Some last bits of news before the weekend:
1. Ira Newble has been waived to clear space for 10-day signee Mike Wilks. This proves, once again, that anyone I spend more than 20 minutes studying on the internet will be waived within two weeks. (Lightbulb! Start studying more about Clay Bennett!)
2. Robert Swift will undergo arthroscopic surgery this coming Tuesday. He's out for the year, as you would expect. The surgery will be performed by Los Angeles doctor Stephen Lombardo who, surprisingly, is not this guy.
3. Hoopshype has a enjoyable story up at the moment about all-time Sonic great Jack Sikma.
4. The Sonics have a chance at one of their seven wins before the end of the season tonight when they play the Heat. Here's a mother-in-law-driving-off-the-cliff-in-your-new-Ferrari question for you:
-Every game the Sonics lose will help the Sonics get a Derrick Rose-type PG in the draft, which is good for Sonics fans if the team stays in Seattle, but it also simultaneously helps Clay Bennett by improving the overall value of his team. So ... should we hope for a win? Hope for a loss? Hope for Clay Bennett and David Stern to be involved in some horrible, non-life-threatening accident which nevertheless compels them to forgo involvement in their day-to-day business activities?
These are the tough questions, friends.
Friday, February 29
Sonics News
Forget trying to fight it, according to King County Executive Ron Sims, because the Sonics are already gone.
Sims appeared on 950 KJR-AM yesterday and stated he was completely convinved that the team would be leaving, regardless of the decision in the upcoming court case.
"Even if they have to keep them here two more years," Sims said, "I suspect Clay would hold on to that team and take then down to Oklahoma City when he has a chance."
Sims argues that even if the case is decided in the city's favor, and Bennett is forced to remain in Seattle until after the 2009-10 season, that such a decision will not automatically force the new ownership group to sell. In a sense, their deep pockets are apparently deep engough - Sims believes - to weather the two-year storm.
While I'm on the topic, please indulge me for skewering one of Sims' arguments, that, well, let me make his point:
"Do you think the NBA hasn't noticed the revenues coming to MLB from Mariners telecasts in Japan?" Sims said. "Safeco and Seattle are very attractive places for the telecasts. ... That's part of why Bennett wanted such an elaborate arena in Seattle."
Honestly, my eyes could not roll further back into their sockets. Really, Bennett wanted a great, big palace because of the Asian market? Hmm, what market was Orlando vying for when it approved its' palace, the Dominican Republic? Or perhaps Guyana? Please, Bennett wanted a palace because everyone else has one.
But back to the meat of the comments. Sims mentioned at the same time that two or three other local ownership groups are ready to go to purchase the team, but even those groups anticipate that they will not be buying the Sonics, but another team.
If Sims is correct - and that is a great, big IF - moving the Sonics to Oklahoma and allowing the city of Seattle to buy, say, the Hornets (no offense to New Orleans intended; believe me, we know what it's like to have other people speculate on your team's future), is sure idiocy, when the simplest solution would be to allow Bennett to take over the Hornets and force him to give the Sonics to the local owners.
But, then, the NBA is anything but idiocy-free, right?
Sims appeared on 950 KJR-AM yesterday and stated he was completely convinved that the team would be leaving, regardless of the decision in the upcoming court case.
"Even if they have to keep them here two more years," Sims said, "I suspect Clay would hold on to that team and take then down to Oklahoma City when he has a chance."
Sims argues that even if the case is decided in the city's favor, and Bennett is forced to remain in Seattle until after the 2009-10 season, that such a decision will not automatically force the new ownership group to sell. In a sense, their deep pockets are apparently deep engough - Sims believes - to weather the two-year storm.
While I'm on the topic, please indulge me for skewering one of Sims' arguments, that, well, let me make his point:
"Do you think the NBA hasn't noticed the revenues coming to MLB from Mariners telecasts in Japan?" Sims said. "Safeco and Seattle are very attractive places for the telecasts. ... That's part of why Bennett wanted such an elaborate arena in Seattle."
Honestly, my eyes could not roll further back into their sockets. Really, Bennett wanted a great, big palace because of the Asian market? Hmm, what market was Orlando vying for when it approved its' palace, the Dominican Republic? Or perhaps Guyana? Please, Bennett wanted a palace because everyone else has one.
