The NBA Draft is about to start, and the Durant Era is almost upon us. Discuss the draft here.Also, Pete and I will be representing the Sonics on ESPN.com. Check it out!
UPDATE: Good news: It looks like the ESPN page is finally up. Bad news: they forgot to credit Nussbaum for his quote (the "reaction" quote is his).
58 comments:
The link to the site doesn't seem to be working, but if you go to the truehoop.com site, you can see the page that way.
Here's the link:
http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop
That one was working, but now it's down too. Looks like truehoop's getting the short stick when it comes to IT help today. They probably put the backup guys to help Henry, while the "Insider" guys get all the good help...you can take the writer out of the blog, but you can't take the blogger out of the writer!
Well, the Blazers took Oden. Does Presti have to pretend to make a decision now, or can he just give the card to Stern immediately?
Blazers took Oden. K-Du here we come!
Scooped by Nuss!
I'm just excited to see if we get to pick again at #5 as rumored...
At this point, we sit on our hands until the #5 pick gets announced. If David Stern says the words, "We have a trade to announce ..." I will really be pissed. There is no way in holy hell that trading for Wally Sczerbiak is a good idea.
What's the scoop on the True Hoop deal? Looks like their system done gone busted.
Katz says it's done. No Swift, and Jeff Green back to the Sonics!
KD, come on down! It's Durantastic, baby!!
Anybody else think that Joakim Noah looks even more ridiculous than normal? THat suit is absolutely terrible!!!!
I'm not feeling Jeff Green at all.
So now we have three SF. This seals Rashard leaving, but how do Durant and Green fit together?
Let's see ...
Durant
Lewis
Gelabale
Jeff Green
Wilkins
Um, even if we deal Lewis in a S&T, isn't that a few too many small forwards, consdiering that OUR BACKCOURT CONSISTS OF EARL WATSON AND WHATEVER ROOKIE WE GET AT THE #11 SPOT?
Got to be another trade coming. I refuse to believe Presti would do that.
And I forgot ... add Wally S. to the list. That makes 6 small forwards. It's ultra-Nellie Ball folks!
So much for getting Mike Conley with the #5 ... Memphis just got him. Wonder how that will affect the Acie Law sweepstakes.
Waiting for the pick from the Celtics is like waiting to be executed ... please, plesae, please, no trade!
I really like the trade!
I am befuddled and a little bit scared.
...
I don't want us to be in the same position next year where we're waiting on a high lottery pick again.
Jeff Green. Seriously? Isn't he just a worse version of every SF on our roster?
All those people who said that Bennett was going to tank this season, save some money and move the team to OKC are starting to look pretty smart right now.
If this deal is consummated, and the Ridnour deal goes through, and assuming Lewis gets dealt/leaves, we're going to have
Watson
Stuckey
Green
Wally
Durant
Wilcox
Gelabale
Swift
Wilkins
Petro
Sene
Collison
U.G.H.
No, Wally Sczerbiak is worse than Jeff Green. And we get the rights to pay Wally $12 mil a year for 2 years! He's the highest-paid player on the roster! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!
Cory Brewer >> Green if we had to take a SF.
I'm really hoping there's some master plan that is being set in motion... I was about to get some season tickets for next year... rethinking that decision now.
Just as a comparison:
Gary Payton, nearing end of career, team looking to make a change, gets dealt away with Desmond Mason for:
Ray Allen, Kevin Ollie, and a first-round pick.
Sonics don't have to eat any salary, they get an all-star in his absolute prime, plus a #1 pick.
Now, we deal Allen away, while he's playing at a higher level than GP was at the time he was dealt, and we get an overpaid, oft-injured small forward, a useless backup guard (West), and a guy who played like crap in the tournament.
Can I call do-over on firing of Rick Sund?
The Green Thing isn't official yet, is it? I remember KJR saying the Kemp for Pippen trade was "official" ten years ago.
Just thinking:
How pissed is David Stern right now? He's got a golden opportunity with Durant to have the next MJ revitalize the league, and Durant is going to be playing out the string with a crappy team in the Northwest that no one will ever watch because they're 1) on the west coast and 2) crappy.
