Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Lots of offseason maneuvering for the whole league (running 30 teams is never easy in the first few seasons, lol). Plenty of action to come -- first up tomorrow (or later today -- like, during normal human hours) is the coaching changes. Stay tuned.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

The Offseason Begins: Coaching Changes

June 17th, 2016

By Vonny Lee


The NBA now embarks on the sometimes crazy, always entertaining offseason. After the unpredictable turn the regular season and playoffs took, this offseason follows in those steps. Here are the coaching changes, top to bottom, across the league.

1. Clippers -- let got of Doc Rivers almost as soon as the Sonics won the championship. Rivers and owner Steve Ballmer were butting heads more and more often with the way Rivers -- in his role as GM -- was running the team. Ballmer made it clear that Doc would not be the GM this offseason and Rivers made it clear that he would not accept the demotion.

The two figures were at a standoff, but both came to the conclusion that the marriage (as it were) wasn't going to work out and parted ways. Ballmer hired Sonics assistant GM Danny Ferry to work the roster into a contender as the full-time GM of the team.

Ferry, in his first move as the Clippers GM, approached the Warriors to speak with Ron Adams. The longtime defensive guru of the NBA, Adams has been an assistant for longer most of the players he coaches and has been interviewed multiple times over the years, but never got the gig.

He got it here and agreed to a four-year deal with the Clippers, bringing a defensive and tough identity to LAC, who hope not to suffer a huge dropoff after the fallout from the breakup with Rivers.

2. T'Wolves -- Minnie lost the great Flip Saunders last year after his unexpected death and Sam Mitchell did an admirable job of carrying the torch, but did not receive an offer to become the team's full-time coach. Mitchell left Minnie to pursue other opportunities and his position as assistant coach was filled by none other than Kevin Garnett.

Garnett did not come alone; his former coach, Doc Rivers, signed on to become the T'Wolves coach, a huge boon for a franchise ripe with potential and youth. Rivers doesn't have an instant contender for the title, but the T'Wolves are now much closer to it. With the championship pedigree of both Rivers and Garnett on the sidelines, this team will grow quickly into a threat in the West.

3. Wizards -- have pinned the blame for the failure to make the playoffs not on the Brook Lopez trade (which worked out well for the Sonics and horribly for the Wizards) but on Randy Wittman losing the team. Wittman was promptly let go.

In his place, Washington has hired former assistant coach Sam Cassell as it's head coach, bringing in a former All-Star guard and NBA champion. Cassell has a close relationship with John Wall and Bradley Beal, and will help elevate those two to higher levels as Washington looks to regroup after a disappointing season.

4. Lakers -- LA let go of Byron Scott and watched Kobe retire, but didn't have to wait long for Bryant to show back up: this time, as an assistant coach. Bryant signed on to be a presence on the bench, contributing in the best way he can now that his playing career is over.

The Lakers position did not draw the usual type of hype -- likely do to their track record with coaches over the last few seasons -- but made they made a solid, if unspectacular hire in Randy Wittman. Wittman will be charged with helping develop the talents of the Lakers young core and helping get the team back into the playoffs, where anything can happen.

Jim Buss is fast approaching the deadline set by his sister for getting the Lakers "back into contention" and reports out of LakerLand say the two are at odds over when he should hand over the reins. If the Lakers finish out of the playoffs again, it will spell the end of Jim Buss running that side of the team and could spark a nasty civil war within the organization.

5. 76ers -- have axed Brett Brown, to the dismay of multiple NBA players and league executives. After the 76ers ownership forced Hinkie to make the big trade with the Magic last year for Oladipo and Tobias Harris, ownership pushed for Hinkie to part with Brown and bring in a fresh voice.

Brown gamely took his firing, but has told all interested parties in his services that he's "done for now" with the NBA, as the last few seasons of tanking have "eaten at my soul".

Fan interest and ticket sales are at their lowest point since before the arrival of Allen Iverson and ownership is feeling the heat from their investors to turn their product around.

Enter in former Sonic Nate McMillian, who has returned to the ranks of head coaches after an extended absence. McMillian is one of the better coaches out there and had great success with both Seattle and Portland before being let go midway through the 2011-12 season by the Blazers.

With a team that's a good mix of youth and talent, and the second overall pick in the upcoming draft, the 76ers must now go about rebuilding their reputation as a good basketball organization and McMillian will go a long way towards that.

