Culture Club

I’m hearing a lot about culture lately. From David Locke, who obviously believes it’s the right way to build a successful team, to Sam Presti, who didn’t use the word specifically, but you get the impression he’d go along with it, it’s become the mantra of the Sonics this summer.

But what is culture? There is much discussion of the Spurs’ “culture” and how it has spread to Cleveland, or the Jazz’ “culture”, or the Mavericks’ “culture,” but just what the heck is it? As Frank Hughes pointed out at the News Tribune, it’s all well and good to say you’re going to have a winning culture, but is there any substance to it?

Well, when I watch the Spurs and Cavs, it’s not “culture” that I think, it’s Tim Duncan and LeBron James. Fine, Mike Brown brought a culture from San Antonio to Cleveland, but it helps just a bit to have the most physically intimidating non-center in NBA history lining up for you every night.

The press can drone on all day about Popovich’s “family,” but if the Spurs had drafted Keith Van Horn with the third pick rather than Duncan with the first, would anybody even be talking about this? (By the way, how sickening was that piece at halftime for Bob Hill? I’m guessing the Hills are shopping for a new set today after Bob put his shoe through the old one last night.)

Likewise with Cleveland. Let’s say the Cavs get Chris Bosh or Darko rather than LeBron, are we still falling over ourselves about how beautiful the San Antonio system is? After all, the Heat don’t have a former Spurs assistant running their team, and somehow they managed to win a title last year. Sure, the Jazz are flying high right now, but their “culture” hadn’t managed a win in the playoffs since Karl Malone left. What was wrong with their culture the last four years? Did they lose the recipe somewhere at Temple?

And what kind of “culture” did the Lakers have when they won three straight? Presti talked a lot about “selflessness” in his press conference, but can you recall a more selfish team than those Lakers? LA was a family alright, but it was more like the Manson Family than the Waltons.

To be honest, I’d wager that Presti and the rest of the NBA knows that culture can only take you so far. Chemistry, family, and culture are all byproducts of winners. No one ever talks about the A’s culture, because they don’t have one. Their culture is winning, and finding the best players they can afford. In the end, it takes a superstar player who is committed to playing basketball on both ends of the court. MJ, Bird, Magic, Duncan, Hakeem ... there’s a thread common to all of those guys – they all played hard all the time (well, at least in the playoffs), they were obsessed with winning, and they were good on both sides of the court (which makes you wonder whether Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis will be getting their mail forwarded any time soon, but that’s another story).

A very wise man once said that talent wins games in the NBA, not coaches. The organization, the coaching staff, the “culture” if you will, all sounds great at press conferences and in power point presentations, but I’ll take a 6’10” small forward who can dunk with one hand and shoot 3’s with another, thank you very much.

Whither Wilkens?

If you haven't read Frank Hughes' piece on Lenny Wilkens, well, you really ought to check it out.

I don't think it's a mystery to anyone who reads this sight that while we're in love with Classic Lenny, the New Lenny isn't quite as beloved. Whether it's his neverending whining on television, his lackadaisical approach to staffing issues, or just the way he went about stabbing Bob Hill and Rick Sund in the back, the guy just creeps me out (and I don't just mean his accent; although, since I mentioned it, have you ever heard anyone who sounds like Lenny Wilkens? Other than Chris Walken?).

Anyway, Hughes points out that Wilkens' foot-dragging on the GM hire - including failing to contact the Spurs about Sam Presti - led to his downfall and the removal of his title. Going into today, I was a bit concerned about the Wilkens/Presti/Bennett power struggle. Would Lenny clamor for more Silas-type folks? Would he co-exist with a 30-year-old guy?

Well, worry no more. Not only has Lenny been removed from the color commentator position (the Sonics seem to go through commentators the way the Egyptians went through plagues), but I'm putting the over/under on his time in the Sonics' offices at 6 months.

Unfortunately, it likely means Rick Carlisle will soon be checking into the Hotel Sonic. In the sense that Carlisle has performed admirably in helping two franchises (Indy and Detroit) turn the corner in the regular season, it's wonderful. In the sense that Carlisle's offenses are about as fast-paced as 405 traffic on Friday afternoon, it's less wonderful.

Hopefully, Carlisle will adapt to his roster, and not the other way around. With Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, and possibly Rashard Lewis, this is a roster built for scoring. Obviously, if the Sonics can find a way to win 55 games by winning a plethora of 85-82 slugfests like last night's Finals game, the fans will come around. But is that the kind of basketball you'd get excited about watching?

Bennett at Press Conference

As you no doubt have read by now, the folks at sonicscentral have uncovered a clause in the contract between the Sonics and the City of Seattle regarding the KeyArena lease. To wit, the clause stipulates that "either party" to the lease may enforce it, thereby requiring the other party to honor the conditions in the lease.