Wonder if Stern gets on the phone with Bennett sometime this evening and gets in his grill a little bit.
Of course, nothing is official yet, and there may be a big trade in the works. I'm just saying that at this moment, when all the experts seem to be saying that the Green deal is done, and that Rashard is headed out of town, it don't look so swell for Kevin Durant's playoff prospects.
Picking C-Brewer at #5 would have been much smarter.
That gives a lineup of
1 - L Ridnour, E Watson
2 - C Brewer, W Sczerbiak
3 - R Lewis, M Gelabele
4 - K Durant, C Wilcox
5 - White Guy, M Sene
Now we got Green at the 3; Rashard Lewis nowhere... we could still move Ridnour but I don't think Acie Law is an upgrade.
It's official --the press conference is on now on KJR.
The following post might be long, apologies up front...
So we just traded away a guy who is top 3 in franchise history for Wally, who makes more money than Ray Ray. If they got Theo Ratliff, and the expiring deal, then I would grieve a little less, thinking that they have alot of space to play with. But wouldn't Ryan Gomes have been a better grab of the young Cs?
And Someone *please* explain to me why Jeff Green is the number 5 pick here-- I've never actually noticed him on the floor, but I didn't really pay attention to Georgetown...
is he a monster rebounder? Can anybody summarize why this trade makes the team better-- even two years down the line? Three years?
All this has me hoping we will hold on to frodo, because we will need somebody with some experience as a *winner* on this team. Yes Durant is awesome, but the dude is 18 years old.
can anyone tell me a scenario that sounds good? does presti really have any idea how good ray is? he'll be toasting the supes when he comes to town next year.
Just piping up from Georgetown here, where everybody thinks that you guys got an absolute steal here.
I think Jeff Green will be a perfect fit with Durant. Green's unselfish and probably the best passer in the draft. He's said he sees himself as a Scottie Pippen type player, so if Durant turns out to be the player you're hoping he'll be, you'll have on heck of a dynamic duo with him and Green.
Green's strengths are his versatility, his passing, and his basketball IQ. He can score when he has to (3 last-minute game winning shots this year), he can pass (almost led the team in assists), he can play D, he can rebound, and he can shoot 3's. John Thompson III said he's the smartest player he's ever coached (this coming from a guy who coached at Princeton).
On his own Jeff is a fine pick, but I think him and Durant will be better than the sum of their parts. That could be scary for opponents.
Stucky is still on the board!
In related news, KC is on KJR right now, and he points out that Durant could play SG next year. Does that make anyone feel better about Green?
Also, Presti and Bubba just had a press conference and said they still want to sign Rashard.
Really?
Nevermind. Stucky went to Detroit.
I appreciate your favorable thoughts of Green, Hoya Fan, but you have to understand that we just traded away a future hall of famer for Wally Sczerbiak, Delonte West and an unproven rookie, who many draft experts thought should have stayed in school for another year.
You can understand why we're less than thrilled.
Zach Randolph to NYN for Channing Frye and Steve Franchise. Knicks also get Fred Jones, Dan Dickau and a gift certificate to Powell's Books.
man.
IF you guys were watching the Durant pick on the SI draft tracker, the analysis on Durant is that he's the perfect value for Bennett's relocation. A fresh superstar, who played in the south, and who will be on rookie pay for 4 years.
Then they trade Ray. It seems about as systematic and obvious as you can get. That would've been a very fun team to watch, with Durant, Rashard, Ray on the floor.
Glad we landed the PG and big man, tough, that makes it alright.
YOu gotta like hearing Presti say they now have the flexibility to re-sign Rashard to a six-year deal, on the heels of drafting two players who play his position.
Oh, wait, we're going to play a guy who can't bench 185 pounds and a skinny 6'9" kid to be PFs, right? I'm sure Durant and Green will really stand up to Nene, Duncan, Garnett, and all the other PFs in the west conference.
Wally...
West...
A third Small Forward...
For Allen???
I think I just threw up in my mouth and died a little bit inside...
-Dan
Ray to Boston...
For Wally...? F***!!!
But let's keep it cool, now... I think we all need to...