6. Bucks -- made the surprise move of firing Jason Kidd, who was reportedly furious at the decision. Kidd had been angling to become a GM/Coach, like some of his peers, but reports out of Milwaukee indicate that he pushed his agenda too hard.

"He was brutal in his evaluation of the staff and players, despite saying all the right things just a few months before," said one insider within the organization. "The room was floored at how harsh he was towards everyone and the owners did the only thing they could: they let him go."

Kidd's tendency to want more control has been well-documented, as far back as his early playing days, and his bid for power turned the front office and ownership against him. Despite his coaching acumen, it looks as if Jason Kidd is done with the NBA in the immediate future.

In his place, Milwaukee tapped a former head coach who knows how to develop talent and work well with the front office: Monty Williams. Williams, largely credited for allowing Anthony Davis to develop at his own pace and become the superstar he is today, will be gifted a team that is versatile and tailor-made to be formed into something more than just limbs and potential.

7. Suns -- re-signed Jeff Hornacek to a four-year deal, rewarding the coach for making the playoffs in the stacked West. Better yet, the Suns went out and hired Steve Nash as an assistant coach; Nash will be tasked with continuing to help develop the offensive skills and passing of both the guards in the Suns system.

8. Spurs -- grabbed Tim Duncan as an assistant coach, a move that was strictly a formality at this point. Duncan's return to the team as a coach will help usher in the next era of the Spurs dynasty and allow him to teach a thing or two to the younger guns.

9. Nuggets -- brought on Andre Miller as an assistant coach. The longtime Nugget (spending seven years there on two separate stints) will help young Mudiay along in his development, a must for a team that's not-near contention at this point.

10. Sonics -- convinced Ray Allen to sign on as their head scout, putting the sharp-shooter's sharp mind to good use. A nice move for a franchise looking to firmly ingrain itself into the fabric of Seattle, especially after the amazing year the organization had.

The 2016-17 Hotseat List

1. Dwayne Casey -- the Raptors head coach has had the best success of any coach in the franchise's short history, but he once again failed to make it out of the first round in the playoffs. This year will be a make or break year for him according to multiple sources and could mean the end of this iteration of the Raptors as his contract, Kyle Lowry's, and DeRozan's are all up at the end of the year (though Lowry has a player option he's unlikely to pick up).

2. Steve Clifford -- his GM, Rich Cho, was given a one-year contract extension at the 11th hour, which means that every single member of the Hornets' front office and coaching staff has their contract expire at the end of next season.

The pressure is on in Charlotte and higher than it's ever been. Michael Jordan wants back in the playoffs and won't settle for half-hearted maneuvers, and the Hornets got money to burn in FA (like everyone else). Al Jefferson is likely not to come back and the question of whom to get to pair beside Kemba and MKG is a maddening one.

Clifford could be out before the season ends if the Hornets start out badly.

[Trent Booty]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Love how in-depth you go with the offseason stuff. That's what I want to bring to the table when I get there.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Love how in-depth you go with the offseason stuff. That's what I want to bring to the table when I get there.

Much obliged. We'll have one more story post (about a tough decision) coming up, then the draft recap -- 30 1st round picks, how they fit into their team, and what it could mean for the NBA at large.

Stay tuned. A lot of content coming this way tomorrow (hopefully).

[BlindSideNZ]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

Much obliged. We'll have one more story post (about a tough decision) coming up, then the draft recap -- 30 1st round picks, how they fit into their team, and what it could mean for the NBA at large.

Stay tuned. A lot of content coming this way tomorrow (hopefully).

If the coaching recap is anything to go by i might actually enjoy the off season more than the actual games and that's no disrespect to what you've already brought us. This really is the best dynasty i have ever read anywhere.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

If the coaching recap is anything to go by i might actually enjoy the off season more than the actual games and that's no disrespect to what you've already brought us. This really is the best dynasty i have ever read anywhere.

*bows* Thanks! I do enjoy the offseason more than the NBA season to a point, just simply because it's easier to do more maneuvering/team building during the offseason.

The draft recap is gonna be real fun. We'll get there today, though I don't know how far into it, but there's no rush -- plenty to do in the offseason.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return



June 20th, 2016

The clock in his office seemed to tick louder than it usually did, but Max knew that was just perception more than it was anything else. This was his decision. This was his call. As the owner and GM of this team, as the head of this organization, he had to look long-term.

