Seattle Sonics: NBA Draft

Cheerleader of the Day: Seattle Sonics

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:55:55 -0700

Cheerleader of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we have access to thousands of great college & NBA basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, along with our Picture of the Day, we'll be featuring a Cheerleader of the Day. In honor of the upcoming NBA Draft, we'll be focusing on NBA dancers until the end of June!

Seattle Sonics

- Check out past Cheerleaders of the Day!

- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

NBA Draft Review: What I Learned..

Adam Stanco — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 03:51:10 -0700

The 2007 NBA Draft has taught us many things…

Joakim Noah has an interesting sense of style. The Blazers would’ve made all 60 picks if David Stern allowed it. Spike Lee likes Zach Randolph a lot more than Channing Frye. And Stephen A. Smith isn’t a big fan of Jason Richardson.

But of all the things I learned during the NBA Draft, this is what I learned the most…

1. NBA teams gave up on last year’s picks awful quickly

We all knew last year’s draft class was laughable, but most of the league acted like it never even happened. Team after team scrapped the investment they made just one year ago and nabbed shiny new prospects at the exact same positions.

Last season the Grizzlies took Kyle Lowry with their first round pick, but they selected Mike Conley – another very young point guard – this year. Atlanta grabbed Shelden Williams at No. 5 in 2006 and they took another bruising power forward, Al Horford, on Thursday. The Lakers picked incredibly talented point guard prospect Javaris Crittenton, despite picking a fairly talented point guard a year ago in Jordan Farmar.

And Philadelphia, who we’ll discuss in more detail later, snatched up Rodney Carney and Bobby Jones in ‘06, yet didn’t hesitate to draft Thaddeus Young at No. 12 this year. The Sixers are already maxed out at the wing positions, but at least Carney and Jones will have someone to hang out with on the bench as the team waits for Young to develop.

2. Joakim Noah, Marcus Williams, Aaron Gray, and Josh McRoberts lost the most financially by returning to school

After last year’s stunning NCAA Tournament run, Noah had a rush of momentum on his side. He almost certainly would have been selected before Andrea Bargnani. However, the arrival of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, plus a year of Noah-nitpicking by NBA scouts, devoured his draft stock. He went from possibly being the first overall pick to becoming the No. 9 selection.

But, in Noah’s mind, it still worked out. He’ll be playing for a promising Bulls team and he’s got two permanents: A second ring and a secure place in college basketball lore.

Others weren’t so lucky.

McRoberts could’ve been a top ten pick in ’06. Sure his game had flaws, but the consensus was that all of his issues were fixable. Apparently, that’s no longer the consensus. The former Duke disappointment slid slowly to the second round. He was even drafted after Carl Landry and Glen Davis. Some may say that McRoberts left school too early, but he actually left too late.

Gray and Williams were also assured they’d be first rounders a year ago. That would’ve meant first round money and, even more importantly, guaranteed deals. Now, after also falling to round two, they’ll be fighting simply for roster spots.

There’s no reason to believe we won’t be seeing them all in the league next season – or even getting some quality minutes – yet they each would have been much more secure financially had they left school last year.

3. The Sixers have no idea what they’re doing

Owning three first round picks and an early second rounder in one of the deepest drafts in years, Philly ended up with Colorado State enigma Jason Smith, Ukrainian big man Kyrylo Fesenko, Thaddeus Young, and Derrick Byars.

Smith is an interesting prospect because of his athletic ability, solid skills, soft touch, and 7-foot frame. In other words, he’s brilliant in workouts. But he also averaged just 16.8 points a game against weak competition and turned the ball over far too often.

Fesenko apparently has a bunch of off-court issues and might not ever end up suiting up for the Sixers.

Young and Byars are gifted, but Philly is overloaded at the wing positions. In addition to the aforementioned Carney and Jones, the Sixers also have Willie Green, Kyle Korver, and Andre Iguodala all playing significant minutes.

Keep in mind, Philadelphia earned the No. 12 pick, but acquired the two late first rounders as part of the Allen Iverson trade. Billy King should’ve made sure he got another lottery pick in that deal.

He didn’t.

This is what King did essentially get for one of the league’s most decorated and marketable stars…

Andre Miller, Joe Smith, Jason Smith, Derrick Byars, and cash.

That’s just disgusting.

4. The Spurs know exactly what they are doing

There’s one simple reason that San Antonio is one of the best organizations in all of sports: They make informed decisions.

That well thought-out decision-making is the reason they picked talented post player Tiago Splitter at No. 28. Splitter apparently has a big buyout in his contract, meaning the Spurs will probably have to wait a year to get him, but he can play.

Despite talk of the buyout as the rumored reason teams passed on him, the real reason was more likely his poor play during the Euroleague Final Four. Instead of judging his full body of work, teams overanalyzed his putrid performance (7 points and 6 boards) against Panathinaikos in the semi-final. Considering that most scouts didn’t observe him throughout the year, his poor showing against the Greek power slanted the scouts’ opinion of him.