Bottom line, if the city stands up to the Sonics, Clay Bennett would be forced to honor the terms and therefore stay in Seattle until 2010.

Well, that's just huge. Humongous congratulations to Brian Robinson and Co. for illuminating this clause, which - considering that Bennett may be looking to buy out the lease in the immediate future - might be the most important paragraph in Sonics' history.

My question, or request if you will, to the Sonics' beat reporters - are you going to press Bennett on this at today's press conference for Sam Presti? I know Presti's plans for hiring a coach are important, but are they as important as the future of this franchise? I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth, but here are two questions I would like an answer to:

1. "Mr. Bennett, have you spoken with the City of Seattle recently, or do you intend to in the near future, regarding the buyout of your lease?"

2. "Mr. Bennett, how would the City's enforcement of the lease, which would require you to remain in Seattle until the 2009-10 season, impact your future plans for this franchise?"

As I said, I don't want to put words in anyone's mouth, but I truly hope Bennett gets grilled on this subject today. And if he stands there and puts up the standard, "I'm not taking questions about the arena situation," well, I guess I would be somewhat less than surprised.

It's (almost) Official: Sonics name Presti new GM

It looks like the Sonics will introduce their new GM at a press conference tomorrow morning. To the surprise of no one, it will be Sam Presti:

SEATTLE - Three newspapers report that the Seattle SuperSonics have decided to hire 30-year-old Sam Presti as the team's new general manager.

KING 5 News has confirmed Presti flew into Seattle Wednesday afternoon.

The Sonics have scheduled a news conference at their business offices tomorrow at noon to introduce their new GM.

The Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the News Tribune are reporting on their Web sites that Presti is the choice of the Sonics to replace Rick Sund, who was stripped of his GM's duties and made into a consultant five days after the 2006-2007 season ended.

Presti is the San Antonio Spurs' assistant general manager.

(from Associated Press and KING 5)

The only thing left to do is to come up with a suitable Supersonicsoul nickname for young Presti. Master P? Press Pass? Sam "Never Resty" Presti?" Dress to ImPress-ti? Whitsitt Junior? (wanders off mumbling to himself)

Sheppard Not a Candidate?

It appears the (extremely) long and winding road leading to a replacement for Rick Sund may be drawing to a close. According to the Washington Post, Tommy Sheppard is no longer in the running for the Sonics' GM position, meaning Sam Presti has the position all but locked up.

Why the Sonics continue to draw this situation out is a mystery to me. My only logical conclusion is that Presti wants to keep this under wraps until after the Finals are completed, so as not to distract from the proceedings. Honestly, what other reason could there be?

Unfortunately, the Sonics are the losers in all of this, as each day that passes means one less day Presti spends evaluating the roster and figuring out what steps the team needs to make this summer. Of course, it's always possible that all of this has been a formality and Presti has been spending the past month doing that evaluation, but to outsiders such as us, it sure is puzzling why this franchise continues to lumber along like Clemon Johnson in the second game of a back-to-back.

Also, feel free to check out the Miami Herald if you're in need of a laugh today. The Heat are interested in acquiring Rashard Lewis in a sign and trade, but even The Herald's Barry Jackson struggles to find a way to make it happen. Among the flotsam and jetsam named as possibly returning to Seattle are Jason Kapono, Jason Williams, Michael Doleac, ... oh, hell, there's no point in even listing the rest. The Sonics would be better off signing Lewis, paying him $15 mil. a year, and having him room with Vin Baker and Shawn Kemp than acquiring any of those "assets" from the Heat.

Presti and Sheppard

Since the two GM candidates seem to be Sam Presti and Tommy Sheppard, I thought we ought to take a look at their draft records. Now, it’s not entirely fair to either guy to do this, in that neither Presti nor Sheppard had the final say in who their franchise selected, but it is interesting to see who they’ve pulled out of the draft while they’ve been employed.

SHEPPARD: Jarvis Hayes, Steve Blake, Peter John Ramos, Andray Blatche, and Oleksiy Pecherov.

PRESTI: Tony Parker, Robertas Javtokas, Bryan Bracey, Johan Salmons, Luis Scola, Randy Holcomb, Leandro Barbosa, Sergei Karaulov, Romain Sato, Beno Udrih, Ian Mahinmi, Damir Markota.

Just from that brief glimpse, you have to give Presti a huge advantage. Sheppard’s big “find” has been Jarvis Hayes, and that’s not exactly something you post on your resume. (Note to those that will mention the Wizards’ drafting Devin Harris; the Mavericks actually drafted Harris, they just had the Wiz do it for them). Presti, meanwhile has produced Udrih, Parker, and Barbosa – all from the bad end of the rounds.

We’ll take a look tomorrow at the trades the two candidates have been involved in, just to shed some more light on the guy responsible for the future of the Sonics.

