Second Rounders, Part III

11. Zabian Dowdell, 6’3”, Va. Tech, PG/SG
Another nice fit for the Sonics. Dowdell is a long-armed guy who can definitely handle the defensive responsibilities that have been left vacant ever since Antonio Daniels got a huge contract from Washington. He’d be a perfect fit behind Ridnour, and his lack of offensive abilities would be masked by the great offensive talent around him. He’s 6’3”, but he’s also 200+ pounds, which means the Sonics wouldn’t have to wait for a couple of years for him to grow into his body, which happens so frequently in the draft. You want more? How about that Dowdell – not a rich man by any stretch – pledged $5,000 of his own money to help people affected by the tragedy earlier this year at his school. Class act.

12. Aaron Gray, 7’, Pitt, C
Admit it – your first instinct when you see Aaron Gray is to think – oh, God, not another white center who can’t move. And you know what, there’s some credence to that thought. I’ve see more than a couple of instances of Gray’s name being linked to the Sonics first pick of the 2nd round, and the more I read about this young man, the less I like the idea. Slow, not capable of defending quicker big men, and not much range on his shot. You have to wonder – if the Sonics are playing the Suns and Nash and Amare run the pick and roll, is it possible for Gray to become the first guy in NBA history to break both of his ankles on one play?

13. Ramon Sessions, 6’4” Nevada, PG
Sessions was rumored to have received a promise from the Sonics to be picked at the #35 slot, so there is some smoke around his name right now in Seattle. Draftexpress compared him to Tony Parker (!) but his slim frame will mean some weight room time in the near future. Sessions made huge strides in his foul shooting and 3-point shooting at Nevada this year, which bodes well for the future. Like Dowdell, he would make a good backup for Ridnour at the point, but I don’t think he would contribute as much immediately.

14. Marc Gasol, 7’1”, Spain, C
Gasol is obviously the younger brother of Pau, so he’s got that going for him. He’s not as mobile as his brother, but he has the same basketball IQ that’s unusual for a guy his size. He is supposedly not the best-conditioned athlete. I think we can all agree that Marc Gasol is Spanish for Benoit Benjamin.

15. Kyle Visser, 6’11”, Wake Forest, C
Yet another white center ... you know, when you read “needs to work on his conditioning and muscle mass,” you think to yourself, why in the world would any time want anything to do with a guy like that? He gets to the line alot, but he doesn’t convert the free throws and never made more than 66% in his 4-year career. He hustles, but he can’t block shots. Ugh.

David Locke

We got this message from David Locke, the Sonics' now former play by play man earlier today. Here's what he had to say:

I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for your support and fandom over the past years with the Sonics. Obviously, I am very disappointed that I will no longer be able to bring you the action of the Seattle Supersonics. It has been great to be involved with the Sonics organization over the past 9 seasons. Most of all it has been a real pleasure interacting with you via the radio, the blog or whatever.

It is irrelevant whether we agreed or disagreed, whether you like my work or not we were all fans of the same team with the same passion. In regards to the Sonics I want to make sure you all know this is a group worth rooting for. The players that put on the Green and Gold are good men that are worth cheering for. The upper management of the Sonics are high quality people. They are talented and working very hard to make sure you get the best product. Certainly, I wish they felt differently about my role, but that doesn't take away that the people I worked for, John Croley, Brian Byrnes, Karen Bryant and Danny Barth, are all solid people. Most importantly, the organization's core is a bunch of young people who work feverishly each day to make sure the Sonics are a great product. It was impressive to watch them day in and day out.

In closing, my termination doesn't change my belief that the NBA is a fantastic game, the Sonics are a team worth rooting for and worth working to keep in Seattle. Thanks again for all the fun times over the last 9 years. I will be right there with you rooting for Kevin Durant or Greg Oden next year.

Thanks,

David Locke

Second Round, Part II

Are you ready for KYRYLOMANIA?! Neither are we.

More possibilities with the Sonics’ two second-round picks ...