Combine the bad game on a big stage with the buyout and the slip seemed somewhat inevitable. But should it make Splitter an even bigger risk than the troubled Sean Williams, who was drafted No. 17 by the New Jersey Nets?

Of course not.

Yet somehow Williams – who failed to score in double-figures in four of the 15 games he played prior to his dismissal from the team – still went 11 spots ahead of Splitter.

And that’s why San Antonio won’t be leaving their perch atop the NBA’s elite any time soon.

5. The Sonics could have a groundbreaking lineup

While everyone is talking about Ray Allen going from the Pacific Northwest to the Northeast, I’m more interested in what’s staying in Seattle. If the Sonics re-sign Rashard Lewis, which now looks like a possible scenario, they will have an incredibly intriguing roster.

Three of the Seattle starters would be versatile, yet stunningly similar players.

Kevin Durant is about 6-foot-10 and can play the 2,3, or 4, but is most comfortable as a small forward.

Jeff Green is about 6-foot-10 and can play the 2,3, or 4, but is most comfortable as a small forward.

Lewis is – you guessed it – about 6-foot-10 and can play the 2,3, or 4, but is most comfortable as a small forward.

Expect Seattle to play all three at the same time with each player rotating between the shooting guard, small forward, and power forward positions. The offensive possibilities are endless. The league hasn’t seen anything even remotely like what the Sonics could put on the floor.

Of course, before Seattle starts a revolution, they need to hire a head coach first.

Seattle Supersonics: NBA Draft Team Needs

Jeff Fox — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:53:26 -0700

NBA Draft: Seattle Sonics

Record: 31-51, 5th Northwest

Draft Picks: 2^nd, 31^st, 35^th.

Sonics Team Needs: To not draft a center with their first pick for the third straight year. With the apparent departure of Rashard Lewis to free agency, the team needs a second scoring option to help out Ray Allen. The guy they are projected to pick should help out nicely.

Who Should They Pick (First round): Kevin Durant, Texas – Durant is the choice with no hesitation. He will provide them with a dynamic, long bodied scorer and a potential superstar for decades to come.

Roster:

Sonics Draft History:

2006 – Mouhammed Saer Sene (10), Denham Brown (40), Yotam Halperin (53)

2005 - Johan Petro (25), Mickael Gelebale (48), Lawrence Roberts (55)

2004 - Robert Swift (12), Andre Emmett (35), David Young (41)

2003 - Nick Collison (12), Luke Ridnour (14), Willie Green (41)

2002 - Peter Fehse (49)

2001 - Vladimir Radmonovic (12), Earl Watson (40), Bobby Simmons (42)

2000 - Desmond Mason (17), Oluminde Oyedeji (42)

Links: NBA Draft | NBA Teams | Mock Draft | Draft History

Lottery Lowdown: Part One - The Draft's Top Six Picks

Adam Stanco — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:19:41 -0700

Welcome to the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Oden and Mr. Durant. We’re sure you will love the nationally televised games and close proximity to Nike headquarters. Please let us know if you have any issues at all…

Yes, the basketball gods have spoken and they’ve told us Greg Oden will be a Blazer and Kevin Durant is Seattle-bound. But you already knew that. What you may not know is what the entire NBA Draft Lottery really means. So let’s start at the top…

1. Portland Trail Blazers

Oden is the final re-building block for Portland. No longer is their roster comprised of troublesome disappointments (well, aside from Darius Miles). Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, Jarrett Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, Zach Randolph, and Brandon Roy aren’t just athletic and skilled, they’re also young. None of them is older than 25. Joel Przybilla is older than 25, but his stay in Oregon may be short lived once Oden shows up.

Roy and Oden would give the Blazers an opportunity to receive the rarest of rarities: Back-to-back “Rookie of the Year” awards. Not bad for a franchise famous for choosing Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.

The Blazers are already calling the news of the top pick “Monumental,” “Historic,” and “Epic” on their web site. And the timing of it all couldn’t be better for Comcast SportsNet, who announced that their new regional sports network – Comcast Sports Northwest – would be covering the team just days before the lottery.

There is some talk of the team trying to grab Oden’s high school and college teammate – Mike Conley – a few slots later in the draft, yet the odds of getting both are slim. However, the Blazers probably will move Randolph at some point this summer.

2. Seattle SuperSonics

The Sonics are going to love having a 6-foot-10, former high school superstar who does it all, including shoot with remarkable range.

In fact, they already know what having one feels like.

Rashard Lewis was Kevin Durant before Durant was Durant. At Alief Elsik High School in Houston, Lewis was such a special, sweet-shooting stud that the league invited him to the green room on draft day. His ensuing slide to the second round is a legendary tale, but he went on to prove oh-so-many teams wrong, averaging over 22 ppg last season.

