Sufferin' Sonics!

"I suppose you tink dats fuddy."

The NBA preseason is about to begin, and the Sonics are already having a little deja-vu.

While it's not nearly as apocalyptic as last season's post-season injury fest, the Sonics are suffering from just about every know ailment, from turf-toe to sinus troubles (I feel your pain, Ray!)

Here's a brief injury rundown:

Danny Fortson - turf toe
Ray Allen - sinus problems (may require surgery)
Rashard Lewis - sore toe (has to wear "orthotics" in his shoe)
Mikki Moore - runner's knee
Johan Petro - chronic Frenchness

O.K., so these aren't major injuries, but at least it gives us something to bitch about!

Campin'

Well, the run for the ring begins today.

The Sonics kick off training camp today, and the roar surrounding the arrival of coveted free agents Rick Brunson and Mikki Moore was, well, not so much of a roar. Let’s face it, people, the Sonics have taken a page from Bum Phillips’ Book of Wisdom and are going to “dance with the one what brung you.”

Here are the 12 guys from last year’s team who got the most minutes:
Allen
Lewis
Daniels
Ridnour
Radmanovic
Collison
Fortson
James
Evans
Murray
Wilkins
Potato

Here’s what’s different:
Daniels becomes Brunson
James becomes Moore

That’s it. Yes, Collison and the Potato will play more minutes, and Reggie may or may not be on the roster (I’m betting on yes), but it ain’t a whole lot different. Petro, Swift, Cleaves, Gelabale ... heck, even Brunson and Moore don’t really make any real difference in this team’s fortunes. Forgive my initial pessimism, but considering the Sonics overachieved last year, I think it’s bit risky to not make any serious changes.

But, hey, it’s October, right? Seattle is undefeated and stands as good a chance as anyone else to win the Northwest Division. So, go Luke, go Sugar Ray, go Potato – go Sonics!

Training Camp Care Packages

"It just doesn't matter if we win or if we lose.
IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!..."

[Think of this piece as the grayed-out side bar to Nuss' main article. --Chunky]

If we could get within 50 yards of the Furtado Center, you know the Triple-S would be serving up fresh, unfiltered, unrefined SuperSonic truth with no middle man. Restraining orders being what they are, we have no choice but to freeload off the hard work of other scribes:

Seattle Times: Percy Allen talks to Coach Weiss and Ray Allen on the eve of training camp
SUPERSONICS.COM: Kevin Pelton has a great in-depth chat with Coach Weiss about coaching philosophy and player rotations
Tacoma News Tribune: Frank Hughes talks contracts and mullets with Vlade-Dadi
Locked on Sports Blog: David Locke, as usual, comes with dirt from Sonics HQ that you can't find anywhere else.
Sports Illustrated: Columnist Marty Burns says the Supes did all right this offseason, for a team that had 9 free agents and some tight financial constraints.