And long-term, the man before him wouldn't work -- not like it worked before.

"I can't believe you're doing this." Jarrett Jack stared at him, his agent Freddy Rose sitting beside him. "You gonna let me go? After all we did? After all we done together?"

Max met the man's eyes. "Jarrett, you know you won't go to the bench. Not for Jeremy, anyway. You don't see him as a superior player."

Jack looked away, shaking his head.

Freddy Rose pulled his tie and leaned forward. "I agree with my client -- you don't see championship teams let go of their starting point guards."

"No, you don't," Max agreed, that fact very much in his mind when he made this decision. Historically, championship teams didn't let go of their players -- at least their starters -- while the trophy was still warm. But Max couldn't afford not to make a move now. Jeremy Lin was the perfect successor to Jack as the starter and Lin was fine with not getting his shots. Lin wouldn't shoot them out of games and Lin was a much more accomplished defender than Jack ever was.

Lin was also fine with playing off the bench, which Jack didn't want to do here.

"So, you gonna trade me?" Jack asked.

Max shook his head. "I'm not picking up your team option. You're a free agent and you can pick your spot. I owe you that much, Jarrett."

Rose cocked an eyebrow. "That's a very generous move."

"I respect that," Jack said, similarly sounding surprised. "I ain't gonna promise I'm not going somewhere around here."

Max smiled. "I don't expect you to do me any favors. But I want you to know that you'll always have a place here."

"Except right now."

"You can stay -- if you can accept your role as an off the bench guy."

Jack shook his head again.

Rose looked between them both and cleared his throat. "My client has proven himself as a starting point guard, on a championship team. A bench role is below him."

"Exactly," Jack agreed. He stood and Rose stood with him. "I appreciate you telling it to my face."

Max stood from his chair and extended his hand. "Thank you Jarrett."

The two men shook hands and Jack (along with Rose) left Max's office.

The onus was on him now. Not only had he just let his starting point guard walk away for nothing, he'd done it during the offseason where any team could sign him.

It was bold and highly risky move.

And it was exactly what the team was going to need moving forward.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 1-5

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee


The 2016 NBA draft was fairly by the book, but this draft class is expected to be something special sooner than later (and, by the looks of it, the 2017 class should be even better).



The Utah Jazz traded away Derrick Favors before the deadline, reaping the Pacers pick in this draft and in the 2018 draft, and used their own pick to pick up Labissiere, who is a versatile (and really tall) PF who can shoot just as well as he can rebound. Labissiere has a much higher ceiling than Favors and should develop very well for the Jazz.

This marks the second-straight year the team has taken a PF from Kentucky (last year's pick, Trey Lyles, found some time and success off the bench) and the Jazz are betting the combo of young bigs can give them exactly what they need for the future. Better yet, Labissiere's drafting allows the Jazz to move Gobert should they need to, placing the two bigs from Kentucky as possible future co-starters for a Jazz team that needs a star beside Gordon Hayward before Hayward gets fed up with losing and leaves -- Hayward has a player option after this upcoming season and sources say he's seriously considering leaving the team if the Jazz can't compete for a playoff spot. His defection would be a tough blow for Utah to absorb, but one they could afford to with the youth on their team.



The 76ers got their man. Despite Utah fearing a Hayward defection, the Jazz brought in a big-man. That left the 76ers free to grab Simmons, easily the best player in this draft and someone who will instantly elevate their team to possible playoff contenders. Philly's had a ton of offseason changes and that trend looks to continue forward as they gear for a playoff run, one that is demanded by fans and owners alike.

Simmons looks to slide in at the three, leaving Harris to play as a stretch four beside Okafor. The starting lineup for the 76ers will look pretty good on paper, assuming they find a point guard they like: Philly is reportedly looking to move on from Tony Wroten after a down year, where Wroten shot less than 38 percent from the field and only scored 12 PPG. The one is a question mark for this team, but two through five is locked down and Philly has one of the most interesting cores in the NBA right now.



The Lakers lucked out and got their pick back: they managed to watch Kobe retire (and then comeback as a coach), they have tons of cap space, and they just grabbed Jaylen Brown, who played at Cal and will be a dynamic player for the Lakers at the three. The Lakers starting five is astoundingly good with Russell, Clarkson, Brown, Randle, and whomever they get at the five.

