reminding me that the Sonics are guaranteed to pick no lower than #5. In that case, if Rose is gone, I’d take Mayo. If by chance both Rose and Mayo were gone when the Soincs pick, I’d trade down and take Westbrook and see if we could dump Ridnour or Wilcox in the process, or perhaps pick up another late-teens/early-20’s pick in the process. If Presti can get 3 of my Top 7 or 8 guys I’ll be thrilled.

32. The South Florida Fan Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:20 pm

    It’s hard to believe one city (Miami) could have two #1 picks. Then I think of Clay Bennett and I realize what a real gripe is. These Oklahomans just don’t get it. They’ve really convinced themselves that they deserve the Sonics.

33. GP are you wit'me? Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:21 pm

    I’ve been waiting for Durant to drop 40 points all year.

    THanks ESPN, I’m sure the Spurs-Jazz blown out was fun.

34. SeattleFan91 Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    Just watched the highlights from the game on King 5. PJ sounded very emotional when asked where he thinks they’ll end up, and he said “Were just waiting to see what happens, but it hard when you see all the people around Seattle and how much they care. We’re just waiting to see what happens. There’s nothing more anything can really do. ”

    That’s basically what he said.

35. bonesbarry Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    Sonic Scott Says: “I just question where he plays with the Sonics? Do you play him at the 5 spot? He’s got the beef to play center, just not the height.”

    I’m not necessarily arguing in favor of Love because top 5 is too early, he won’t be available at 23 or 24, and he’s not so special that I think you make an extraordinary trade. But if we ended up with Love, who else on our roster would you pick over him to play center? IMO Johan will be a decent backup center but nothing more than that. Obviously our other options at the 5 are non-factors.

36. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:30 pm

    It’ll be a fun draft to watch… lots of Pac-10 guys going in the first and high-2nd round.

    Presti obviously wasn’t gun-shy last year. Let’s just hope he’s got some more magic up his sleeve.

    Here’s a point not many people are thinking about. Alot of fans were critical of Presti for dismantling the team, but the timing is pretty interesting. I don’t think the Supes would’ve made the playoffs in the ultra-tough West even with Ray, Rashard and KD. I think they probably wouldve finished right below G.S. in terms of overall record. But you look a couple years down the road, when Durant and Green are starting to really mature and everyone else in the West (Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas) is getting old.

    I think down the road, it’ll be the Sonics and Blazers fighting it out in the Western Finals year after year.

    Should be fun… provided the Okie releases his death grip on OUR team.

37. Sonic Scott Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Bones,

    I’m hoping we get our starting center in this year’s draft. Johan is not a starter. The guy just doesn’t have the consistency or mental toughness. It kills me to watch him, because he has all of the physical tools to be great, but I don’t know. i just don’t think Petro gets it.

    I wouldn’t mind either of the Lopez twins, but I still can’t justify taking Brook in the top-5. If we go after Thabeet (UConn) or Jordan (A&M), I’m gonna hang myself. I think they’re both stiffs. If Hibbert falls to us at 23, it’d be a miracle. But stranger things have happened. That kid from Rider (Thompson) is intriguing, but I watched a couple of their games and wasn’t too impressed. I’m really curious to see where Nathan Jawai lands. He’s a freakin’ beast of a man. Plus he plays with alot of tenacity.

    I wish it was June already (Draft and trial begins).

    GO SUPES!!!

38. Zonics Says:
    April 16th, 2008 at 11:52 pm

    Not to go back to Stern bashing but Mr. Simmons sliped this comment in and I think he was trying to be sneaky about it so as not to tip of the editors…

    Goto #6 “Dirk” there are some kind words to the Sonics Fans and to Mr. Stern for all he has done for us… LOVE IT!!!

    http://tinyurl.com/6rsqva

    See ya at the airstrip!!!

39. Paul Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:23 am

    I hope we pick Rose or Mayo and get Robin Lopez with our 2nd pick. I think Robin will adjust better than Brook for some reason.

    Please fill me about the Boeing field rally. I wish I am with you guys. I am glad that I thought of this and Sonics players deserve this kind of good closure and cheering from us. That does not mean we are letting them go! I hope you guys take pictures or do video clip or inform the new stations! I am going to keep my eye on NWCN to see if they pick up this one.

