With training camp underway, it's time to start thinking about what's going to happen to the Sonics roster in the next 30 days. With that in mind, here are
5 Questions To Be Answered at Sonic Training Camp
1. Who starts at point guard?
Ridnour, Watson, West. Three choices, no easy answer. According to Carlesimo, all three are viable options. Frodo wants to put last year behind him, Watson is the defensive player the new culture requires, and West is the X factor. I’m betting on Earl.
2. Where will Kevin Durant play?
Shooting guard seems the likely answer. Durant played there in summer league, played there for the US team, and played there the first day of training camp.
3. Who starts at center?
Kurt Thomas is the vet, Bob Swift has the tattoos, Johan Petro has nothing. Sorry, that’s mean; Johan is easily the best french-speaking center on the Sonics' roster. Swift’s long rehab process indicates to me that the logical choice is Thomas, with an outside chance that Nick Collison takes the reins.
4. Where does Wally Szczerbiak fit in?
Durant’s your SG, Green’s your SF, Wilkins needs his minutes, Gelly needs his minutes, West’s a backup SG ... how the heck does Wally get any time? It will be interesting to see where/how often Wally World plays in the next month.
5. Will Big Weezy step it up?
Chris Wilcox has more potential for success than a Redford-Newman movie circa 1974. Unfortunately, we’re in Year 6 of the Chris Wilcox Era, and he still hasn’t shed the label of underachiever. With Durant and Green on board, I’m not expecting him to take the next step this year, either.
Wednesday, October 3
Training Camp Underway
As you would imagine, the coverage in the local media has shifted away from the off-court news to the on-court news. And, you know, I don't care if you're Clay Bennett, Kevin Calabro, me, Les Habegger, or whoever, that's a great thing. First and foremost, we're basketball fans, and basketball fans like to talk about basketball, not arbitration, right?
The Times has a blog now (I'm a couple days late on this), with both Jayda Evans and Percy Allen contributing. Allen reports that Bob Swift is "laboring," and Gary Washburn at the PI makes a note that Nene Hilario - who had a similar fate to Swifty - is still feeling the aftereffects of the surgery, and he had his a year before Swift did. Not liking the sound of that. GW also reports that PJ Carlesimo's practices are more hard-core than Bob Hill's were, although it should be noted that my daughter's pre-school classes are also tougher than Hill's practices.
Eric Williams at the TNT has some great stuff [warning, Williams' story is adjacent to this picture, so click with care], including this wonderful quote from Earl Watson, who apparently has decided that he won't only beat out Luke Ridnour for the starting point guard spot on the court, he'll beat him out in the court of public opinion:
“When you think of the Sonics, it’s kind of like a cornerstone of the NBA,” Watson said. “For me growing up it was always the Lakers, the Sonics, the Bulls, Boston and the Knicks. That’s just the way it was. I think Seattle deserves a team. And I hope a situation works out to where they stay.”
Thanks, Earl.
The Times has a blog now (I'm a couple days late on this), with both Jayda Evans and Percy Allen contributing. Allen reports that Bob Swift is "laboring," and Gary Washburn at the PI makes a note that Nene Hilario - who had a similar fate to Swifty - is still feeling the aftereffects of the surgery, and he had his a year before Swift did. Not liking the sound of that. GW also reports that PJ Carlesimo's practices are more hard-core than Bob Hill's were, although it should be noted that my daughter's pre-school classes are also tougher than Hill's practices.
Eric Williams at the TNT has some great stuff [warning, Williams' story is adjacent to this picture, so click with care], including this wonderful quote from Earl Watson, who apparently has decided that he won't only beat out Luke Ridnour for the starting point guard spot on the court, he'll beat him out in the court of public opinion:
“When you think of the Sonics, it’s kind of like a cornerstone of the NBA,” Watson said. “For me growing up it was always the Lakers, the Sonics, the Bulls, Boston and the Knicks. That’s just the way it was. I think Seattle deserves a team. And I hope a situation works out to where they stay.”
Thanks, Earl.
Tuesday, October 2
Prescient Presti
First, the Sonics make a summertime swap of their $8 million trade exception for Phoenix' Kurt Thomas and the Suns' 2008 and 2010 first-round picks.
Then, Shawn Marion made noise about wanting out.
Then, today, we read that Amare Stoudamire had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, keeping him out of basketball action for two weeks (at least).
Let's say the Suns manage to deal Marion (unlikely, I know); they're not getting full value for the guy, right? And let's say Amare takes a little longer to heal, and isn't 100% when he comes back. Those two together have to cost the Phoenix, what, 10 wins this season?
And let's say Steve Nash gets hurt; he's about due for it isn't he? After all, he's not exactly A.C. Green when it comes to durability, and he's a 34-year-old point guard playing on one of the highest-paced offenses in the league. How many games off for Nash this year; 5, 10, 15?
At what point do Suns fans start to panic, and how valuable is that 2008 pick going to be, let alone the 2010 pick, when Nash has ridden off into the sunset, Marion is gone/bitter, and Amare's knees enter their Moses Malone Phase?
Nice work, Mr. Presti.
Then, Shawn Marion made noise about wanting out.
Then, today, we read that Amare Stoudamire had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, keeping him out of basketball action for two weeks (at least).
Let's say the Suns manage to deal Marion (unlikely, I know); they're not getting full value for the guy, right? And let's say Amare takes a little longer to heal, and isn't 100% when he comes back. Those two together have to cost the Phoenix, what, 10 wins this season?
And let's say Steve Nash gets hurt; he's about due for it isn't he? After all, he's not exactly A.C. Green when it comes to durability, and he's a 34-year-old point guard playing on one of the highest-paced offenses in the league. How many games off for Nash this year; 5, 10, 15?
At what point do Suns fans start to panic, and how valuable is that 2008 pick going to be, let alone the 2010 pick, when Nash has ridden off into the sunset, Marion is gone/bitter, and Amare's knees enter their Moses Malone Phase?
Nice work, Mr. Presti.
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