6. Kyrylo Fesenko, 7’, Ukraine, C
Oh, please, they wouldn’t kill us 4 years in a row, would they? Would they?

7. Gabe Pruitt, 6’4” USC, PG
Pruitt is an intriguing possibility for the Sonics. By intriguing, I mean, of course, that he could very easily never play a game in the NBA, or he could develop into someone who teams regret passing (man, I’m glad I don’t have to make these decisions with my salary riding on it). He has the athletic ability to defend NBA PGs and he’s creative enough to get his own shot off, but his passing ability and consistency ... well, that’s a whole other issue. Shooting 41 percent from the field doesn’t help, either.

8. Marcus Williams, 6’7”, Arizona, SG
Gotta like a guy from Seattle, and it wouldn’t kill the Sonics to make Williams the first guy they’ve take from in-state in what seems like 15 years. Williams is tall, which is nice, and gets sub-par ratings on defense, which sucks. Still, he’d make a nice reserve for Ray Allen, and the fact he has a decent touch at his height is a plus. All in all, a very nice pickup for the second pick of the second round.

9. Alando Tucker, 6’5”, Wisconsin, SG
Tucker began his college career as more of an inside scorer, then gradually became more of a scorer from the outside, which bodes well for his role in the NBA. Unfortunately, his jumper isn’t quite as good as you would hope from an off guard, and he’s not going to come in and drain 3’s all night. That said, his post moves are much better than a typical 6’5” guy, and I like the idea of pairing him on offense with Rashard or Durant, who are taller guys that can shoot from the outside. Will he be around in the 2nd round? Hard to say, but he’d make a solid acquisition for Seattle.

10. Arron Afflalo, 6’5” UCLA, SG/SF
Afflalo is a true San Antonio Spurs kind of guy – mentally tough, a strong defender, a strong FT shooter, not outstanding athletically, not a great scorer. In other words, a wonderful fit for this team as a backup to Ray Allen. If the Sonics were to acquire Afflalo, I’d be ecstatic. The fact he played lousy against Florida in the tournament should help the Sonics’ odds at picking him up.

Sonics: Goodbye Locke, Hello Marques?

"Scooter" Presti's extreme make-over of the Seattle Supersonics continued today as the team announced the firing of radio announcer David Locke:

The team removed his posts from its Web sites on Friday, terminated his two-year contract and notified employees of the decision in an e-mail.

The Sonics are expected to announce the decision today, although it is not clear if the team will replace Locke with another announcer or return to a simulcast with the television broadcast.

Locke, 36, took over last year when the Sonics became the last NBA team to separate its broadcasts and moved to KTTH-AM (770). He had worked at KJR (950 AM) for the previous eight years and was a play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Storm for seven seasons.

from the Seattle Times

Frankly, ever since the Sonics stupidly moved the radio broadcasts to the right-wing toilet bowl known as KTTH, I refused to listen to games on the radio. Plus, as much as I like David Locke, Kevin Calabro is the voice of the Sonics (sorry Bob!).

Things look brighter on the TV side, though, with the P.I. and Times reporting that Supersonicsoul's all-time favorite color commentator Marques Johnson may soon be returning to Seattle. KC and Marques together again? It's like Christmas in July.

Looking at the 2nd Round

Kevin Durant will be a Sonic, or, if Kevin Pritchard has a heart attack next week and he’s relieved by a demon from 1984, Greg Oden will be a Sonic. Either way, we can all agree we’re as pleased as punch.

But what about the second round? I’ve heard numerous times that the Sonics will be dealing one or both of the picks they have, but will they? And what if they don’t? Here are some options for Seattle, and how they might fit in:

1. Petteri Koponen, Finland, PG, 6’5”
You know the old saying about Finnish point guards? You do? Well, can you email it to me, because I don't have the faintest idea about what the heck is going on over there. If the Sonics draft Koponen, do they give out Finlandia Vodka every time he gets 10 assists? Will this induce Ballard to declare war on the Sonics in historic respect for the Norway-Finland rivalry? It's all so hard to say.

Say this, though: Koponen is no Euro, he’s the real deal, at least in what limited exposure to North America he’s had. At 19, he’s still quite young and it’s possible he wouldn’t come to the States for another year or two, which would be great for the Sonics. He’s tough, a good outside shooter, handles the ball well, looks to create shots for others before himself, runs the pick and roll very well, and plays beyond his years. I haven’t read much about his defense, which scares me a bit since that’s the area the Sonics need help the most from a potential PG, and his slim frame is a cause for concern as well. I would have no problem with the Sonics going for Koponen and letting him develop overseas for a year.