40. chad44 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:24 am

    at the kanye west concert tonight “save our sonics” chants broke out a couple times

41. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 1:10 am

    “I hope we pick Rose or Mayo and get Robin Lopez with our 2nd pick. I think Robin will adjust better than Brook for some reason.” {Paul}

    Regarding Robin Lopez, there’s almost no upside with him; hence, it’s fairly easy to project how he’ll perform in the NBA. As a reserve center who’ll bring defensive fortitude, limited offense, and energy off of the bench, R. Lopez reminds me of guys like Joakim Noah and Anderson Varejao.

    Yet, as it concerns Brook Lopez, he could be the second-coming of Pau Gasol or a bust like Maciej Lampe — with Darko Milicic being his middle-of-the-road projection — thus, it’s tough to make a final judgement on him.

    Since B. Lopez is a versatile interior player who can play power forward on offense and defend centers, the Minnesota Timberwolves would be the best destination for him.

    Alongside Al Jefferson — who can score on the low block with his back to the basket, but is unable to adequately defend opposing pivotmen — on the Timberwolves frontline, B. Lopez could utilize his strengths (e.g., defensive fundamentals) and mask his weaknesses (e.g., inefficient field-goal shooting).

42. Myk Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 1:44 am

    All I can say is that it is quite apparent to me that a team with a low percentage shooter like Kevin Durant could never be a championship level team…

43. Kitcat Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 1:58 am

    Let us know how Boeing Field went. I think it’s a fantastic idea. Stay warm out there.

44. SeeJ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:08 am

    SoS Chant at the Kanye West concert tonight

45. Pete Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:24 am

    Myk-

    Durant shot 53% in March, and 46% in April. The past few months, he has improved his shot selection dramatically. Say his shooting percentage evens out at 48%. That’s top 40-50 in the league, dude, and even higher for his true position, small forward. I would also keep in mind that he is only 19, and that Lebron shot a similar percentage his rookie year….

    Maybe I’m missing your point, or you are tongue-in-cheek.

46. David M. Brown, MD Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:25 am

    This blog went down again or offline for about an hour I think starting before 1:00 AM this morning (4-17-08). Was this maintenance or the other problem? I doubt that it was due to heavy traffic in the early morning.

47. Zonics Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:35 am

    Just got back from Boeing field to welcome the Sonics back home….

    Something was in the air, maybe it was the full moon but it was really great to see our Seattle Sonics coming off of a win to put this “funhouse” season to bed, time to move on at get ready for next season in SEATTLE!!!!

    Everyone one of the team members was greeted with a huge HUG from a caring “mother like” woman.(team booster?) The team all hugged her back. Nick C gave the biggest hug. Dam it these guys deserve a hug and they sure as hell got one. PJ seemed shocked to see anyone there and it seemed as if he had a bit of shame in his eyes for not being able to put more W’s on the board. It was pretty depressing. Expect for the lady handing out cookies to all the teammates. I found that to be the coolest thing. 65% of them took the cookies. Really, cookies?

    I think they(Sonics) needed to see us there to let them know we care and to rub some dirt on their boo boo’s so we can get back to being a contender again. Sam Presti was very appreciative of our support and he made a special drive by thanking to give props back….

    In short this is not the last we have seen of these guys, but the evening did have a bit of spookiness to it, I would like to think that this evening’s eerie calm was the basketball god’s celestial slack tide for the Sonics and their trouble. It seems as if the tide is about to turn in Seattle’s and Their beloved Sonics favor.

48. Pete Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:46 am

    zonics- how many people were there to welcome them home?

49. Myk Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:49 am

    Durant shot 53% in March, and 46% in April. The past few months, he has improved his shot selection dramatically. Say his shooting percentage evens out at 48%. That’s top 40-50 in the league, dude, and even higher for his true position, small forward. I would also keep in mind that he is only 19, and that Lebron shot a similar percentage his rookie year….

    Maybe I’m missing your point, or you are tongue-in-cheek.
    

    - It was a joke…i was just saving AK some time…not that he’d post on nights like this. It wouldnt be his style

50. Zonics Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 2:54 am

    10 hate to say

51. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:20 am

    “It was a joke…i was just saving AK some time…not that he’d post on nights like this. It wouldnt be his style” {Myk}

    It was “The Big Dipper” who claimed that Kevin Durant would always shoot a horrid field-goal percentage. I, however, stated that it was Durant’s early season shot selection — which involved a countless amount of ill-advised from beyond the arc — and selfishness on offense that was hindering him. Durant has managed to overcome that drawback, though, so kudos are in order for him on that account.