But back to the meat of the comments. Sims mentioned at the same time that two or three other local ownership groups are ready to go to purchase the team, but even those groups anticipate that they will not be buying the Sonics, but another team.
If Sims is correct - and that is a great, big IF - moving the Sonics to Oklahoma and allowing the city of Seattle to buy, say, the Hornets (no offense to New Orleans intended; believe me, we know what it's like to have other people speculate on your team's future), is sure idiocy, when the simplest solution would be to allow Bennett to take over the Hornets and force him to give the Sonics to the local owners.
But, then, the NBA is anything but idiocy-free, right?
Letterpalooza Lifts Off!
That's not the mailbox you're looking for. Move along. Move along.
Just 24 hours after beginning Operation: Letterpalooza, it appears we have our first victory. According to Bill Simmons, the response from Sonics fans from all over the country has been overwhelming:
In six years of writing for ESPN.com, this is the longest piece I've ever sent to my editors -- nearly 15,000 words of anguished e-mails from Sonics fans around the country. I spent the past 24 hours sifting through them and whittling them down the best I could. Don't print this baby out. Read it, skim through it, do whatever you need to do. But definitely check it out.Thanks to everyone who took the time to write an email--stay tuned for our next mission!
Thursday, February 28
25 Up
Man, what a miserable outing last night.
Last night's loss leaves the Sonics with 25 games left. By my figuring, Seattle has about seven winnable games left on the schedule, depending on how the playoff seedings shake out and how important the last couple of weeks of the season are to certain opponents. What does that add up to?
22-60.
22-60!
The franchise of Payton, Kemp, Gus, DJ, Lenny, Haywood, Rule, Mac-10, Karl, Sam ... reduced to a 22-win season, and this coming off consecutive 30-odd win seasons?
How does that sound, folks? 22 flippin' wins, another lottery selection ... and how many wins next year? 25? 30?
I don't think it would be unrealistic to expect the Sonics to enter the lottery again next spring, considering the odds of them picking up any true help this summer is somewhere between slim and none. Short of dealing away the entire non-Durant portion of the roster for more expiring contracts, this team just doesn't look capable of winning 30 games next year, either.
Thanks alot, NBA. I didn't know it was possible to destroy a 40-year-old business in the span of two years, but, well, when you've got Clay Bennett doing David Stern's dirty work, I guess anything is possible.
Last night's loss leaves the Sonics with 25 games left. By my figuring, Seattle has about seven winnable games left on the schedule, depending on how the playoff seedings shake out and how important the last couple of weeks of the season are to certain opponents. What does that add up to?
22-60.
22-60!
The franchise of Payton, Kemp, Gus, DJ, Lenny, Haywood, Rule, Mac-10, Karl, Sam ... reduced to a 22-win season, and this coming off consecutive 30-odd win seasons?
How does that sound, folks? 22 flippin' wins, another lottery selection ... and how many wins next year? 25? 30?
I don't think it would be unrealistic to expect the Sonics to enter the lottery again next spring, considering the odds of them picking up any true help this summer is somewhere between slim and none. Short of dealing away the entire non-Durant portion of the roster for more expiring contracts, this team just doesn't look capable of winning 30 games next year, either.
Thanks alot, NBA. I didn't know it was possible to destroy a 40-year-old business in the span of two years, but, well, when you've got Clay Bennett doing David Stern's dirty work, I guess anything is possible.
Operation: Letterpalooza
Yes, that's Stan 'The Man" Lee dressed as a mailman. Yes, I am a nerd.
Like most Seattle basketball fans, I've spent the last few years trying to think of a way to help keep the Sonics in town without licking the manure-soaked boots of Clay Bennett.
The best way, of course, would be a giant public outcry. A "Rock out the Vote" political movement that would make Barrack Obama jealous. This, sadly, just doesn't happen in Seattle. WTO riots aside, Seattleites just really aren't in to public displays, or even going out in public at all, for that matter (one of the things I adore about this city).
So how in Sam Hill are we going to gather an angry mob to chase the Sonic-Stealers out of town? One word: outsourcing.