2. Taurean Green, Florida, PG, 6’1”
Everyone knows Taurean from his play for the Gators. Since he led two teams to national titles, he’s got plenty of confidence. Then again, Chris Wilcox won a national title at Maryland, and he ain't exactly bursting with NBA playoff success. But his lack of size and defense worries me: Is he just another Luke Ridnour? If the Sonics were to draft Green, I’d be very concerned that they’d two guys in Frodo and Green that aren’t capable of defending tougher NBA point guards, something that caused trouble at times last year. I can see Green being a strong backup in the NBA, but not for Seattle. The big question is: Is Taurean Green the H Waldman of 2007?

3. Jared Dudley, Boston College, 6’7”, SF
If the Sonics draft Jared Dudley, then the past two months have been a mirage and Rick Sund is still running the team because they need another SF like Paris Hilton needs more press exposure. That’s too bad, though, as Dudley is a tough player who can rebound, works hard, hits his free throws, and does all the other things you need for a winning team. Unfortunately, the Sonics already have Gelabale, Wilkins, Durant, and Lewis.

4. Glen Davis, LSU, 6’8” PF/C
I don’t know about Davis. Part of me wants to think he could be effective in the league, that he won’t gain 60 pounds and become Danny Fortson redux, that he’ll parlay his unique athletic ability to score in the paint often. But another part of me thinks: Wait, his two biggest causes for success are his ample backside and the fact he played against 7' centers about as often as he said "no, thanks, I'm full" in college? He’s taken off the weight ("dropping" to around 280 or so if I remember correctly), but he’s still only 6’8”. How he fits into the Sonics’ plans is another difficult question to answer, as Collison and Wilcox already gobble up the PF minutes. If he’s available at the 2nd pick, he wouldn’t be a terrible selection.

5. Morris Almond, Rice, 6’6”
Now this is what the doctor ordered ... almost. Almond can score, gets to the line like a young Adrian Dantley, and is built to be an NBA 2 guard. He’s 6’6” and strong, and would make an ideal fit for Ray Allen’s caddy for the next couple of years ... except that his defense is the weakest part of his game, and he’s not going to learn how to do it from Sugar Ray. They say you can teach defense, and that shooting is like a gift, but why hasn’t anyone ever taught Allen how to be a tougher defender? I think it’s a mindset, and if Almond doesn’t have it yet, he’s probably not going to get it in the NBA. That said, Almond would be a decent fit off the bench for the Sonics if he’s still available.

I'll have more during next week as we get closer to the big day.

Northwest Report

Time for this week’s Northwest Report, brought to you by the good folks at Nussbaum Nursery (see their special this week on Molly Ann rhododendrons).

UTAH:
Utah Jazz Blog is looking for draft candidates, and Arran Afflalo is at the top of the list (remember when we used to make selections at the end of the first round? Ah, those were the days ...) ... Harpring Sucks scoffs at nbadraft.net’s comparison of Yi Jianlian to Pau Gasol. After all, “Yi could never grow a lumberjack beard like Pau's.” ... Rachel Hamblin at All Jazzed Up gives Andrei Kirilenko some rather poor marks on his employee evaluation.

MINNESOTA:
The Timberwolves Den is so exasperated with Mark Blount, they’re willing to give him away for a bag of Funyons ... I Heart KG tries to keep up with the seemingly neverending Kevin Garnett rumors. Just curious: Would they have to change the name of the blog to I Heart TREC (Theo Ratliff’s Expiring Contract) if the deal is consummated? ... Before the Celtic rumors got out of hand, Twolves Blog pondered a possible Minny-Phoenix deal involving Mr. Garnett ...


DENVER:
As crazy as things get in the offseason, it’s worth noting that the passenger in JR Smith’s car that wound up dying in the car accident (Andre Bell), wasn’t just some guy, he was Smith’s best friend. And now, Smith will possibly spend a decade in jail contemplating how he 1) was responsible for killing his best friend and 2) destroyed his chance at becoming a multi-multi millionaire, all in one New Jersey evening ... Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports George Karl won’t say no to acquiring a first-round pick (Denver is sans picks this year), and Kareem Rush may wind up playing for a NW Division team after all, just not the Sonics.