    On the other hand, Durant is, was, and always will be a worthless defender due to his inherent flaws — such as a weak frame due to his body type, substandard lateral quickness, and mediocre athleticism — which he’ll have to deal with his entire career. Again, Durant is stylistically similar to Tracy McGrady and statistically similar to Carmelo Anthony; that’s not a winning combination in any way, shape, or form.

52. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:28 am

    “It was a joke…i was just saving AK some time…not that he’d post on nights like this. It wouldnt be his style” {Myk}

    I’m frickin’ in never-ending moderation; thus, neither you nor anyone else get to read my posts in a timely manner.

    Indeed, most people can’t handle my brand of blunt, unfiltered honesty. It’s too acerbic for them to digest most of the time.

53. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:39 am

    I’m just glad that the Earl Watson versus Luke Ridnour debate finally has a definitive answer. It’s … Watson!

54. Ray1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:56 am

    I had such high hopes for Ridnour this year but he wasted no chance in showing the true loser he really is. Remember when people on here were comparing him to steve nash?

    My respect for Earl on the other hand has easily doubled over the course of the year. Bonus points for speaking out on the OKC-issue.

    Collison was brilliant this year. He’s not an all-star but we all knew that. He’s become more consistent with another year under his belt. This guy could be another team’s missing piece to the championship puzzle coming off the bench. Let’s hope we can keep him for years to come

55. D_G Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:02 am

    “As much as I don’t wish to discount the great effort from Kevin Durant, if you look at the boxscores from around the league you’ll notice individual stats from players that are off the chart from their usual averages. Surely some teams and players haven’t put in their best efforts tonight with nothing on the line.”

    OTH Golden State played their starting five for much of the game. Golden State might very well have put forth their best effort. Unfortunately for them, their best effort may not include playing any defense.

    Check out the stats line for the last time we played Golden State!!!! Given that it was clear from the get-go that the Sonics would be putting on an offensive show last night, it is even a bigger shame that it wasn’t televised.

56. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:35 am

    I’d've resorted to typing freakin’ before “frickin’,” as that term sounds like it was coined by some backwoods hillbilly.

57. Kyle from Mukilteo Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:42 am

    If we can’t get Rose / Beasley, I say you take Bayless or Mayo. Something about 7 footers and the Sonics scares me. Watching Bayless play, he seems to have that same fire and ultra-high competitiveness that is needed in the NBA. I sometimes wonder about that with Beaseley.

    Say you land a PG w/ first pick (Rose/Bayless) and if you can get a Chris Douglas Roberts / Courtney Lee / Chase Budinger type player with the 23 pick, I think you are in business.

    I think the priority has to be to draft a solid PG and SG. Then you can run out a (Rose / Bayless / Westbrook / Collison / Augistin) with (Mayo / Rush / CDR / Courtney Lee), move Durant back to the SF, and you have Green at PF. Hard not to get excited about that.

    Beasley would be solid, but personally I think we have enough SF/PF as it is.

58. AD Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 7:59 am

    Weird relationship…

    Hate Bennett and Co. for what they’ve done with the team…

    Love how they are buliding the team…

59. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:28 am

    I think there is a pretty good chance Sonics will make an offer to Kelenna Azubuike and might get him. He will be low on Golden State’s list of priorities to re-sign. His stats are decent but down from previous year so competition won’t be fierce and price will be modest. If Sonics offered a 20 minute role he might take it. And it was mentioned he played high school ball in Tulsa and is #2 all-time state scorer. Not a big deal either way but he might fit. Pretty good shot and actually pretty good on drive and 1 on 1 defense too. Likes uptempo. 25.

60. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:31 am

    I was mentioned that KD’s big shot in Dallas came with 41 seconds on clock. Last night 42 pts. 41 years in. 42nd season on the way.

61. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:38 am

    “It” was mentioned…

    Presti has a ton of work to do. 3pt shooting, defensive players, leadership, fan relations…

    PJ / Westhead need to reconsider nearly everything about their offensive and defensive systems.

62. DK Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 8:47 am

    Since we’re talking a little draft talk this morning I’ll throw my two cents in. Of course if Seattle gets one of the top two picks like it should turn out then Rose and Beasley are no brainers.