Word out of LakerLand is that the organization is targeting a defensive big to man that middle and two names keep coming up: Whiteside or Noah. Both have their pluses and minuses, but grabbing either of them would be a big endorsement by the free agent market that LA is back as a major player.



The Kings and George Karl are preparing for life without Rudy Gay. Gay, who is content with the team and his place on it, has one year left on his deal (with a player option after) and Karl is looking for a successor to the shooter from UCONN. Enter in the versatile Brandon Ingram, whom some say has the highest upside of anyone in this draft.

Ingram is a tall shooter who can guard the two through the four, but he's just a baby and has so much more room to grow. Ingram's addition to the Kings should be no surprise as Karl is attempting to rebuild his Nuggets teams of old and Ingram fits the mold as a versatile three with length and a stroke. Sacramento, depending on how their season goes, could end up moving Gay before the deadline and giving Ingram a run to get his feet wet in the latter half of the season.



Speaking of the Nuggets, they nab their future at the four with Dragan Bender. Largely seen as the best shooting big in this draft, Bender is the perfect compliment to the brutality of Nurkic in the post and the mind-bending passes from Mudiay.

Denver has assembled a fantastic young core of players around Mudiay and are definitely on the rise after the last few years. The question for the Nuggets becomes if they want to accelerate the development with free agent signings or stay the course with their own pace.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 6-10

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee



Milwaukee has had a tumultuous offseason and the drafting of Murray officially signals the end of MCW in a Bucks uniform. Murray, the best point-man in this draft, will instantly bring a level of offense at the point that has been lacking since Brandon Knight was traded away at the 2015 deadline. Since the Knight trade, the Bucks have struggled getting any points from their point-man and the team's play has dropped off significantly.

Murray's addition adds more youth and talent to a Bucks team that has plenty of both; what they lack is a star to bring it all together and MCW will be a part of any trade to bring in that type of player. The Bucks are sniffing around for interest and will likely have to package MCW with superior talent or a younger player with potential to grab someone of value.



Dallas is preparing for life without Dirk and grabbed their point-man of the future in Kris Dunn. Dunn is one of the most NBA ready players available in the draft and will be a great, young mind for Coach Carlisle to develop. Carlisle will have his deepest roster in years with the return of Parsons, Matthews and Embiid from injury, as well as the re-signing of Dirk.

But Dallas is also sporting one of the more fragile rosters in the NBA with most of their starters and will need good luck to make it through the grind of the regular season. There's more work to be done in Dallas, but in what is widely expected to be Dirk's last season, don't expect Mark Cuban to sit on his checkbook.



The Kings grabbed this pick courtesy of the Cousins trade (which Boston might regret as we move forward) and picked up their point guard of the future in Briscoe. Briscoe doesn't have much of an NBA-ready shot at this point but his passing skills are superb and he doesn't have bad wheels either. Briscoe really impressed in his workout with the team and the Kings locked in on him at this spot to eventually take over as the starter down the line.

This pick also eliminated any need for Rajon Rondo, who will likely not be coming back next season as he's looking for a winning environment to play next in.



Stan Van Gundy made the first reach here of the draft with the selection of Nigel Hayes, but it's a semi-defensible reach. Hayes is young and a prototypical stretch-four, but he's raw and will likely not be ready to contribute till next season at the earliest. For a Pistons team looking to make noise in the weak East, this pick didn't inspire confidence.

But SVG still has free agency to nab a superior option at the four for the future and word has it that he's targeting an old friend from his Orlando days: Ryan Anderson. Anderson's time with NOLA appears to be at an end as the team looks to upgrade its talent on the bench and signing up for another tour with SVG seems the likeliest scenario for a player that saw some of his best years with that coach.



Max Newman, owner and GM of the champion Sonics, selected Malik Newman (no relation) with this pick. Newman is young, fairly NBA ready, and a player that should excite Sonics fans for the future. After Mad Max let go of Jarrett Jack in a surprise move, the questions started flying.

But the addition of Malik Newman should quiet some of that noise. Newman is an above average passer and shooter for his position in this draft class and plays with a passion that should fit in well with this team. He's also decent enough at this point to contribute off the bench, his likely role in this upcoming season for a Sonics team that doesn't mind giving rookies time if they prove themselves (look at Jefferson last year).

