Pool the Talent into Fewer Players

I watched the end and then the beginning of the replay of the Sonics vs. the Cavs last night. Life without Ray both sucks and blows. The earlybirds chirping that the team was fine without Ray are likely pretty quiet this morning.

Ray is out, so Earl starts or is out. The domino effect is that we don't have a another guy in the second unit that can play with Earl or carry the load in a pinch. It's a good role for Earl when Ray is healthy, like Bobby Jackson 4 years ago with the Kings.

So, the team looks bad, and maybe somebody is going to be fired or traded very soon. I'll tilt toward trading somebody, here's why: firing Bob means you still do not have a go-to guy coming off the bench, it isn't going to solve the roster problem. Rick Sund will have to do something. If Ray is out for too long I expect the colimnists (not you beat writers) to start throwing cout coaching names that would not ever happen, Larry Brown, Rudy Tomjanovich, Paul Silas, (or any basketball equivalent to Lew Pinnela would do). Just don't go there.
The roster is the problem, with or without a healthy Ray Allen.

You have 3 guys that don't have a conscience when it comes to shooting the ball:
Ray
Rashard
Earl
Luke is getting there, but he gets timid if he misses a few shots.

Petro will shoot the ball from the elbow every time, I'm ok with that but he's not a go-to guy, third option or off the bench scorer (not yet).

The rest of the players all clutch the ball and pump-fake out on the perimeter. They either don't have the skill to hit that shot, the will to shoot that shot, or the ability to move the ball closer to the rim and create a better opportunity for themselves. Damien is getting better at trying it.
What you have left are rookies, guys on rookie contracts, Danny Fortson's expiring contract, an extra second round pick in each of the next three years, and the December 15th free agent trade deadline passing (or 90 days, whichever is later).

Hill is trying to get Wilcox to step back and be the guy coming off the bench to score while Ray is out, that's what I think he was doing with the roster move yesterday. But that move just points to a hole in the roster for a featured bench player.

I would look for a veteran player that has a couple years left on a slightly bloated contract (somebody making around what Fortson is making) and move Fortson and either a couple second round picks, or a #1 (lotto protected) with one of the kids.
I would look to upgrade a spot not occupied by Ray. Trade many for one. You see one of these former starters get a second life on another team as a bench guy every year. The trick is finding one that can accept a role coming off the bench if they are featured and get regular minutes (that's you too Earl).

Another reason I trade many for one is that we have a bunch of kids already with two second round draft picks coming in the next three years (on top of the first round picks). We are NOT going to have room for 9 more rookies over the next 3 years and the rookies we have right now. We can but don't expect to win any games. I know second rounders don't always make the team, but there's almost no shot at making the team in the next few years as a second rounder with the rooster we have, you might as well trade some of the picks.

I think Swifty is a keeper and the starting center as soon as he can play. Petro is a keeper. Petro might be a good option to fill Wilcox spot if he walks in 3 years.

Sene was a good pick but he doesn't have much of a roster spot. Centers have trade value most of the time.

Collison is the guy they put next to the other guys that are missing their rotations on defense. The center directs and communicates a lot of what has to happen. Nick can do this, Petro and Wilcox both work well with Nick, and you can play Petro and Wilcox together. Those 3 with Swift next year should be plenty of front court. Hill has to pick one of those guys, maybe it is Petro, and regularly post the guy up.

When Ray is healthy Earl can play carry part of that load, but the team needs a backup SF or SG (or a SF/PF tweener) that can catch and shoot, and must defend on the other end of the floor. We need a veteran, other than Earl, that can keep the kids from melting down when Ray and Rashard are not on the floor.

Name the vet that is between 6-7 and 6-9, makes nearly as much as Danny, can play with Earl and one of the three young bigs (all three of Wilcox, Collison, and Petro can play center or PF), can defend, can hit an open shot.

Maybe that type of player isn't the right move, but it looks like what is missing to me.
This team needs to get it's 15 players worth of talent into 9 guys that are actually going to play. We need an upgrade where the team is lacking and not move one of the few parts that isn't struggling.
Trade many for one.

Go Sonics!