It's time to get the national media involved. It's clear looking at websites like ESPN that no one outside of Oklahoma and David Stern's office wants the Sonics to move from one of the top media spots in the country to a dustbowl. And, unlike Stern and Bennett, they don't want to urinate on 40 years of Sonics history.
So let's bring this fight to the nation, peoples! First stop: Bill Simmons.
The ESPN writer is going to highlight letters from beleaguered Sonics fans next week. So bust out your Angry Font and send him an Email! Now! GO!
Wednesday, February 27
Tale of a Sub
Alongside the two Kurt Thomas items which have been marked down to $5 in the Sonic on-line “Team Shop,” is another t-shirt.It begs the question, does Robert Swift still fit into Seattle’s long-term plans, or has he, like his shirt, been relegated to the clearance rack?
Dealing With Durant
We’ve all read about the rookie wall, when first-year NBA players, unaccustomed to the rigors of an 82-game schedule, start seeing their numbers drop.
(On a side note, is “rigors” used anywhere but in sportswriting? Does anyone ever say, “Boy, the rigors of the traffic on the bridge today were terrible!”)
But back to what I was saying about that wall. Kevin Durant has received some negative publicity lately about his game, and I got to wondering how he has done this season at fighting off the rookie wall. Here are some numbers to consider:
MONTH – PPG – FG%
November – 20.6 - 41.4
December – 18.8- 40.8
January – 19.4 - 40.0
February – 17.3 - 36.9
Obviously, we can see a trend towards lower field goal percentages, but that’s just a rough estimate of what’s going on. Another way to look at it is to compare how Durant played against a team the first time he saw them versus how he did the second or third or fourth times. With the recent comments in the PI from Gary Washburn about how teams are learning to play Durant differently, I thought that might make an interesting chart. Here goes, with averages on a per 40 minute basis:
1ST TIME VS OPPONENT
23.9 points, 41 FG%, 4 turnovers
2ND OR 3RD TIME VS OPPONENT
22.5 points, 39 FG%, 2.64 turnovers
As expected, his points and shooting percentages suffered when defenses had a chance to get to know him. Surprisingly, the effect Washburn noted, that people were saying Durant held the ball too low and was causing too many turnovers, is not borne out in the stats, as Durant actually committed fewer turnovers the more often he faced an opponent.
Obviously, the sample sizes are quite small, and other factors come into play. After all, Durant’s games the second or third time around are, by necessity, coming at a point in the season at which experts would expect his play to suffer due to fatigue. Is it fatigue? Is it familiarity? That’s for smarter people than me to deduce.
But since we’re here, let’s take a closer look at some other numbers. For example, free throws. Durant’s games with 10 or more FTA have gone 4, 1, 1, 0 on a per month basis. Likewise, his 3-point shot attempts have declined each month, from a high of 4.4 in November to a season-low 1.1 in February.
In fact, in more than half of the games he played in February, Durant failed to sink a single 3-pointer, and he’s only attempted 11 all month. Considering that he attempted 13 in his first two games and 28 in his first four, this is a startling change of offensive tactics.
Just as interesting, his turnovers have also declined each month on a per-minute basis, to the point where he now averages close to 1.5 fewer miscues per game, a massive change. (Of course, as soon as I started writing this piece, Durant managed to cough the ball up nine times in two games; shows what I know).
So, in some ways you could say Kevin Durant has changed as a player and become a player of contradictions. He’s taking fewer shots, but hitting them at a lower percentage. He’s facing teams multiple times, but committing fewer turnovers when he does.
But worse than all the numbers is his style of play. I do not like to comment on players’ attitudes, since giving meaningful insights into the emotions of a 19-year-old is a dicey proposition at best. That said, I think it is painfully obvious that this season is beginning to wear on Durant. The turmoil surrounding the franchise’s future, the chaotic nature of the roster, the starting roster which seems to vary every two days, and, more than anything, the continual, unending losing – it all must be simultaneously frustrating and tiring for him.
Watching the young man walk back to huddles with slumped shoulders, his body tired, you get the feeling that there are times when he must be wondering what he has gotten himself into. Who mentors a 19-year-old wunderkind on a team composed of mishmashed, mediocre “veterans”? Think of the Sonic roster, of the assistant coaches, whom among them has any idea what Durant is going through? None of them know what it is like to be so talented at such a young age.