    But below that it gets interesting. I was on the Jerryd Bayless bandwagon for a good part of the season but was dissapointed that he didn’t develop his pointguard skills more as the season progressed and instead leaned more towards a shooting guard role. I have no idea whether or not it was by design from the Arizona coach and maybe that’s just how he wanted Bayless to play and that he can become a pointguard. But from what I saw he looked to be more a scorer than getting teamates involved.

    OJ Mayo had one of those freshmen years where it was hard to tell exactly where he stood. At times he looked terrific with great individual skills and other times he wasn’t a factor. I’ve read some theories that pointed out that Tim Floyd had a terrible game plan and that Mayo was a product of a slow, flawed system and no matter what he did he wasn’t going to look great because of it. But the encouraging signs were that Mayo is a very good defender and isn’t a selfish looking player. With his size he may be a good hedge pick because if Durant and Green both get stronger as they get a little older they might be shuffled over one position each with Durant at small forward and Green at power forward. Mayo might be a bit better fit to play at shooting guard than the shorter Bayless, who may end up in a Ben Gordon role. Hard to tell.

    I like Brook Lopez from the three or four games I watched. He looks to be fundamentally sound and seems to know what’s going on( basketball IQ). Like alot in here I’m a little cautious and gun shy about pulling the trigger yet again on a young center. But I think Lopez has more going for him development wise than Swift, Petro, and Sene did when they were picked since Lopez played high level college ball. Lord knows we need to be better down the middle, and if Presti can swing a trade for a solid yet unspectacular veteran center then I’m fine passing on Lopez and going with a guard. But depending on what Presti’s plans are then Lopez may be an option.

    That’s pretty much it for me at the top. When DeAndre Jordan is a bench reserve all season long for Texas A&M it has to make you wonder why he had so much hype. Eric Gordon, while a natural scorer, didn’t show alot of versatility in other areas.

    As for the Suns pick, there’s a few players I like but think that a best player available philosophy might be the best approach. Brandon Rush, Courtney Lee, Richard Hendrix, Jason Thompson, all had good college seasons and all would be worthy of a low first round pick. It’s hard to predict what kind of trades Presti may make, but if there’s an opening then I still like Lester Hudson as a darkhorse pick as yet another combo guard. At 6′3″ and over 200lbs he was one of the the top scoring pointguards in the nation I believe and one of the top in steals as well the top rebounding guard. Think Rodney Stuckey.

    With Bennett wanting to relocate as fast as he can and trying to cut any ties with Seattle I wonder how much information will be coming from the individual workouts. Usually teams leak out a bit to keep the exitement and profile up to perhaps get a few more season ticket sales but we know that’s now not part of their focus anymore.

63. DK Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:01 am

    Crow, your mention of Golden State brings up an idea I had and want some feedback in here. If Seattle loses out to a couple teams in the draft lottery draw and ends up fourth, is the pick still untouchable as far as trading it goes?

    Andres Biedrins impresses the heck out of me with his polished skills at center. But it was while he was out with his appendix surgery that the Warriors went on a tear and looked to be solidly in the playoff hunt. When he came back they started to slip and he couldn’t save them. If there was a package offered with say one of the Sonics centers, perhaps Wilcox, and the fourth pick in return for Biedrins would you go for it? Golden State has the big trade exception still and can absorb some contracts. In my opinion Biedrins would help Seattle more than anyone they could get at #4, and he’s still fairly young.

    Or if not this deal, then would any of you be willing to look at trading down from say #4 to a mid to low lotto pick if a really solid player was included in such a deal? Would a Raymond Felton and the Bobcats pick for the #4 and someone decent on the Sonics be enticing?

    Just curious to see how much you guys would value a #4 or #5 pick?

64. EJ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:15 am

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?id=3349964

    “Lester Munson, a Chicago lawyer and journalist who reports on investigative and legal issues in the sports industry, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.”

    Guy basically says that Schultz’s suit is going to be very hard to pull off. But also says that Aubrey’s comments and Clay’s emails don’t exactly make Clay look good. He also says that the city’s best shot is to win their case and enforce the lease for 2 more years.

65. EJ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:17 am

    These two parts from that article were interesting:

    “Does the NBA gain anything if the Sonics move to Oklahoma City?

