Today's a big day for the Sonics — a total of six different players could be holding up Seattle (yeah, Seattle) jerseys for photographers during the afternoon and evening hours, and that's not counting the trade possibilities available.
We'll get to the rumors and suppositions as the day progresses, but, for now, here's my favorite column in the 3-odd years writing about the Sonics:
NFL vs NBA Draft .
Thursday, June 26
Wednesday, June 25
One For the Little Guy
This Thursday, arguments between the City of Seattle and the Sonics come to a close, and the decision as to whether the team remains in Seattle for the foreseeable future falls into the hands of Judge Marsha Pechman.
There are other factors involved – will the city appeal a verdict and thereby postpone the movement, will Howard Schultz’ pending lawsuit delay relocation, will Clay Bennett staple Aubrey McClendon’s mouth shut, and so forth – but this Thursday is obviously a large step in the future of the team.
Sadly, it is entirely possible Pechman will rule for the team. Observers indicate the city failed to effectively persuade an impartial observer the Sonics provide intangible benefits to the region. Further, the now-infamous “Poisoned Well” PowerPoint file – created with the best of intentions to help keep the team – may wind up being yet another impediment to that goal.
All of this is for the judge to decide. And while my influence over her decision is equivalent to my influence over PJ Carlesimo’s roster decisions, allow me to make one argument:
Allowing Clay Bennett to walk away with the Sonics would be a disgrace.
Set aside the legal arguments for a moment, and approach this situation from a viewpoint a mile up into the clouds. Bennett bought this team with two partners with the intention of moving it to Oklahoma City. Only a naive person would believe otherwise.
At all forks in the road, Bennett and his group have consistently opted to take the path which hastened the team’s departure from Seattle.
Present a half-baked proposal to the legislature? Check.
Gut the team’s roster to save money? Check.
Repeatedly make comments indicating your intentions to move? Check.
Work in coordination with Oklahoma City to move while simultaneously telling Seattlites you’re a “man possessed” to keep the team here? Check.
Apply to the NBA to move a full year ago? Check.
In all instances, in all aspects, Bennett has lied, deceived, extorted and manipulated, all with the knowledge and willing participation of David Stern and the NBA. If the ongoing trial was an argument over whether Bennett’s group is pack of despicable liars with the moral authority of a Capitol Hill lobbyist, Pechman would have ruled for the city five minutes after opening arguments concluded.
Yes, Bennett has a legal argument the city worked hand-in-glove with local businessmen to forestall his departure. Yes, Bennett may be correct that the team would be sufficiently satisfying the remaining two years of its lease with a cash settlement.
But this case is a mirror upon one of the greatest ills of American society circa 2008 – the patronizing way in which the general public is treated by those in power. When faced with a housing crisis, the Washington power-brokers quickly acted to aid those making the bad loans, while ignoring those who were truly suffering. Opinion polls routinely show an American public completely and utterly sick of Washington, and a hopeless feeling spreads across the land like a case of West Nile Virus run rampant.
I understand Judge Pechman’s ruling will do little to remedy those problems. But still, would it not be nice, for once, to see the manipulative David Stern be forced to swallow a dose of medicine? Would it not be satisfying to watch Clay “The Extortionist” Bennett crawl back to Oklahoma City and admit defeat?
The evidence in this case is far from overwhelming for either side. For once, just once, let us hope the general public gets a chance to feel what it’s like to be a winner.
There are other factors involved – will the city appeal a verdict and thereby postpone the movement, will Howard Schultz’ pending lawsuit delay relocation, will Clay Bennett staple Aubrey McClendon’s mouth shut, and so forth – but this Thursday is obviously a large step in the future of the team.
Sadly, it is entirely possible Pechman will rule for the team. Observers indicate the city failed to effectively persuade an impartial observer the Sonics provide intangible benefits to the region. Further, the now-infamous “Poisoned Well” PowerPoint file – created with the best of intentions to help keep the team – may wind up being yet another impediment to that goal.
All of this is for the judge to decide. And while my influence over her decision is equivalent to my influence over PJ Carlesimo’s roster decisions, allow me to make one argument:
Allowing Clay Bennett to walk away with the Sonics would be a disgrace.
Set aside the legal arguments for a moment, and approach this situation from a viewpoint a mile up into the clouds. Bennett bought this team with two partners with the intention of moving it to Oklahoma City. Only a naive person would believe otherwise.
At all forks in the road, Bennett and his group have consistently opted to take the path which hastened the team’s departure from Seattle.
Present a half-baked proposal to the legislature? Check.
Gut the team’s roster to save money? Check.
Repeatedly make comments indicating your intentions to move? Check.
Work in coordination with Oklahoma City to move while simultaneously telling Seattlites you’re a “man possessed” to keep the team here? Check.
Apply to the NBA to move a full year ago? Check.