But before I quit for the day, I’d like to throw my two cents in that a GM’s drafting skills are what sets him apart. In today’s league, the best way to improve your team for the long-term is through the draft. Because of salary issues, it’s almost impossible to continue adding free agents to fill holes, you have to find guys in the draft. As much as we skewer Rick Sund and the Sonics, finding Collison and Ridnour in one draft is an exceptional example. There’s no way the Sonics could have gotten players like that through free agency at the salaries they were being paid.

On the flip side, piling up “projects” like Petro and Sene have the opposite effect, especially when you’re paying those projects close to $4 million a year to sit on the bench.

Sonics to name Presti GM today?

According to several sources, the Seattle Sonics will introduce Spurs wunderkind Sam Presti as the new General Manager today. About. Freaking. Time.

San Antonio Spurs assistant general manager Sam Presti should receive an offer in the next day or so, and president Lenny Wilkens is staying in touch with prospective coaching candidates and keeping them abreast of the situation.

According to several NBA sources, Wilkens had informal conversations at the league's pre-draft camp in Orlando last week and told a handful of candidates that the Sonics intend to hire a GM this week and begin formal coaching interviews next week.

One team source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Seattle's short list includes former Indiana coach Rick Carlisle, former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey and Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo.

(from today's Seattle Times)

If that's truly the list of coaches the Sonics are chosing from, it would at least be an improvement over the Two Bobs.

What Not To Buy

Is there a man in North America who would knowingly let his friends know he was reading this book? Can we put the over/under at sales to men at 3, including Doug Christie?

Good Lord, I am so glad the Sonics dealt this fool and his wife away before he had a chance to get in a game in the green and gold. The idea of the Christies being a fixture at Sonic events for the next 20 years would be enough to make me drive Clay Bennett's moving vans.

Can You Say Key Arena?

From the Charlotte Observer:

The Charlotte Coliseum came crumbling down Sunday into a pile of stone and concrete, the final remains of the once-popular sports and entertainment facility. Hundreds of spectators started lining up a couple hours before the 10:30 a.m. blast, where demolition crews used about 550 pounds of explosives to knock down the 19-year-old building.

Now, I want you to pay close attention to the final four words in that blurb. "19-year-old building."

What does that say about our country, our mentality as a people? That within 2 decades of its completion, after spending millions of dollars on an edifice that houses athletics performed by millionaires for the profit of billionaires, paid for by taxpayers in a nation where hundreds of millions go without adequate health care, where we cannot find the money to adequately house the destitute, what does that say about us?

I know the money for the Sonics' proposed arena doesn't come out of the mouths of the poor, at least directly. And I know that as a citizenry we don't have to be ashamed about spending money on entertainment. But when the majority of that citizenry says they don't want to spend money on another building, when our elected officials - who ostensibly represent us - say they don't want another building, how can we look in the mirror after spending $500 million on another sports facility, knowing full well that the "Best By" date on these complexes is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years?

What does it say about us?

Supersonics Bumpersticker of the Day

Courtesy of Beau Fredericks.

The Return of (the other) Nate?

With the imminent arrival of The Texas Tornado, trade rumors are swirling around the Sonics' Rashard Lewis. One of them involves the New York Knicks and two former Seattle prep stars:

According to NBA insiders, the Knicks could make the Sonics a sign-and-trade offer for Lewis that could include Seattle natives Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford.

Crawford is owed $35 million over the next four seasons, and the Knicks could add Robinson's contract or that of Channing Frye to come within 75 percent of a new Lewis deal, per rules of the collective bargaining agreement.

Wilkens said Tuesday that the Sonics plan to sign Lewis, who opted out of his contract Friday and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. To execute a sign-and-trade, the Sonics would have to sign Lewis to a new contract and then trade him.

Read the rest in the Seattle P.I.

As much as I love Nate the Great, is he worth a Rashard? And for that matter, do the Sonics want to add two more small-fry guards to a group that already resembles the cast of Willow? This sounds like more wishful thinking on the part of the Knicks, who have a habit of leaking false trade "rumors".

2 More Coaches Hired

One problem with waiting to pick your head coach until after you've hired your General Manager is that there are alot fewer head coaches available when you're finally ready to make a decision.

Consider that Sam Vincent, Billy Donovan, Marc Iavaroni, and now Jim O'Brien have been hired in the past week, and that's four fewer horses on the coaching carousel now.

Hey, it could be that Lenny Wilkens wasn't interested in any of those fellows, anyways, and that odds-on favorite Sam Presti would like to bring his San Antonio associate PJ Carlesimo to take the job. If that's the case, then no problem.

But if it's not, and if Presti isn't the candidate and if PJ isn't, either, then, well, the Sonics are going to find themselves sorting through the clearance rack after the draft is over.

And considering that this coach will play a big factor in how Kevin Durant perceives the Sonics, that's not an appetizing proposition, now is it?