    It is hard to see what the NBA gains, but there are a couple of intriguing possibilities. Some conspiracy theorists suggest that a move out of Seattle would help other teams obtain public money for new arenas. If, for example, Sacramento wanted tax dollars for a new venue, it could use Seattle as an example of what happens when local leaders ignore the pleas from team owners for public funds. Another theory is that the NBA is clearing out the Northwest for Paul Allen and his Trail Blazers. With the Grizzlies in Memphis and the Sonics in Oklahoma, Allen would enjoy a huge market. The problem with the help-Paul-Allen theory is that Allen also owns the Seahawks and wants to remain at least somewhat popular in Seattle.”

    “In addition to his publicly stated reasons, Stern knows that NBA owners are free agents and can move when they want. If the NBA tried to stop a move, the owner would file an antitrust action against the NBA, and the owner would win. The NBA is a monopoly and is vulnerable to antitrust actions from owners who want to move their teams, according to Stephen F. Ross, a law professor at Penn State who has written the definitive text on antitrust law and sports. That’s how Al Davis moved his Raiders many years ago (he won a lawsuit to do it), and that’s how the late Georgia Frontiere forced the NFL to permit her to leave Los Angeles and to move the Rams to St. Louis. Commissioners don’t like to admit it, but owners are free agents and can move when and where they wish.”

66. EJ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:18 am

    What the hell? When just posting my last comment, I got an error message that said, “Sorry, comment posting is closed for this item.” WTF? Seriously. There’s something screwy going on with this site of late.

67. TB Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:20 am

    where’d the Kanye post go?

68. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I’d be very open to trading down from 3-5 if the offer was right.

    Biedrins has nice individual offesnive stats and good team offensive and defesnive stats but is a below average 1 on 1 defender and has no outside touch. I think it is unlikely Bennett / Presti will be willing to spend $10+ million for him long-term. They probably stick with Collison for that role.

69. mcwalter44 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I went to game last night, man it was great way to send out the Sonics if was truly their last game as the Seattle Supersonics. That said, I’m evening more driven to keep the team and it’s players in the 206. They looked solid and if they can address their PG problem with either of their two 1st round picks (remember we have PHX pick) then I think they’ll be set. I’m thinking that the Sonics should take a PF or C like Beasily or B. Lopez, but I have to be honest, I’d love to D. Rose running up and down the court with KD and JG.

70. EJ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 9:21 am

    I buy the first theory. That Stern wants to use Seattle as an example to scare future markets into paying for his owner’s stadiums. I think the Paul Allen theory is BS. A few people here will gravitate toward the Blazers. But most of us will say screw the NBA and not even watch.

71. Myk Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:07 am

    On the other hand, Durant is, was, and always will be a worthless defender due to his inherent flaws — such as a weak frame due to his body type, substandard lateral quickness, and mediocre athleticism — which he’ll have to deal with his entire career. Again, Durant is stylistically similar to Tracy McGrady and statistically similar to Carmelo Anthony; that’s not a winning combination in any way, shape, or form.

    - Yup I sure wouldnt want to be rooting for Houston or Denver today…I mean why would I want to be gretting ready to watch a playoff game??

    - It also amuses me that you’ve claimed that Durant would never be a good shooter. Some how being an inefficient chucker leads me to believe that you didn’t picture him capabale of 18-25 nights…

    Its almost as if you jumped to too many conclusions before you actually gave the kid a chance to adjust to the league. Shocking i know.

72. SEATTLEsonicsFOREVER Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 10:36 am

    First of all, HELL no I don’t trade Wilcox and a #4 pick for Biedrins. Idon’t trade Wilcox strait up for Biedrins or the #4 pick strait up for Biedrins. If we end up with the #4 pick, we would have to take the best PG available. Probably Mayo. I’m not totally sold on Mayo either, but you have to take him because of his upside. Not sure how athletic he is. He is a little older for a Freshman, but he already has an NBA body. If we end up with the top 2 picks, it’s either Rose(ihope) or Beasley. Durant grew up with Beasley in D.C. and are buddies.S.O.S.

73. pdway Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:11 am

    “On the other hand, Durant is, was, and always will be a worthless defender due to his inherent flaws — such as a weak frame due to his body type, substandard lateral quickness, and mediocre athleticism — which he’ll have to deal with his entire career. Again, Durant is stylistically similar to Tracy McGrady and statistically similar to Carmelo Anthony; that’s not a winning combination in any way, shape, or form”

    Pretty early in his career to come up with such final pronouncements, AK.

