I was just sitting around thinking about what would happen should the Sonics lose both Lewis and Payton. I hope the team is able to retain both guys but the question still exists, as it often does, "What If?"
What I was thinking was that Seattle could potentially have a very quick turn around in this re-building period minus both Payton and Lewis. The situation surrounding the Sonics next summer could have a couple of very interesting factors that could turn the heads of free agents and bode well for the future.
Exhibit A) the Foundation
Now lets say for the sake of argument that I'm a top tier free agent . . . okay I'll give you a second to stop laughing, (if any of you had seen me play we'd need a lot longer then a second).
I'm attracted to the fact that Seattle has a situation where I'd clearly be the number one guy. But I am even more attracted to the fact that despite my clear status as the franchise the supporting cast around me holds a lot of talent. I see Barry, Mason, and Radmanovic as a very talented second tier of players and the combo of Booth and James as a very capable duo at the pivot position.
The point is yeah, I'm the man, but I'm stepping into a situation where my presence makes the team a contender for a playoff spot instead of being a superstar on a twenty win franchise.
Exhibit B) the Money
It has been pretty well documented on the message boards that the Sonics will be looking at around 15 million dollars to play around with next summer should Lewis walk and the team renounces the rights to Gary.
The killjoys around SC.com have accurately let it be known that anyone looking for two top tier guys out of next summer is going to be sorely disappointed. However there is no reason why a big time signing should mean the team can’t bring in another quality role player.
All things remaining equal the Sonics are going to be looking to fill two very noticeable gaps in the Roster, power forward and point guard. One position will belong to the free agent, of course, and the extra money will go a long way in improving the other area.
The second player to sign would either move a current starter to the pine or take a lead seat there himself, either way very effectively giving the team some much needed depth and flexibility by being a legitimate seven or eight quality players deep.
*A small sidebar on the money issue is the very real possibility our fearless leader brought up about the potential of a major financial windfall should Gary sit out. A team seriously in the black next year probably won’t mind being a little in the red the year after if it means the franchise finally gets set on the path to contention.
Exhibit C) the Draft
If Gary and Rashard walk, it will be an awfully gruesome season to have to endure. But every grey cloud has a silver lining, or so I’m told, and the Sonics could cash in with all the silver they can carry in the form of next years draft, or as it has been dubbed, the LeBron James sweepstakes.
No Gary + No Rashard = No chance. No Problem. Under these circumstances you can expect the team to be jockeying for draft position with the likes of Denver, Golden State, Cleveland, and Memphis, which could mean a chance at LeBron.
Of course if Seattle gets the first pick it’s a no-brainer; to steal a line from our friends at NBAdraft.net, LeBron is “as can’t miss as can’t miss gets”. However the number one spot isn’t the only way to win coming out of this year’s draft. As I’ve said, the team’s needs are point guard and power forward and likely to be lost in the LeBron James shuffle is Duke point guard Chris Duhon.
Duhon is a traditional PG that distributes and tries to get his teammates involved with his amazing court vision but also brings a sweet long range stroke, high intensity defence, and terrific handle, (sound like anyone you know?). If this weren’t LeBron James’s year you could be hearing a lot more about Duhon as a possible first overall pick, but as it is Seattle could get a chance at Duhon, who is everything they need, anywhere in the top five spots.
Closing arguments:
A lot has been made about the inability of management to sign a big time FA in the past, and about the weather in Seattle as being factors preventing the possibility of Seattle landing a franchise player next summer. I think that is nonsense! The Sonics have not been involved in the bidding for franchise quality free agents in the recent past so not signing any shouldn’t be seen as a sign of inability.
The bottom line is next summer Seattle has a very real chance of being in a situation where they could have a talented group of players, a dump truck load of cash and an excellent draft position to attract a marquee player to what they can honestly bill as a future winner.
No one likes the term re-building since it brings to mind visions of decades worth of struggling while stockpiling draft picks and future considerations and putting up with players abandoning you because they aren’t willing to put in the time losing. But if Seattle is to go this route the turnaround could be a single year -- not too long for me.
I suggest we start calling it a “minor renovation” instead of the dreaded term “re-building”; the truth is it is not as ugly a possibility as it first appears to fans and if both Rashard and Gary move on to greener pastures I for one will not start raising any white flags. It could be worse.
Jay Leaver has served as a columnist for SonicsCentral.com since January 2002. The Clutch Corner is updated on Fridays. Jay can be reached at ontario@sonicscentral.com. All opinions expressed in this column are solely the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other columnists or the SonicsCentral.com staff.
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