It all makes you think – are the Sonics providing Kevin Durant the best environment in which he can truly develop his talents? Would hanging onto Ray Allen for one more season before dealing him have hurt his trade value that much? And wouldn’t it have been better for Durant’s career progress to have spent his rookie season with someone like Allen to guide him, to take the heat for the losses, to show him how to be a true professional?
These are questions only the future will tell. I hope, for our sake and for Durant’s, Sam Presti has thought about them as well.
(On a side note, is “rigors” used anywhere but in sportswriting? Does anyone ever say, “Boy, the rigors of the traffic on the bridge today were terrible!”)
But back to what I was saying about that wall. Kevin Durant has received some negative publicity lately about his game, and I got to wondering how he has done this season at fighting off the rookie wall. Here are some numbers to consider:
MONTH – PPG – FG%
November – 20.6 - 41.4
December – 18.8- 40.8
January – 19.4 - 40.0
February – 17.3 - 36.9
Obviously, we can see a trend towards lower field goal percentages, but that’s just a rough estimate of what’s going on. Another way to look at it is to compare how Durant played against a team the first time he saw them versus how he did the second or third or fourth times. With the recent comments in the PI from Gary Washburn about how teams are learning to play Durant differently, I thought that might make an interesting chart. Here goes, with averages on a per 40 minute basis:
1ST TIME VS OPPONENT
23.9 points, 41 FG%, 4 turnovers
2ND OR 3RD TIME VS OPPONENT
22.5 points, 39 FG%, 2.64 turnovers
As expected, his points and shooting percentages suffered when defenses had a chance to get to know him. Surprisingly, the effect Washburn noted, that people were saying Durant held the ball too low and was causing too many turnovers, is not borne out in the stats, as Durant actually committed fewer turnovers the more often he faced an opponent.
Obviously, the sample sizes are quite small, and other factors come into play. After all, Durant’s games the second or third time around are, by necessity, coming at a point in the season at which experts would expect his play to suffer due to fatigue. Is it fatigue? Is it familiarity? That’s for smarter people than me to deduce.
But since we’re here, let’s take a closer look at some other numbers. For example, free throws. Durant’s games with 10 or more FTA have gone 4, 1, 1, 0 on a per month basis. Likewise, his 3-point shot attempts have declined each month, from a high of 4.4 in November to a season-low 1.1 in February.
In fact, in more than half of the games he played in February, Durant failed to sink a single 3-pointer, and he’s only attempted 11 all month. Considering that he attempted 13 in his first two games and 28 in his first four, this is a startling change of offensive tactics.
Just as interesting, his turnovers have also declined each month on a per-minute basis, to the point where he now averages close to 1.5 fewer miscues per game, a massive change. (Of course, as soon as I started writing this piece, Durant managed to cough the ball up nine times in two games; shows what I know).
So, in some ways you could say Kevin Durant has changed as a player and become a player of contradictions. He’s taking fewer shots, but hitting them at a lower percentage. He’s facing teams multiple times, but committing fewer turnovers when he does.
But worse than all the numbers is his style of play. I do not like to comment on players’ attitudes, since giving meaningful insights into the emotions of a 19-year-old is a dicey proposition at best. That said, I think it is painfully obvious that this season is beginning to wear on Durant. The turmoil surrounding the franchise’s future, the chaotic nature of the roster, the starting roster which seems to vary every two days, and, more than anything, the continual, unending losing – it all must be simultaneously frustrating and tiring for him.
Watching the young man walk back to huddles with slumped shoulders, his body tired, you get the feeling that there are times when he must be wondering what he has gotten himself into. Who mentors a 19-year-old wunderkind on a team composed of mishmashed, mediocre “veterans”? Think of the Sonic roster, of the assistant coaches, whom among them has any idea what Durant is going through? None of them know what it is like to be so talented at such a young age.
It all makes you think – are the Sonics providing Kevin Durant the best environment in which he can truly develop his talents? Would hanging onto Ray Allen for one more season before dealing him have hurt his trade value that much? And wouldn’t it have been better for Durant’s career progress to have spent his rookie season with someone like Allen to guide him, to take the heat for the losses, to show him how to be a true professional?
These are questions only the future will tell. I hope, for our sake and for Durant’s, Sam Presti has thought about them as well.