    What about his ball skills for a 6′ 9″ guy? Not too many players in the league at his size that can handle the ball, or shoot with his level of touch. With his length and release point, he’ll be able to get his shots off his entire career, and he clearly has the mentality to be a fourth quarter go-to guy, and all this is at the age of 19. Of course he’s going to get stronger as he gets older — everyone does. It’s funny to be able to find so many negatives on the best prospect to enter the league in the past couple years. But hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

74. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:15 am

    Durant at 21 or 23 or 25 will be wiser and probably stronger and maybe at SF. Hard to guess how good a defender he will be. In a too small 60 minutes at SF according to 82games he was a far better defender than at SG- well above average. Tiny sample but still something that seems unwise to totally ignore. Maybe we find out for real if they make that move to SF later. SFs maybe be stronger but they are also on average slower and less able ball handlers. But team defense is a challenge no matter where he plays. He seems hungry to win and if he is then he will give defensive heavy attention / big efforts.

75. Jeff "Crutches" Brown Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:17 am

    Yeah chad44, I was at the Kanye West concert last night as well and I thought I heard the “Save our Sonics” chant. It was on the opposite side of the arena from where I was at and I couldn’t tell if it was “Save our Sonics” or “We Want Kanye”. I chanted “Save our Sonics” a few times though just for good measure

    The year’s draft isn’t extremely deep past the first 7 - 10 picks. But there is definitely enough talent in the Top 5, where the Sonics will select, to warrant keeping the pick.

    I think it’s pretty much a given that we all want Derrick Rose. And if Miami gets #1 and we get #2. Then that’s most likely who we’ll get.

    I think it’ll be very interesting to see what happens if WE land the #1 pick. Most people predict Beasley going #1 overall, but some people have Rose. I think Rose would fit a little better for our needs as Beasley could be considered a tweener between SF/PF. And we already have Durant SG/SF, Green SF/PF, Wilcox PF, and Collison PF/C. With that being said, I take Beasley if he’s available and Rose isn’t.

    There’s no real point in trading for an established player right now because we’re still too young. That’s why they traded away Ray and Rashard. As someone mentioned above. Even if we kept Ray, Rashard, and got KD. We most likely would have fallen short of making the playoffs. And in a couple years been back to the bottom of the cellar again.

    By keeping a Top 5 pick like a Derrick Rose or an OJ Mayo and having them grow together with Durant and Green will prove more valuable in the long run. It’ll be very similar to what the Blazers are doing down in Portland. Grooming Brandon Roy, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden.

    If we fall out of the Top 2 and land Pick 3 - 5. I hope they draft Mayo, Bayless, tie between Eric Gordon and Brook Lopez (in that order).

    Kevin Love won’t be a top 5 pick and I don’t think he’d fit well with the Sonics system. Plus the Sonics would have to trade to get a Pick between 8 and 15 to get him. Would you really want them to trade someone like Chris Wilcox for Kevin Love? I’m not so sure.

    I hope that Presti isn’t too trigger happy during this year’s draft. I am overall pleased with what he did in last year’s draft. However, I don’t want him making trades for the sake of making trades.

    There’s only a couple things that might be worth doing. Like if we land Beasley with the Top pick then trade Wilcox, Ridnour and the #23 pick to get another good player or a better draft pick. Or if we draft Rose and try to trade Ridnour.

    If we drafted Beasley I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wilcox traded. However, I’d hate to see him traded and get very little in return just because Presti wanted to move Wilcox. I didn’t mind trading Wally Z because it allowed Jeff Green to develop much more towards the end of the season. However, I still feel like we traded Delonte West for virtually nothing. I wasn’t really impressed with West so it’s not like I was upset that they traded him. But you’d think they’d be able to get a little more than Ira Newble, Adrian Griffin, and Donyell Marshall.

    Lastly, I’m glad both our National Senators and the Governor and her crew have requested the NBA to delay the BOG meeting.

    Speaking of that, wasn’t that supposed to take place today? Any word on what’s going on? Any indication that it will be pushed back?

    It isn’t over even if the BOG vote happens, but if it gets pushed aside then that’s a great sign for us.

    SAVE OUR SONICS!

76. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:35 am

    The player with the best team / individual defense numbers was Gelabale while at SF. Nick was weak at center individually and from a team perspective. He was about average and therefore good for this team at PF. In light duty Ridnour actually might qualify as 2nd best on defensive stats.

