SEATTLE - I’m going to start championing the return of GP as the 4th guard to finish out his career in a Sonics uniform. It’s not about Clay Bennett, or Howard Schultz, or Marc Cuban, or Jerry Buss, it’s about entertaining the fans, and that’s you and me.
Gary Payton played 999 games as a Sonic. GP has gone on to play more and win a ring, and until that 999 number changes the team ownership, no matter who it may be, has the mark of the beast. Just kidding.
Bring GP back, Ray Allen and Gary Payton are the last backcourt to win Olympic Gold.
Checkout Sonicsman's webspace, as listed in my post on Sonicscentral (they need the web hits, that's why I'm routing you through them... just kidding).
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May 28, 2007
May 24, 2007
It isn't Rashard Lewis or Nick Collison, but Chris Wilcox that could be offered in trade
SEATTLE - The Seattle SuperSonics landed the second pick overall, not news to you. The obvious pick is youngster Kevin Derrant. Right from the start the speculation started with the future plans of Rashard Lewis, the sonics are in less of a bind should he leave. Yesterday there was speculation in a Chicago newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, that the Bulls may want to go after Nick Collison.
That's a good idea for the Bulls, too bad it isn't Nick Collison, but Chris Wilcox that could be offered in trade. Lenny Wilkins insists that the Sonics want to resign Lewis. I think that's true. Rashard is entering his prime, no point in giving talent away, or letting it walk.
If there is a player that plays a front court position that could be expendable it isn't Lewis because Kevin Derrant and Rashard Lewis do not have the same playing styles. Kevin Derrant is 19 years old, 225 pounds. Tell me that when he starts the professional sports weight training program that he's not going to gain 10 to 15 pounds of muscle, and I'll point you toward young Robert Swift as an example of how a youngster can put on muscle in a hurry. Kevin Derrant may literally grow into the power forward position. That position and roll of dynamic scorer is currently occupied by Chris Wilcox.
Lewis, Durrant, and Wilcox share something in common, their playing styles are not a duplication of how Nick Collison plays, but a compliment to the team enhancing style Collison plays. No way the trade Collison, Wilcox on the other hand has two years left on his deal, and will give up some playing time and shots to Durrant before those two years are up.
Wilcox's future with the Sonics may have a limit now, it's best that the Sonics make the most of the last few months of productive play, and trade Wilcox on draft day.
One more thing, the Atlanta Hawks getting the 3rd pick made me happy, not for the Hawks, but for the Sonics because that kept a lottery pick out of the Sun's hands.
Still, it's a safe bet Paxson will inquire on longtime Bulls favorite Nick Collison's availability now that the Sonics jumped to No. 2 and will land either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant.
Packaging the No. 9 pick with players whose contracts expire after the 2007-08 season, such as Chris Duhon and Viktor Khryapa or both, could be attractive to teams looking to trim payroll.
By K.C. Johnson, Chicago Tribune
That's a good idea for the Bulls, too bad it isn't Nick Collison, but Chris Wilcox that could be offered in trade. Lenny Wilkins insists that the Sonics want to resign Lewis. I think that's true. Rashard is entering his prime, no point in giving talent away, or letting it walk.
If there is a player that plays a front court position that could be expendable it isn't Lewis because Kevin Derrant and Rashard Lewis do not have the same playing styles. Kevin Derrant is 19 years old, 225 pounds. Tell me that when he starts the professional sports weight training program that he's not going to gain 10 to 15 pounds of muscle, and I'll point you toward young Robert Swift as an example of how a youngster can put on muscle in a hurry. Kevin Derrant may literally grow into the power forward position. That position and roll of dynamic scorer is currently occupied by Chris Wilcox.
Lewis, Durrant, and Wilcox share something in common, their playing styles are not a duplication of how Nick Collison plays, but a compliment to the team enhancing style Collison plays. No way the trade Collison, Wilcox on the other hand has two years left on his deal, and will give up some playing time and shots to Durrant before those two years are up.
Wilcox's future with the Sonics may have a limit now, it's best that the Sonics make the most of the last few months of productive play, and trade Wilcox on draft day.
One more thing, the Atlanta Hawks getting the 3rd pick made me happy, not for the Hawks, but for the Sonics because that kept a lottery pick out of the Sun's hands.
May 19, 2007
Frank Hughes does Dishes
SEATTLE - Frank Hughes in the Tacoma News Tribune
The last card Bennett had to play was the Vegas card. Stern swatted
that down. Now, he has a team that could cost him 450 mil if it
leaves, making it a very long time before he would have to wait for
the NBA market too grow to the point that he could get a return on
that investment, higher sale price. he really could only get more
than 450 mil if the team was going to a larger media market, not a
smaller one. He really has to make it work here, or sell if he wants
to make the business transaction of buying the team for 350 mil make
sense.
I think that it iis interesting that it was mentioned in Frank's
story that the effort to get an arena has cost Bennett 10 million.
Sounds like it is part of a laundry list he can point to when
selling. He's not taking a loss, and he's going to want that 10 mil
back on top of it.
Brian Robinson is going to give Frank Hughes a lesson in journalism?
Being an advocate is one thing, what Robinson is does is beyond
advocacy. What Robinson doesn't know is that being a journalist
doesn't mean you have to be a schill for the subject you are
reporting on, in fact, that can get you fired, and in some states you
get jail time. Supporting something with positive words and stories
is one thing, being part of a non-profit advocacy group is another.