In all instances, in all aspects, Bennett has lied, deceived, extorted and manipulated, all with the knowledge and willing participation of David Stern and the NBA. If the ongoing trial was an argument over whether Bennett’s group is pack of despicable liars with the moral authority of a Capitol Hill lobbyist, Pechman would have ruled for the city five minutes after opening arguments concluded.
Yes, Bennett has a legal argument the city worked hand-in-glove with local businessmen to forestall his departure. Yes, Bennett may be correct that the team would be sufficiently satisfying the remaining two years of its lease with a cash settlement.
But this case is a mirror upon one of the greatest ills of American society circa 2008 – the patronizing way in which the general public is treated by those in power. When faced with a housing crisis, the Washington power-brokers quickly acted to aid those making the bad loans, while ignoring those who were truly suffering. Opinion polls routinely show an American public completely and utterly sick of Washington, and a hopeless feeling spreads across the land like a case of West Nile Virus run rampant.
I understand Judge Pechman’s ruling will do little to remedy those problems. But still, would it not be nice, for once, to see the manipulative David Stern be forced to swallow a dose of medicine? Would it not be satisfying to watch Clay “The Extortionist” Bennett crawl back to Oklahoma City and admit defeat?
The evidence in this case is far from overwhelming for either side. For once, just once, let us hope the general public gets a chance to feel what it’s like to be a winner.
Tuesday, June 24
Sonic Drafts
Which players drafted by the Sonics had the most success, historically speaking? There are a number of ways to evaluate success, but the easiest is games played.
After all, the man who knows the best whether a player is contributing is the head coach. Well, except when that coach is PJ Carlesimo, but I digress.
So, herewith, the leader in games played at each position by Sonic-drafted players (with year drafted and total games played):
PG: Gary Payton (1990), 1335
SG: Dennis Johnson (1976), 1100
SF: Scottie Pippen (1987), 1178
PF: Shawn Kemp (1989), 1051
C: Jack Sikma (1977), 1107
And, yes, that small forward slot is still painful to look at. As a side note, that’s one hell of a team, and not in an all-star starter at every position kind of way. I mean in the sense that that group of five men would probably win a championship every season. You’ve got tenacious defense at four of the five slots, good shooters at all five spots, three great ball-handlers ... I mean, it’s almost a perfect team, right?
Best of all, how’d you like to be the point guard bringing the ball up against DJ and the Glove. How many violations for not getting the ball past the half-court line in time would those two create in a game – 5, 10, 30? Just a beautiful lineup.
Of course, you can’t have the good without the bad, so here’s a list of the worst starting lineup (and I use that term loosely) of Sonic draftees (I’m restricting this to first-round selections only):
PG: Frank Oleynick (1975), 102
SG: Bud Stallworth (1972), 313
SF: Sherell Ford (1995), 28
PF: Mo Sene (2006), 41
C: Rich King (1991), 72
Perhaps I’m being unfair to Mo Sene, inasmuch as he hasn’t been given much of a shot in the NBA thus far, and the guy is still in his early 20s. Still, if you’re headed to Las Vegas to place a bet on a player’s future, I’m guessing you’re not sinking $250 into the Mo Sene bet, now are you?
After all, the man who knows the best whether a player is contributing is the head coach. Well, except when that coach is PJ Carlesimo, but I digress.
So, herewith, the leader in games played at each position by Sonic-drafted players (with year drafted and total games played):
PG: Gary Payton (1990), 1335
SG: Dennis Johnson (1976), 1100
SF: Scottie Pippen (1987), 1178
PF: Shawn Kemp (1989), 1051
C: Jack Sikma (1977), 1107
And, yes, that small forward slot is still painful to look at. As a side note, that’s one hell of a team, and not in an all-star starter at every position kind of way. I mean in the sense that that group of five men would probably win a championship every season. You’ve got tenacious defense at four of the five slots, good shooters at all five spots, three great ball-handlers ... I mean, it’s almost a perfect team, right?
Best of all, how’d you like to be the point guard bringing the ball up against DJ and the Glove. How many violations for not getting the ball past the half-court line in time would those two create in a game – 5, 10, 30? Just a beautiful lineup.
Of course, you can’t have the good without the bad, so here’s a list of the worst starting lineup (and I use that term loosely) of Sonic draftees (I’m restricting this to first-round selections only):
PG: Frank Oleynick (1975), 102
SG: Bud Stallworth (1972), 313
SF: Sherell Ford (1995), 28
PF: Mo Sene (2006), 41
C: Rich King (1991), 72
Perhaps I’m being unfair to Mo Sene, inasmuch as he hasn’t been given much of a shot in the NBA thus far, and the guy is still in his early 20s. Still, if you’re headed to Las Vegas to place a bet on a player’s future, I’m guessing you’re not sinking $250 into the Mo Sene bet, now are you?
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