    Presti needs to find at least 5 average defenders or maybe 3 above average ones to have any chance of getting out of bottom 10 on defense and win at a decent rate. It doesn’t absolutely have to come from Durant and Green but it then increases the proportion of average or good defenders that must fill the rest of starting lineup and rotation.

    Durant (and perhaps Green) could be like Brandon Roy and be a dual threat to score or pass. That is second best to being a decent or good 2 way offense-defense player. Players like that have to either rise to very very best offensive players in league or have strong defenders in the mix like Joel P and in the future Oden to go far. The weakest “stars” are those who are only good at individual offense and don’t help team offense or hold their own on defense.

    Durant and Green will largely determine themselves which of these 3 levels they will be.

77. Myk Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 11:37 am

    Biedrins is >>>> than Wilcox

78. Crow Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Biedrins has much higher FG% and rebounding and a 19 PER to Wilcox’s 16. I’d be surprised if GS didn’t retain him or if Presti made the best offer for him and if he’d want to come here / there but I agree I’d show interest and see what happens. I’d try to make the best Wilcox trade I could this summer. His stock probably isn’t going up from here.

    Not sure if Biedrins has much further upside but he is only 21 and except for his below average 1 0n 1 defense he is otherwise attractive.

79. David M. Brown, MD Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:30 pm

    Jeff and all, The NBA BoG meeting is today & tomorrow & the vote on relocating the Sonics to Oklahoma City will most likely take place tomorrow. Eric Williams of the TNT is there covering the BOG Meeting and said he will write periodic updates on the meeting at http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/sonics/

    You can also email Eric Williams at eric.williams@thenewstribune.com and ask him to ask the owners some questions, like are they more interested in getting their split of the $150 Million relocation fee that Clay-Clay will be paying the NBA to move to not-so-OK City or in preserving a franchise, a 41-year tradition and a solid fanbase in the 13th largest market in the country rather than relocating it to the 45th largest market in the country?

    If they don’t postpone the vote at this meeting, we need to make sure that we get a role call vote so we know exactly where all the owners stand and who our allies are and who our enemies are. We need to know who the short-sighted, greedy owners are and who listens to the recommendations of David Stern, who is so far out of touch with fans as to make the entire NBA a joke and the laughing stock of professional sports.

    The owners who support the move are so short-sighted because Seattle will return them a lot more money in the long run than OK City with their share of revenues, and OK City will most likely fail as an NBA franchise within 5-10 years anyway. They do not have the love and the commitment that we do. We just need to step up and show it by selling out Key Arena next year for every game and selling twice as many season tickets.

80. Menace Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    “On the other hand, Durant is, was, and always will be a worthless defender due to his inherent flaws — such as a weak frame due to his body type, substandard lateral quickness, and mediocre athleticism — which he’ll have to deal with his entire career. Again, Durant is stylistically similar to Tracy McGrady and statistically similar to Carmelo Anthony; that’s not a winning combination in any way, shape, or form.”

    I love how you act like he is the worst defender in the L. Did you continually gripe about Ray or Rashards D? No. And Rashard Lewis may have been one of the worst defensive players that I have ever seen.

    He isn’t a great defender by any means. And I realize that stats are not necessarily a measure of defensive prowess. But with his “limited athleticism”. “weak frame”, and “substandard lateral quickness” he led the team in steals and was second in blocks (to Kurt Thomas).

    What was Houston’s winning streak up to this year? Wasn’t that without Yao too. Is a comparison to McGrady or Carmelo supposed to be a negative? Last time I checked those guys were all stars. I guess it would suck to have an NBA superstar on our really really bad team. That would be horrible.

    Denver won 50 games this year. Houston 55. Seattle 20. Not a winning combination? huh

81. David M. Brown, MD Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    Zonics, thanks for the heads-up on the article by ESPN’s Bill Simmons on “page 2″ in which he discusses who should be the league MVP this year. He ranks them in order from least-deserving to most-deserving and while he’s ranking them, he gives kudos to the Sonics fans for putting up with a “legitimately unfair situation”. It came while he was discussing Dirk Nowitzki at #6 on his list and he said that no one in the NBA showed more “grit and determination” than Dirk with the exception of the Sonics’ fans! It’s so good that I thought we should reprint it here for all to read:

    “6. Dirk Nowitzki
    Here’s the best thing I can say about the J-Kidd trade: During the ‘06 season and most of the playoffs, remember how Dirk would get that “Look, There’s No F—— Way We’re Losing This Game!” look on his face? When he lost confidence after the Finals and then the playoffs last year, it seemed like that look was never coming back. Now? It’s back. I have to admit, I’m a little intrigued to watch the Big German during these next few weeks. Nobody showed more character and grit down the stretch of the regular season with one exception:

    The Sonics fans, who handled a legitimately unfair situation with the perfect balance of rage and nostalgia and brought the sport to a higher place in those final two home games.