Just days before the lottery, the Seattle Times reported that Sonics owner Clay Bennett intended to re-sign the unrestricted free agent, but that was before the Sonics laid claim to the second overall pick. With two players so utterly similar in style, Lewis knew the arrival of Durant signaled an end to his tenure. He consequently opted for free agency.

If Lewis had decided to stay, opponents would have had to deal with the league’s strongest axis of offense – Ray Allen, Durant, and Lewis. Now that’s not a possibility.

However, Durant will immediately be a better all-around player than Lewis was and should eclipse Lewis’s scoring output within a few seasons. New Sonics GM Sam Presti will be responsible for surrounding Allen and Durant with some capable teammates and he’s the perfect man for the job. Presti helped San Antonio build around the foundation that is Tim Duncan by helping the Spurs acquire many of the key components to their last three championship squads.

Durant’s dreadful showing at the recent NBA combine didn’t hurt the Sonics chances of drafting him. It probably just scared off some of the other teams that were willing to make ridiculous trade offers to get him. Durant’s inability to bench press 185 pounds is incredible, but just think about how truly special he could become once he starts working with a nutritionist and a professional strength coach.

3. & 11. Atlanta Hawks

The Blazers and Sonics are obviously thrilled over the bounce of the ping pong balls and the Hawks are almost as happy. As part of the Joe Johnson for Boris Diaw deal, Phoenix had the rights to Atlanta’s pick, but that pick was top three protected. The Suns will have to wait until next year to snatch the Hawks’ pick.

But just owning the pick doesn’t guarantee anything. The Hawks haven’t won more than 30 games since 2003 and they haven’t been to the playoffs since the strike-shortened 1999 season.

Atlanta’s been loading up at the wing and forward positions (Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Josh Childress, and Shelden Williams), yet they are desperate for a point guard. Their fan base still hasn’t forgiven the team for taking Marvin Williams in 2005 because the next three picks were Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Raymond Felton.

The Hawks’ choice could be Brandan Wright, who – much like Marvin Williams – is a highly-touted forward fresh off an impressive freshman season at UNC. However, if they really want to satisfy their fans, they must take a lead guard this year.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, the highest-rated available players – after Oden and Durant – are exactly the type they’ve already invested in. Wright and Florida’s Al Horford are capable of scoring from the low post in the NBA, but the Hawks don’t need them. The team could take Wright and pray viciously that Acie Law will be around for the Hawks at No. 11 (obtained from the Pacers in the Al Harrington trade). Georgia Tech point guard Javaris Crittenton is the draft’s most underrated prospect – by those in the media, not those in the league – and would also be a nice fit in Atlanta.

If the Hawks want Law, they could package their second pick and one of their many forwards in order to move up to guarantee they get him. Otherwise, they may just nab Mike Conley first and take the best available player with their second choice.

4. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizz are a mess. Despite winning their last three games, Memphis finished with a league-worst 22 wins. Their top player – Pau Gasol – has been the subject of serious trade rumors for over a year now. The team is marketing Mike Miller as if he’s a perennial all-star, but everyone in Memphis realizes that the Grizz’s future depends solely on the development of last year’s stud rookie, Rudy Gay.

Miller and Gay appear to be the base of the franchise and the team drafted point guard Kyle Lowry last season, meaning no one knows for sure who they will take this year. In fact, Memphis is the biggest x-factor in this draft because they could go big (Yi Jianlian?), small (Mike Conley?), or trade Gasol and shake everything up.

5. Boston Celtics

Sorry, Celtics fans, turns out that Oden and Durant won’t be walking through that door either. If Boston did truly tank this past season, it was all for naught.

The team won’t end up with one of this draft’s preordained stars, but they still have a future to think about. Paul Pierce is an all-star and Al Jefferson could be joining him soon. Check out Jefferson’s scoring averages during the last four months of the season:

January – 14.6 ppg
February – 16.1 ppg
March – 19.7 ppg
April – 22.3 ppg

Yi Jianlian is skilled, energetic, and as YouTube followers know, he enjoys dunking on people. The Celtics will have to take a long look at him at No. 5 because his surprisingly smooth style might perfectly balance out Jefferson’s brute nature.

But regardless of who the choice is, that player probably won’t be able to catapult Boston among the East’s elite anytime soon.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

With Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva on the frontline and Michael Redd in the backcourt, the Bucks clearly have talent. The problem is keeping them all healthy. Bogut played in 66 games this past season, Redd played 53 games, and Villanueva played in just 39.

Al Horford would be the perfect complement to Bogut and Villanueva because of the former Gator’s ability to score, rebound, and intimidate. My sources say the Bucks are very interested in Horford, but it’s tough to say if he’ll slide down to them. If Horford is gone, the Bucks could choose another Florida phenom, Joakim Noah, or go with the best available point guard.

This is part One of Adam Stanco's Lottery Lowdown, a Two-part look at what the Draft means for the Top 14 picks.