What about a lineup of:
Swift (C)
Green (PF)
Lewis (SF)
Durant (SG - ...well, he's been compared to T-Mac, right...?)
and Rinour(PG).
Then... aaah, forget, we'd have no bench.
Is that too bad?
I'm guessin' it is... but... what do you think?
We got the second and the fifth overall picks in the draft so why am I bummed?
Hey Sonics, good job at making what should be a day of celebration into a memorial service.
Who's the best SF available at 31#?
While I'm admittedly not a GM, I can't fathom the thinking behind this. Jesus Shuttleworth, perennial all-star, for a shitty SF who doesn't even give cap relief and a rookie? I don't know much about Green, but he does play the same spot as everyone on the team who's any good. Are the Sonics angling to be the new Hawks? Does this trade even make sense for the Celtics? I love Ray Allen, but Paul Pierce seems pretty similar. Oh well. Hopefully Durant isn't damned to toiling away in OKC for all eternity.
I don't think this trade is THAT bad. As much as I love Ray Ray, he'll be 32 this season, and I don't know how many more all-star seasons he has left in him. Maybe two? Three, tops?
The point is, we're not even close to being a championship contender, so getting those two or three all-star seasons out of Ray is pretty much pointless. I'd rather we rebuild now by getting younger and improving our cap situation in the next couple of seasons.
I wouldn't worry so much about Wally Z. I don't think we traded for him because we thought he could replace Ray Allen on the court. His $12/$13 million contract expires next season, and I'm guessing it'll be a pretty valuable trading chip.
I dunno, I kind of like Presti's plan. The fact that he seems to have one is promising.
Raoul-
The only way I see that would work is if we had a dominate center, which if you as well know Swift/Petro/Sene are not. Then we would have a Suns type offense.
Mmmmmmm... Maybe this is an indication that the Sonics might be trying to be the third team in the Amare Stoudemire / KG sweepstakes.
How about this.
Sonics Get: Amare
Suns Get: KG
Minn. Gets: Rashard Lewis
Plus some additions to make the salaries work. Just a thought.
Ah to dream...
-Dan
Guys, you should hear sports radio in Boston. They are killing Ainge for making this trade. I think firing is the kindest thing that has been suggested. Most are saying teh worst trade in Ainge's career (which is pretty scary). The questions for us are 1) Is Ray healthy 2) Will he play defense (since not many Celtics do at the moment). ONe thing I will say is West will surprise you: 1) How well he plays and 2) How tough he is
I LOVE Ray, but Sonics did him a favor trading him to Boston. Much tighter place to live than Oklahoma.
I'm just prayin' no one picks Afflalo before #31...
You just had to say something about Afflalo...
-Dan
I love Afflalo, but he's not the answer as a starting SG in the NBA. Give me Alando Tucker or Morris Almond, and that's a starting 2. Afflalo is a perfect 6th man in my opinion.
Jesus... was that too much to ask? At least somethin' would turn out ok, tonight...
I'd choose Tucker over Almond...
Forget about all those previous comments: we should use #31 to pick Marco Belinelli's girlfriend...
Damn!
Josh McRoberts? Ramon Sessions?
The worst part is that at the 5th pick they could have gotten Wright or Noah. Who in Seattle wants to see Wally. He is a very unlikeable player especially for Seattle fans.
Trading Ray Allen--who has been the team's poster child, not to mention one of the best shooters ever in the NBA--meant one thing: Sonics are leaving Seattle. You just don't give up a player like that for some rookie and few other decent players.
The only way the Sonics have a chance of staying is to pull off one amazing season and sell a ton of tickets. Trading your franchise player isn't going to help. And Presti's rationale? "The Celetics really wanted him."
That's what they'll say about Oklahoma.
are you guys on Crack?
Who cares if Ray is an all-star? hall of famer? Has he ever gotten to the conference Semi's? No? Huh.
This is clearly team Durant. There is no room for a player like Allen who's go "Iversonian" abilities to not pass the ball to teammates.
This means that Rashard gets his deal and his shot at being a #1 guy. If he succeeds, he gets traded for something shiny, like, say, OJ Mayo. If he fails? Well, Durant can take his spot in 08-09.
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