Bitter Pill

In a season of disappointments, Friday night's loss must have been especially difficult for Bob Hill to swallow.

It wasn't enough that his team got outrebounded 26-5 on the offensive glass. Or that Ray Allen had as many turnovers as the Hornets.

No, the most disappointing part of the whole affair was how the rest of the Western Conference did it's part.

What do I mean? Well take a look at how the teams ahead of the Sonics in the standings fared Friday evening:

Portland - Loss (at home, against Memphis!?)
Sacramento - Loss
Minnesota - Loss
Denver - Loss
New OKC - Win
Golden St., Clips - Idle

That's right, everything that could've broken the Sonics way on Friday did - with the exception of their game, natch. Considering the Sonics are in San Antone tonight, you can't blame Bob Hill if he hit the mini bar pretty hard last night.

DJ:RIP

AUSTIN, Texas -- Former NBA star Dennis Johnson died Thursday, the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office said. He was 52.

Johnson, who was part of three NBA champions with the Boston Celtics and one with the Seattle SuperSonics, had been coaching the Austin Toros of the NBA Developmental League.

Complete story at espn.com.

Sonics on Trade Deadline: Feh . . .

Danny Forston breaks the news to Ray Allen that he's not being traded.

With the Seattle Supersonics in the midst of another trainwreck of a season, and desperate to gain public support for a new arena, you'd think the team would have to be working the phones to land a blockbuster trade before Friday's NBA trade deadline, right?

I mean, they have to be thinking about trading Rashard Lewis before he walks away at the end of the season as a free agent, right?

The Sonics have had no conversation with the Knicks about exchanging Rashard Lewis for anybody and that includes Channing Frye and Nate Robinson.

(from the New York Post)

O.K. But they've got to be desperately trying to unload moping point-guard Luke Ridnour . . .

(Sund) told the Hawks the only way they could get Ridnour would be to include a first-round draft pick in any deal, the source said.

The Hawks currently have the seventh-worst record in the NBA (21-31) and do not want to give up a selection in a draft that is deep and talented.

(from the News Tribune)

How about Swift?

Meanwhile, two sources confirmed that the Portland Trail Blazers called the Sonics in an attempt to obtain Robert Swift.

Sund told the Blazers that Swift, out for the season with a knee injury, was not available, according to the sources.

(from the News Tribune)

Fortson?

The Sonics have shopped Fortson, who is in the final year of his deal, but no one is interested in the 30-year-old forward.

(from the Seattle Times)

You see? The Sonics really are trying to salvage the season and keep the team in Seattle &mdash they tried to trade Fortson for $30 and a bag of jock straps! And you thought they were just lame-ducking it while Bennett packed the moving vans for Oklahoma. Shame on you!