PORTLAND:
Blazers Blog worries that Portland is starting to think an injury-free Kevin Durant trumps a bad-back Greg Oden, while Casey Holdahl relays a quote from Kevin Pritchard that that is definitely not the case ... Blazers Edge poses a hypothetical question: If you knew whether Durant or Oden was the better pick because you knew the future, would you want that power, in that it would destroy the surprise of watching the next 10 years’ worth of games? Is it me, or do these Portland people just get a little bit too much into their team? ... Blazers Evangelist acknowledges the obvious, “Let’s face it. Life as we know it in Portland is over.” (And he means that in a good way).

And just two quick bits of Sonic news:

1. According to a Sacramento newspaper, Scott Brooks interviewed for the Sonics’ head coach opening on June 15 with Sam Presti
2. According to draftexpress.com, Ramon Sessions, a 6’4” point guard out of Nevada, has received assurances that he won’t last past the Sonics’ second pick of the second round (#35 overall). Interesting that the Supes would make that commitment (if the rumor is true), in that it indicates they aren’t trading the pick, either alone or in combination with their other second round pick.

Goodbye, Earl

I think one important part of the Sonics’ offseason that’s fallen off the radar is what the heck they’re going to do with their two point guards.

As time passes, it becomes obvious (at least to me), that Earl Watson is going to be dealt. Luke Ridnour is – only slightly – better than Watson, and I think the team’s brain trust is more comfortable with a full season of Frodo running the ship than they are of Watson.

With that the case, let’s explore some possible destinations for Earl Watson. These are clubs in the need of a PG, either backup or starter.

1. ATLANTA
LIKELIHOOD: Not much. The Hawks are in the position to get either Acie Law or Mike Conley in the draft, they already have a backup type guard in Speedy Claxton (I didn’t say they had a good one), so I don’t see this happening.

2. CLEVELAND
LIKELIHOOD: Slim. Any deal with the Cavs would likely include either Damon Jones or Eric Snow coming back to Seattle. I’m not enamored of Jones (horrible defense) or Snow (horrible offense), and about the only other player who matches up salary-wise is Donyell Marshall, who the Sonics need about as much as they need a guy from Oklahoma City owning the team. Oh, wait.

3. DENVER
LIKELIHOOD: Decent. Ah, irony, you fickle, fickle fiend. The Nuggets dealt away Watson because they had too many point guards, and now they’ve managed to deal away so many PGs that they need another one. With Iverson more suited as a combo guard and Steve Blake slated to enter free agency, Watson would be a good fit for Denver. What could the Sonics expect in return? If he wasn’t such a catastrophe off the court, JR Smith would be a wonderful pickup for Seattle, but that’s not going to happen. Eduardo Najera is an interesting option, but with Wilkins, Lewis (?), Durant, and Gelabale under contract, I can’t see where he would play. Perhaps a three-way deal involving the Nuggets is more likely.

4. CLIPPERS
LIKELIHOOD: Good. The Clips don’t want to play this year relying solely on Sam Cassell’s aging body, and since Shaun Livingston will be out for an entire year, they need another guard to help carry the load. A Watson-Cassell deal doesn’t work salary-wise, but if the Sonics were to include, say, Johan Petro in the deal, it would work. As Cassell’s deal expires at the end of the season, it’s not a huge risk for the Sonics, and the Clippers are in good shape for the future with Watson around to spell Livingston. Plus, Earl gets solid minutes (which he wants). The only difficulty is how Cassell will handle being a reserve. Maybe his pride will be assuaged by playing alongside Lewis, Allen and Durant.

5. MEMPHIS
LIKELIHOOD: Slim. Chucky Atkins is a free agent, so in theory the Grizzlies need to find a replacement, but I think they’re much more likely to find a PG in the draft than via trade. After all, even if they skip a guard in the first round, they can always pick one up with their second-round ...., what’s that? They traded their pick to the Sonics for Lawrence Roberts? Sorry, Memphis, that’s got to hurt. Still, if Mike Conley is sitting there at #4, I think the Grizzlies think long and hard about taking him. If not, the only possible trade pieces are Damon Stoudamire (no) or Stromile Swift (heck no).

6. MIAMI
LIKELIHOOD: None. As badly as the Heat need a point guard, they have no one available on their roster who would help the Sonics.