Same Ol' Song and Dance
Sonic To-Do List
-Commit twice as many turnovers as opponent (check)
-Take lead and blow it (check)
-Allow anonymous bench player to score in double figures (check)
-Mutter vague musings about "putting it all together" after the game (check)
Yep, it was another Sonic loss last night. You'd think that with so many of these this year, it would get easier, but, sadly, it does not.
On a bright note, Mickael Gelabale finished in double figures yet again (12 points), and Luke Ridnour contributed 15 assists.
-Commit twice as many turnovers as opponent (check)
-Take lead and blow it (check)
-Allow anonymous bench player to score in double figures (check)
-Mutter vague musings about "putting it all together" after the game (check)
Yep, it was another Sonic loss last night. You'd think that with so many of these this year, it would get easier, but, sadly, it does not.
On a bright note, Mickael Gelabale finished in double figures yet again (12 points), and Luke Ridnour contributed 15 assists.
Tuesday, February 26
Slim Pickings for PJ
PJ Carlesimo is going to have to be creative when he looks at the bench tonight in Golden State.Donyell Marshall: Out with the flu
Chris Wilcox: Making the trip, but doubtful to play
Earl Watson: Out with the flu
Damien Wilkins: Getting MRI on wrist
Which means the Sonics have gone from having three point guards to one, with Mickael Gelabale slated to back up Luke Ridnour. The third-string point guard is expected to be ... I don't know, Derrick McKey? Percy Allen at the Times has the full recap of the sketchy, 9-man lineup available to PJ tonight.
Speaking of Gelly, both Allen and Gary Washburn at the PI, as well as Eric Williams at the TNT, have pieces proclaiming his goodness. Here's what I noticed about Mickael in Sunday's game against the Lakers:
-Still not strong enough to guard guys in the post; Kobe Bryant backed him down like he was being guarded by, well, me.
-Always under control, which is great considering his lack of NBA experience.
-Jumps through the roof.
If Gelabale can continue to improve his defense, he's a wonderful bench player in the league, the exact type of player all championship teams have - the Bruce Bowen, Antonio Daniels, Michael Cooper-type who can guard three positions, hit the shot when necessary, play the point if you want. Any team would love to have a guy like that, and Gelabale is capable of doing it.
Washburn also brings up an interesting story regarding the ongoing case between the city and the team. As per Washburn, Judge Marsha Peachman, who will be presiding over the June trial, has ruled "the Sonics owners must give Seattle's lawyers copies of e-mails sent from or to its eight board members that could potentially be relevant to the case. " The team has 14 days to turn over the emails.
Monday, February 25
Ford Center Making Alternative Plans
This is not much of a story, and too many will read too much into it, but it is, well, interesting.
As reported by the Daily Oklahoman, the Ford Center in Oklahoma City has gone ahead and started scheduling dates for the fall with the assumption that the Sonics will not be residing there.
Now, as the people who run the building are quick to point out, this is being done solely because the Center does not want to be left with nothing at their facility should the city of Seattle win its lawsuit against the team. However, this quote from the owner of the local hockey team was surprising for its candor:
"I don't know how the NBA process works,” said Brad Lund of Express Sports, which owns the Blazers, "but I was surprised that we weren't given two different sets of dates. I thought they'd at least hold some in case (the Sonics come).”
Again, it's very easy to read something into this, but the fact that the city to which Clay Bennett has pledged his heart and his team (ouch, that's hard to write) holds some doubt as to whether Clay & The Gang will be able to prevail in their soon-approaching court case is comforting, no doubt, to most Sonic fans.
As reported by the Daily Oklahoman, the Ford Center in Oklahoma City has gone ahead and started scheduling dates for the fall with the assumption that the Sonics will not be residing there.
Now, as the people who run the building are quick to point out, this is being done solely because the Center does not want to be left with nothing at their facility should the city of Seattle win its lawsuit against the team. However, this quote from the owner of the local hockey team was surprising for its candor:
"I don't know how the NBA process works,” said Brad Lund of Express Sports, which owns the Blazers, "but I was surprised that we weren't given two different sets of dates. I thought they'd at least hold some in case (the Sonics come).”