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 11-15

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee



The Magic grab the two-wing in Sviatoslaw Mykhailuuk who has the hardest name to spell in this draft and will likely slot in at the three beside Super Mario Hezonja. The Magic expect to re-sign a veteran to man the three (either Johnson or someone else) and are preparing to move up in the East for a playoff spot in Skiles second year at the helm.



Hornets fans, meet Furkan Kormaz. Kormaz is from Turkey and hasn't made a ton of noise over in the US, but his presence on the Hornets roster will give them a legitimate chance to develop a decent two to start beside Kemba Walker. The Hornets roster is in complete flux and only two players are for certain not to be moved: Walker and Frank Kaminsky. Everyone else (including MKG) is up for grabs as the Hornets look to retool and reload for a playoff push that has the entire organization on edge as Michael Jordan looms over them all.



The T'Wolves originally had this spot but traded it to the Bulls for their 2016 pick (22nd overall) and their lottery-protected 2017 pick (1-14). With this pick the Bulls took the best point guard left in Demetrius Jackson. Jackson is going to see some minutes as Rose's backup, as the Bulls shift Aaron Brooks to the primary backup for the two after Hinrich's retirement. The Bulls are in the midst of a transition as Hoiberg and the front office begin to mold this team in an image he wants.

That image doesn't include Noah, the long-time Bull, and may not include Rose: despite a resurgence to form last season (19 PPG, 6 APG, 48 percent from the floor and 36 percent from deep), the Bulls fear another injury will hit the former MVP and knock him out for significant periods of time. Rose played all 82-games last season, including all playoff games, and the Bulls are unsure if Rose can hold up this upcoming season. If he does get injured, Chicago will likely see that as confirmation of their fears and at least half the NBA will agree with them.



Portland just barely hung onto this pick but that didn't stop them from taking a player that many believe has one of the better upsides in this draft in Diamond Stone. Stone will slot in as the future five for the Blazers, who were surprisingly competitive last year and will look to keep that same level of competitiveness in this upcoming season. Portland is likely to target a defensive big to man the middle in the time being and they're eyeing Roy Hibbert to fill that role.

Portland has always liked Hibbert's play and has attempted to sign him and trade for him in the past, but that was during Roy's peak with the Pacers. Now approaching 30, Roy isn't as athletically inclined but his stint with the Lakers seems to have humbled him and made him hungry again for wins. After averaging 12 PPG and 9 RPG last season, Roy would make an ideal compliment for Lillard and be able to lock down the paint by himself.



The drafting of Poetl was a curious one for the Raptors, but if one looks to next season you'll see their GM's plan: Valanciunas had a career year last season but could be even better as a primary PF than a C. His minutes at both last season show how much better he could be at the four and Poetl is a pick destined to allow Valanciunas to slot in at that spot next year. For now, the Raptors are content with Biyombo but that won't last forever.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 16-20

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee




The Jazz grabbed this pick courtesy of the Favors trade and promptly drafted Levert, who is another shooter off the bench that already has many. The Jazz have plenty of pieces that aren't immediately useful to them in Hood, Burke, and Neto, any of the three possible trade candidates. Expect Utah to be busy in the trade market as the offseason continues on.



The Grizzlies nailed this pick with the big man from China. Qi is an ideal candidate to take over for Marc Gasol when the big man no longer can start; much like Gasol, Qi is known for his passing vision and ability to be the hub of the offense from the post. With the Grizzlies history of developing foreign born players, look for Memphis to to reap the rewards of this pick in the next season or two.



Eventually Kyle Lowry will no longer be part of the Raptors future and Melo Trimble will hopefully replace him or at least be a valuable contributor off the bench. Toronto is betting on development of in-house talent more than ever, despite their iffy-track record over the last five years. Only Valanciunas and DeRozan have worked out well.



The search for a suitable starter beside Anthony Davis continues and Damian Jones is the next try for a franchise that desperately needs to improve their play at the five. Jones isn't ready to contribute much at all but his play style is a defensive/rebounding type, someone the Pelicans would like to develop as an enforcer to punish anyone who comes inside, which would allow Davis not to take so many hits. Whether NOLA can do that is another question entirely, but expect one of the Asik/Ajinca combo to be moved before the offseason ends.