    (Note to David Stern: This was your Bay of Pigs. This was your Watergate. This seedy, incomprehensible saga stained your legacy — it did — and the sooner you publicly admit that you handled this situation appallingly from start to finish and do your best to make amends, the better off you will be. I’m speaking for all of us here: We don’t want to follow a league in which anyone’s franchise can be basically hijacked on a billionaire’s whim. You need to fix this. You need to fix this right now. Back to the column.)”

    That’s pretty powerful stuff. I wonder if he was one of the ESPN reporters at Key Arena the last 2 Sundays or if he just heard about it? I really like the fact that he says “I’m speaking for all of us here.” Very cool.

82. David M. Brown, MD Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

    This is so important that I need to post it again:

    Zonics, thanks for the heads-up on the article by ESPN’s Bill Simmons on “page 2″ in which he discusses who should be the league MVP this year. He ranks them in order from least-deserving to most-deserving and while he’s ranking them, he gives kudos to the Sonics fans for putting up with a “legitimately unfair situation”. It came while he was discussing Dirk Nowitzki at #6 on his list and he said that no one in the NBA showed more “grit and determination” than Dirk with the exception of the Sonics’ fans! It’s so good that I thought we should reprint it here for all to read:

    “6. Dirk Nowitzki
    Here’s the best thing I can say about the J-Kidd trade: During the ‘06 season and most of the playoffs, remember how Dirk would get that “Look, There’s No F—— Way We’re Losing This Game!” look on his face? When he lost confidence after the Finals and then the playoffs last year, it seemed like that look was never coming back. Now? It’s back. I have to admit, I’m a little intrigued to watch the Big German during these next few weeks. Nobody showed more character and grit down the stretch of the regular season with one exception:

    The Sonics fans, who handled a legitimately unfair situation with the perfect balance of rage and nostalgia and brought the sport to a higher place in those final two home games.

    (Note to David Stern: This was your Bay of Pigs. This was your Watergate. This seedy, incomprehensible saga stained your legacy — it did — and the sooner you publicly admit that you handled this situation appallingly from start to finish and do your best to make amends, the better off you will be. I’m speaking for all of us here: We don’t want to follow a league in which anyone’s franchise can be basically hijacked on a billionaire’s whim. You need to fix this. You need to fix this right now. Back to the column.)”

    That’s pretty powerful stuff. I wonder if he was one of the ESPN reporters at Key Arena the last 2 Sundays or if he just heard about it? I really like the fact that he says “I’m speaking for all of us here.” Very cool.

83. Menace Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    David - Simmons has had our back for a long time.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080228&sportCat=nba

    and

    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080229&sportCat=nba

84. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    “I love how you act like he is the worst defender in the L. Did you continually gripe about Ray or Rashards D? No. And Rashard Lewis may have been one of the worst defensive players that I have ever seen.” {Menace}

    Dude, I always bitched about Rashard “Charmin” Lewis’ piss-poor defense and, for about a two-year period, desperately wanted Wally Walker and Rick Sund to flip him, Danny Fortson, and Robert Swift for Paul Pierce. Also, Kevin Durant is one of the worst defenders in the NBA.

85. AK1984 Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    “It also amuses me that you’ve claimed that Durant would never be a good shooter. Some how being an inefficient chucker leads me to believe that you didn’t picture him capabale of 18-25 nights…” {Myk}

    No, The Big Dipper concluded that Kevin Durant would never be an efficient field-goal shooter. I, on the other hand, had doubts that Durant would curb his chucking ways and selfish behavior on offense; however, he managed to mend those fisable drawbacks in his game by the end of his rookie season. Yet, with regards to Durant’s defense, he seems to be inherently flawed on that end of the court—no matter what adjustments he attempts to make throughout his career.

86. Joshu@ Says:
    April 17th, 2008 at 6:41 pm

    Well, AK, I respect your right to have an opinion….well yeah…Durant will continue to improve…and yeah….we all know where my comments are going.

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