Again, it's very easy to read something into this, but the fact that the city to which Clay Bennett has pledged his heart and his team (ouch, that's hard to write) holds some doubt as to whether Clay & The Gang will be able to prevail in their soon-approaching court case is comforting, no doubt, to most Sonic fans.
Getting To Know Francisco Elson
1. Attended both Kilgore JC in Texas and the University of California-Berkeley. Other notable grads of Kilgore include Francisco Elson.2. Parents are from Suriname, hometown is Rotterdam.
3. Fluent in Dutch, English, Spanish, German, South American Suriname. Is hoping to learn Carlesimo this off-season.
4. Played four years in Spain.
5. According to Wikipedia, he was the second-fastest player on the Spurs behind only Tony Parker. In a full-court race against Brent Barry, Elson reportedly reached the endline before Barry was able to get out of his crouch (this is an unconfirmed story which I only just made up).
6. Elson mixed it up with Kevin Garnett in the 2004 playoffs with some physical play, and at one point he termed Garnett “gay” for the shot to the groin Elson received from the Big Ticket. Elson later had to apologize to the gay and lesbian community for his comments on Garnett’s dirty play, which he later commented was “effeminate and soft, like a morning breeze on a dewy meadow.”
7. Did You Know? Elson is not the only player from the Netherlands in the NBA. Can you name the other?
Ouch
A few notes on the first Sonic game I've attended this year:
1. I was puzzled by Gary Washburn's comment that the Sonics "competed for 48 minutes" last night. Perhaps Mr. Washburn was watching highlights from the late 80s on his laptop, but the Sonics team on the court last night did not come close to matching the intensity of the Lakers. Even PJ Carlesimo said after the game that the Sonics' effort was lacking.
2. If the announced crowd was 17,092, then my announced bank account must be $1,430,840. I don't understand why the Sonics would fabricate attendance when they're trying to make it look like nobody in this town cares about the team, so the only reason can be that more than 6,000 people decided they'd rather throw their tickets in the garbage and watch the Academy Awards last night instead. Perhaps they had the right idea.
3. Mickael Gelabale looked great - easily the most energetic player wearing green and gold. He made plenty of mistakes, but his up and under move in the second quarter was sweet, as were his 21 points.
4. Francisco Elson is, surprisingly, a gunner.
5. Kobe Bryant got tossed in a game where his team was leading by 31. I don't know where his reservation was, but it must have been at a nice spot if they wouldn't hold it for him until 8:30.
6. When Earl Watson hit a three at the beginning of the third quarter, I got a bad feeling in my stomach, because I knew we were going to see at least three more attempts from that "sharpshooter" before the night was out. EW finished 5 of 17.
7. Eric Williams at the TNT is right - at least half the crowd was cheering for the Lakers. Man I hate Laker fans, especially Laker fans who were born in Washington. That's just lame, people.
1. I was puzzled by Gary Washburn's comment that the Sonics "competed for 48 minutes" last night. Perhaps Mr. Washburn was watching highlights from the late 80s on his laptop, but the Sonics team on the court last night did not come close to matching the intensity of the Lakers. Even PJ Carlesimo said after the game that the Sonics' effort was lacking.
2. If the announced crowd was 17,092, then my announced bank account must be $1,430,840. I don't understand why the Sonics would fabricate attendance when they're trying to make it look like nobody in this town cares about the team, so the only reason can be that more than 6,000 people decided they'd rather throw their tickets in the garbage and watch the Academy Awards last night instead. Perhaps they had the right idea.
3. Mickael Gelabale looked great - easily the most energetic player wearing green and gold. He made plenty of mistakes, but his up and under move in the second quarter was sweet, as were his 21 points.
4. Francisco Elson is, surprisingly, a gunner.
5. Kobe Bryant got tossed in a game where his team was leading by 31. I don't know where his reservation was, but it must have been at a nice spot if they wouldn't hold it for him until 8:30.
6. When Earl Watson hit a three at the beginning of the third quarter, I got a bad feeling in my stomach, because I knew we were going to see at least three more attempts from that "sharpshooter" before the night was out. EW finished 5 of 17.
7. Eric Williams at the TNT is right - at least half the crowd was cheering for the Lakers. Man I hate Laker fans, especially Laker fans who were born in Washington. That's just lame, people.
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