This pick was one of the safest in the draft. Ellenson is ready to contribute immediately to an NBA roster. Ellenson will likely take over for Mike Scott as the backup PF next season and the Hawks roster is shaping up to be one of the more solid in the East. They're likely to retain Al Horford and will be looking to make noise in the playoffs, assuming they can get past the first round. If they fall short of that goal, expect the team to look different next season.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 21-25

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee




The Suns draft Diallo, one of the surprise slides this year. Diallo will enter into a situation that plays to his strengths, as he'll expect to give good defense and rebounding off the bench in his first few seasons of NBA action. Whether he develops into something Phoenix can use to replace Markieff Morris is up for debate, but for a late-round pick in a deep draft, Diallo slots in nicely.



The T'Wolves got this pick from the Bulls and used it to draft their favorite position: point guard. Gray comes in as a player who's not viewed with the same potential as some of his peers, but can make a difference in the right situation. With Tyus Jones and Zach Lavine already on the roster, Gray will be a developmental project for a team that doesn't need him now: expect Gray to see a lot of D-League time this season.



The 76ers pick up a late-round project in Buddy Hield, a shooter who struggles a bit on the defensive end and with the ball in his hands. At this point, Hield will be asked to knock down the open shots and avoid mistakes, but he'll likely spend the season in the D-League as the 76ers try to turn themselves around.



The retirement of Tim Duncan has left the Spurs frontline weakened and, with the exodus of David West as well, the Spurs needed to grab a young big to be tutored by Pop (and Coach Tim Duncan). Say hello to Sabonis, son of much beloved Blazer Arvydas Sabonis. Sabonis is known for being a glass eater, just what the Spurs need with the loss of Ducan and West.



The Warriors are taking a flyer on Taylor, a big man with potential but little else at this point. With Andrew Bogut a free agent next year and Ezeli on the market this year (albeit with a qualifying offer from the Warriors), the former NBA champions are looking to prepare for life without Bogut, who is likely to be let go due to his multiple injuries over the years.

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

2016 NBA Draft Recap: 26-30

June 23rd, 2016

By Vonny Lee



Danny Ferry's first pick as the Clippers GM is a familiar one: a SF who can play defense, score inside, and avoid mistakes. Much like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in Seattle, Troy Williams will be asked to do what he's good at and avoid doing everything else.



Another developmental project for the 76ers, Wennington will be a player they look to down the line to be a contributor off the bench and little else. Expect Philly to send him down to the D-League and not worry about him for a season or two.



Youth at SF is something the Hawks don't have much of and Atlanta picks up Torres to develop. He won't be making an immediate impact but Atlanta will hope that he can be a valuable contributor in two-three years at his position.



The Suns didn't really need Bayless, but with TJ Warren likely to ascend to the starting role this season and PJ Tucker likely on his way out, the Suns want another SF to develop in the meantime. Expect Bayless to spend more time taking notes than taking shots this year.



Danny Ainge got this pick courtesy of his trade with the then Nets for Pierce, Garnett, and Jason Terry. With it he takes Fowlkes, a spectacularly unspectacular player who's raw, but is a good glue guy in a league that is increasingly realizing the value in that intangible. Fowlkes won't see a ton of time on this team, but he'll be a part of the locker-room and that will be where he'll make his mark for this season.

[Cruzerr]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

First off, ton of props for this draft overview. Very well done.

Second off, is Max mad? I understood this right, but he gets rid of Jack, drafts a PG and is going to give Lin the starting spot? After winning the title? ... I have a feeling that Max knows more, or Max knows, who his new PG will be...

[trekfan]

Re: Second Coming: A SuperSonics Return

First off, ton of props for this draft overview. Very well done.

Second off, is Max mad? I understood this right, but he gets rid of Jack, drafts a PG and is going to give Lin the starting spot? After winning the title? ... I have a feeling that Max knows more, or Max knows, who his new PG will be...

^Max has a plan. He likes Newman (as do I) and Jack, defensively, is worse than Newman or Lin. Lin can be a starter (a 30 min a night guy, easy) and can play off the bench, too. Jack was great, but he had a career year at 32 -- statistically, that's a fluke and unlikely to be repeated again by him.

The ratings difference between Jack and Lin is a point and Jack's likely to decline next season. He got let go, but Lin will be there to cushion the blow.

Definitely a risk to let Jack go, but I'm betting the team can thrive with Lin just as well as Jack.