7. DO NOTHING
LIKELIHOOD: Fair. It’s early still, and the Rashard Lewis situation may come into play, especially if/when the Sonics make a sign-and-trade with their erstwhile free agent.

Of the above scenarios, I really think the Cassell option would prove to be a positive for the team, especially considering the tenuous nature of the Sonics. If this is to be the last chance for the Sonics in Seattle, I would rather see Cassell coming off the bench in the spring than Earl Watson.

Scooter Cleans House!

Frank Hughes reports that new Sonics GM Sam "Scooter" Presti has started making changes in the front office:

The Seattle SuperSonics restructured their front office Tuesday, firing director of player personnel David Pendergraft and head scout Steve Rosenberry, three NBA sources confirmed.

It is expected that new general manager Sam Presti will name Scott Perry, Detroit’s director of player personnel, to the same position with the Sonics, replacing Pendergraft, sources say.

- - - -

Under Pendergraft, the team focused more of its attention on overseas talent, drafting Mouhamed Sene, Yotam Halperin, Johan Petro, Mickael Gelabale, Peter Fehse, Vladimir Radmanovic, Olumide Oyedeji and Josip Sesar since 1999.

Read the rest in the News Tribune.

I guess we won't be drafting Kyrylo Fesenko then, eh?

Speaking of second-rounders we probably shouldn't pick (but probably will anyway), our pal Mike Seely at the Seattle Weekly takes a look at Glen "Big Baby" Davis, because God knows what the Sonics need is a 300-pound small forward with soft hands.

Rashard's Million-Dollar Goof

The New York Post reports that Rashard Lewis might have missed the deadline to opt-out of his contract and may be tied to the Sonics for two more years. Normally I wouldn't trust Peter Vecsey any further than I could throw Jerome James, but this story appears to have some legs.

Read the rest in the (shudder) New York Post. (Thanks to John McWalter for the tip!)


UPDATE: From True Hoop: "ESPN.com has looked into this and it appears that Lewis and his agent, Tony Dutt, did not "mishandle" the paperwork for his ETO (Early Termination Option) and he is indeed a free agent starting July 1."

Why in God's name did I believe Peter Vecsey?! (thanks for the head's up, Nussbaum)

Reality Premises

I’m sure that you are as excited as I am about the new Shaquille O’Neal reality television show, “Shaq’s Big Challenge,” which debuts tonight on ABC. O’Neal, never the slimmest man in the NBA, has decided to lend his vast knowledge of weight gain and loss to a group of children who are struggling with there own weight problems. And hilarity ensues.

But it got me to thinking, what other current or former NBA stars would be able to pull off a reality show? What would the subjects be? Let’s dig into the ABC archives to find a few shows that didn’t quite make the cut:

SHAWN PATROL – It’s ‘To Sir, With Love’ for a whole new generation when Shawn Kemp tutors a group of high school students on the dangers of premartial sex. But what will Shawn say when it’s revealed that the group of kids aren’t just any group of kids – they’re his own!

OAK TOWN – Charles Oakley throws his weight behind a project that aims to help kids in trouble with drugs learn the dangers of marijuana use. Expect many guest stars.

VLADE’S VALLEY – What do you do when someone pushes you? Former NBA star Vlade Divac says don’t push pack, flop! Divac’ shows a bunch of 8-year-olds tormented by bullies that the best revenge is to always make it look like the other kid started it. Special guest appearance from Karl Malone.

ROBERT’S BIG RIDE – Lots of people will tell you that working hard and buckling down is the surest way to climb the ladder of success, but NBA great Robert Horry teaches a group of struggling middle-management types that glomming onto already successful organizations is the sure-fire way to reach the top. “Don’t start at the bottom and work your way up,” instructs Horry. “Start at the top and just hang out!”

Northwest Report

Thought I’d take a cue from the college ranks and try to capture the Northwest Division in a weekly column. After all, the Sonics will be playing these teams 20-odd times next year, so don’t you think you ought to know what they’re up to this off-season?

(Okay, it’s Friday and I’m tired of re-running the same boring Rashard Lewis rumors).