It's fine for a blogger, but it out of bounds for a beat reporter, a
journalist.
Robinson's unhappiness with Frank's timing of including the Karen
Bryant wanting to buy the Storm rumor just shows what Brian doesn't
know, you tell a story when general interest in a subject is highest.
Reporting a rumor involving the Storm on opening night is when you do
want to report it. Frank's job isn't to "protect" the Sonics and
Storm, it's to sell newspapers. This isn't Frank's hobby, it's his
profession. If the Sonics left the state Robinson would be bitter,
Frank would be out of a job, the job of writing stories about the
Sonics and Storm that sell newspapers.
May 07, 2007
Get off Lenny
SEATTLE - In a way I liked the way Lenny talked about the games while doing color on the TV broadcasts. He didn't sound as if he was itching to coach by playing "broadcaster-coach" on TV. He didn't beat plays to death like some guys you here. Mike Fratello had the darn telestrator, correcting the plays that a coach just called on the floor, yikes! You can hear the "I want to coach" sound in Doug Collins' voice. Hubie Brown had that sound before the Memphis job, but not after, it's tough to explain.
Lenny commented a lot on the types of players and playing styles he liked. If the Sonics ran plays for a long shots without at least throwing the ball into the post for long periods of time he would say his preference is "inside out" (to draw defenders away from the shooter). He didn't nit-pick little details. I really don't have a problem with what he said, it was much more philosophical than is desired for television, no doubt, but in many ways that's what I do want in a president or VP. I want a guy that says the kinds and types of coaching and players he likes. Hopefully he acts on that thinking to build that kind of team, and then leaves the doing, the details, to the GM/coach/players to actually go do.
So what did he say, and what does it sound like he wants? Lenny sounded like he will want players to play hard, pass the ball to open players, give good effort, and learn from their mistakes. I'm ok with that kind of thinking from front office guys. He likes the PG to lead the offense, he likes to have players fight through screens. I'm ok with that too. I think a lot of people's comments that I've ready on a variety of internet sites are projecting their own fears into what hasn't been said or done by Lenny and the new ownership group. There's a void. The communication has to be better on that in Sonicsland.
I know Lenny doesn't get much respect from some fans, not even here in Seattle, but those people are not picking up the phone in the front office of most NBA teams. Kevin Calabro mentioned something on KJR after the first road trip of the season, he said wherever they go, no matter what town, the who's who of basketball seek Lenny out to talk to him. He's treated like "basketball royalty".
Know why many people treat him like basketball royalty? Because he freaking is, maybe not to you, but to many owners, presidents and GM's of other teams, and that's what can help an up and coming GM. That's not a bad thing to have in your front office. It isn't a bad situation for a younger GM who could occationally use the connections that Lenny has.
He doesn't want to hire a coach just to fire the guy and take over, but he could in a pinch if they guy choked. He might be overpowering to GM's with big egos and long track records, maybe that's good, maybe he will hire a GM and coach that hold similar philosophies as he has. Wouldn't that be a first, a management group that was really on the same darn page, and not just saying that they were. I hope that last line was clear enough for everybody. I was calling out Howard/Wallly/Sund/McMillan. What a bunch of crap those guys spread around.
Maybe I'm just projecting my optimism into the Sonics communication void to counter the negative fears, and I'm ok with that too.
Lenny commented a lot on the types of players and playing styles he liked. If the Sonics ran plays for a long shots without at least throwing the ball into the post for long periods of time he would say his preference is "inside out" (to draw defenders away from the shooter). He didn't nit-pick little details. I really don't have a problem with what he said, it was much more philosophical than is desired for television, no doubt, but in many ways that's what I do want in a president or VP. I want a guy that says the kinds and types of coaching and players he likes. Hopefully he acts on that thinking to build that kind of team, and then leaves the doing, the details, to the GM/coach/players to actually go do.
So what did he say, and what does it sound like he wants? Lenny sounded like he will want players to play hard, pass the ball to open players, give good effort, and learn from their mistakes. I'm ok with that kind of thinking from front office guys. He likes the PG to lead the offense, he likes to have players fight through screens. I'm ok with that too. I think a lot of people's comments that I've ready on a variety of internet sites are projecting their own fears into what hasn't been said or done by Lenny and the new ownership group. There's a void. The communication has to be better on that in Sonicsland.
I know Lenny doesn't get much respect from some fans, not even here in Seattle, but those people are not picking up the phone in the front office of most NBA teams. Kevin Calabro mentioned something on KJR after the first road trip of the season, he said wherever they go, no matter what town, the who's who of basketball seek Lenny out to talk to him. He's treated like "basketball royalty".
Know why many people treat him like basketball royalty? Because he freaking is, maybe not to you, but to many owners, presidents and GM's of other teams, and that's what can help an up and coming GM. That's not a bad thing to have in your front office. It isn't a bad situation for a younger GM who could occationally use the connections that Lenny has.
He doesn't want to hire a coach just to fire the guy and take over, but he could in a pinch if they guy choked. He might be overpowering to GM's with big egos and long track records, maybe that's good, maybe he will hire a GM and coach that hold similar philosophies as he has. Wouldn't that be a first, a management group that was really on the same darn page, and not just saying that they were. I hope that last line was clear enough for everybody. I was calling out Howard/Wallly/Sund/McMillan. What a bunch of crap those guys spread around.
Maybe I'm just projecting my optimism into the Sonics communication void to counter the negative fears, and I'm ok with that too.
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