| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Seattle Draft Preview Authored by Christopher Reina - May 25, 2007 - 3:19 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Final Thoughts On The 2008 NBA Draft This year's draft was decidedly more calm and casual than the Oden/Durant showdown, which made for a more candid and personal experience.
Grading The Deal: Knicks Sign DuhonThe Knicks overpaid for a below average starting point guard, but the move should still pay dividends.
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Oh Danny Boy
Danny Granger, who has just three years of NBA experience under his belt, will undoubtedly be the man in Indiana beginning this summer.
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$10 Million For Five Players?
The Orlando Magic will be limited by the NBA's Luxury Tax in terms of filling the remaining spots on their roster. It is also possible it could cost them Keyon Dooling or Maurice Evans.
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Raptorland’s New Carnivore
The Raptors are bringing in a player who will have an immediate impact (unlike Hibbert or whomever the Raptors would’ve drafted at 17), plays a position of need (unlike Ford,) and carries a reputation of intimidation (unlike Nesterovic).
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Draft Picks: 2nd, 31st, 35th
What they do well
Perhaps no other team is in limbo more than the Seattle SuperSonics.
They were the Diet Suns during the 2004-2005 season, with an exciting up-tempo style of play that won them 52 games and gave the Spurs a very difficult battle in the Conference Semifinals.
That season was followed by a 35-47 campaign in 2005-2006 and a 31-51 record in 2006-2007.
To make matters worse, Starbucks tycoon Howard Schultz sold the team to a group of investors from Oklahoma City and the franchise is in grave danger of relocating.
But Ray Allen is still the NBA’s premier jump shooter, Chris Wilcox is a power forward that the Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks, amongst many others would love to have and Rashard Lewis will either re-sign or be flipped for talent in a sign-and-trade.
Where do they need improvement?
While their wings are as good as anybody’s, Seattle is average at every other position, especially point guard and center. They have two very good back-up point guards in Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour and a slew of projects at center in Robert Swift, Mouhamed Sene and Johan Petro.
The great depth of 04-05 which saw Vladimir Radmanovic, Reggie Evans, Antonio Daniels and Jerome James play significant roles is now long gone.
Who they should target?
- Greg Oden, Ohio State:
Seattle has no pressure and little work to do as holders of the second overall pick. If they had the first choice, they would surely draft Oden who would become the third scoring option after Allen and Lewis and significantly improve their below average defense.
- Kevin Durant, Texas:
When the dust is clear a few hundred miles south in Portland, Seattle will likely be left with Durant. Durant’s game overlaps in some ways with Lewis, but there is no guarantee that the 6-10 veteran will be around when the 6-10 rookie arrives. These players could coexist and even thrive while playing in tandem at the forward position. Drafting Durant will mean more center time for Wilcox and make Seattle a high-powered offensive juggernaut.
Picks since 2000
The final years of the Rick Sund era were marked with drafting high risk, low reward centers. Swift missed the entire 2006-2007 season due to injury after showing glimpses of progress during his sophomore campaign.
2006
Mouhamed Sene, 10th
Denham Brown, 40th
Yotam Halperin, 53rd
2005
Johan Petro, 25th
Mickael Gelable, 48th
Lawrence Roberts, 55th
2004
Robert Swift, 12th
Andre Emmett, 35th
David Young, 41st
2003
Nick Collison, 12th
Luke Ridnour, 14th
Willie Green, 41st
2002
Peter Fehse, 49th
2001
Vladimir Radmanovic, 12th
Earl Watson, 40th
Bobby Simmons, 42nd
2000
Desmond Mason, 17th
Olumide Oyedeji, 42nd |