UTAH:
McSean makes a point I’ve been pondering for a while now – should the Jazz and Sonics hook up in a Rashard-for-AK47 deal? He makes the point that both teams would actually be better off for the move, with the Jazz adding some scoring from Ra and the Sonics getting much-much-much needed defense from AK ... retiresloan.com brings up a great quote from Hot Rod Hundley in regard to Jerry Sloan’s teams, “Sloan’s teams don’t seem to play well in the playoffs, they play scared or something.” He also mentions how it seems as though Kirilenko’s defense seems to improve with more touches on offense. Not a good sign for the Sonics if they pick him up, as AK would be #3 in the offensive hierarchy behind Sugar Ray and Durant ... harpringsucks.com’s Sirkickyass makes this request if the Jazz part with AK: Pick up Ron Artest, if only to replicate AK’s surrealness. You’ll also want to scroll down to see how they compared this year’s roster to Star Wars characters. I especially enjoyed the Jerry Sloan-Emperor Palpatine comparison.

MINNESOTA:
Drew Boatman at Timberwolves Den surveys the landscape at the #7 or #8 pick (this was written before the lottery), and conjectures that “the only thing that comes up good in the 7 or 8 spot is when you have 7 or 8 pancakes and a whole mess o' boysenberry.” That’s a quality line. He has no love for Corey Brewer, which I don’t understand, nor for Spencer Hawes, which I do. ... Lil Dice from I Heart KG relays a story from Las Vegas about how bettors’ reacted to the tanking at the end of the season. “It was very apparent ... that (Minny, Memphis, and Boston) were tanking games,” said handicapper Jim Kruger. Which led me to wonder: As a Wolves fan this year, how could you tell when your team was tanking and when it was playing its very best? Also, Lil Dice also mentions that Spencer Hawes has reportedly received a promise from the Wolves that he’ll get picked at #8 if he’s still available. Sorry, Minny. Somehow, I’m guessing Garnett would be less than thrilled with that idea.

DENVER:
Dan Lucero from solidgold.com says the NBA is killing itself with its straightjacketed approach to rules interpretations, and that David Stern is taking the emotion – and the enjoyment – right on out of the league ... It appears that the Nuggets off-court activities this summer will take place in court. DerMarr Johnson has been arrested for resisting arrest (he probably wouldn’t be back next year, anyway) and JR Smith has been cited in a horrific New Jersey car accident ... Brett Edwards reports on a LA Times bit which says the Nuggets and Lakers are/were in talks about sending Marcus Camby to LA for Kwame Brown. It’s a money-saving deal for the Nuggets.

PORTLAND:
Just to taunt their fellow NWers up I-5, Dave at blazersedge.com asks his readers to pick who they want with the #1 pick. Quit mocking us, Blazer fans, and making us daydream about Greg Oden in a Sonics jersey. Everybody outside of Kevin Durant thinks Oden is going #1. Stop messing with our heads. ... Casey Holdahl notes that the Blazers received more love in one chat from David Thorpe at espn.com than they did in the past 4 years ... Blazersblog wonders if the Arenas free agency situation impacts upon the Zach Randolph +pick for Antawn Jamison +pick deal ... A nice piece by Jim Taylor at blazersevangelist about a new book on the ’77 Blazers (because, as even Sonic fans can attest, there’s nothing like celebrating the only championship in your town’s history). He also sheds light on a billboard in Portland that urges drivers to honk once for Oden and twice for Durant.

Scooter to pick pal P.J. for Sonics?

Just weeks after being seen at a hotel with Rick Carlisle, the P.I. reports that new Sonics whiz kid GM Sam "Scooter" Presti will soon be dating interviewing old Spurs chum P.J. Carlesimo for the long vacant head coaching job:

Out of head coaching since being fired by the Golden State Warriors in 1999, Carlesimo is emerging as a candidate for the Sonics' position and is on new general manager Sam Presti's short coaching list.

Presti said this week that the coaching search was "going well and we're making fast progress," but he declined to acknowledge any candidates. The San Antonio Express-News reported Thursday that Carlesimo could meet with Presti as soon as the Spurs' season ended, and Presti is expected to begin interviewing candidates next week.

The other apparent candidates are former Detroit and Indiana coach Rick Carlisle and ex-Minnesota coach and Sonics assistant Dwane Casey.

Read the rest in the Seattle P.I.

Considering how late in the game they started shopping around for a coach, the Sonics are lucky those three are still left in the bargain bin.