Sonics GM Presti dealing from strength

1 comment

May 14, 7:57 PM

by Bob Sherwin, Seattle Sports Examiner

 

 

       I realize it's an exercise in futility but at this point it's still our team. And what a future it has. They are not going to be a winner any time soon, but they have some intriguing building blocks.

       For the next decade, this club will be built around NBA Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant. He'll have help from Jeff Green, who I don't think will ever be a dominant player, and support players such as Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison, Earl Watson and maybe a big guy or two.

       Not a whole lot there, but the Sonics have a pocketful to draft choices and, subsequently, the power to deal. The Sonics will have six choices in the June 26 draft, two first-rounders and four in the second. They are: the lottery pick, 24, 32, 43, 50 and 56.Portland has the next most with four (13, 33, 36 and 55) while five teams have three picks, Minnesota, Utah, San Antonio, New Jersey and Sacramento. So Seattle will be the dominant player on draft day.

       The draft lottery will be held Tuesday. The Sonics, with the second worst record in the NBA, could get a high pick. For argument's sake, say it's No. 2. Miami likely will take Kansas State power forward Michael Beasley as the first pick. The Sonics would then take Memphis point guard Derrick Rose, a big guard (6-foot-3, 190) in the Gary Payton mold.

       Then it would be time for general manager Sam Presti to dangle the No. 24 pick. The Sonics are one of three teams with two picks in the first round (along with Memphis and New Jersey). You package that with perhaps one or two of your second-round picks and/or a player and try to get a big man.

       Perhaps the Nets can be persuaded to give up their No. 10 pick in exchange for the Sonics' 24, 32 and 43? That would give the Nets 21, 24, 32 and 40.

       Maybe at No. 10 the Sonics would have a shot at UCLA PF Kevin Love or Texas A&M's 7-foot, 260-pound center DeAndre Jordan.

       Second-round picks are gambles. But a lousy team might want to take on two or three or four of them in exchange for giving up its higher first-round.

       Presti also can even use that second first-rounder for a spur of the moment trade. If they see a player they want a few spots ahead that will be gone by 24, he has pick-power to move up.

       On the other hand, other teams definitely will come after him. I don't think he should mess with No. 2, unless he can get a future first-round pick or two as well as the player he wants by trading down.

       The L.A. Lakers, Atlanta and Dallas don't have a first-rounder. In fact, the Mavericks and Lakers have only one pick each, No. 51 and 58, respectively. Nothing will be left by then. They may be desperate.

       If I was Presti, I'd trade No. 24 for a 2009 first-rounder from a team that has a decent chance of not making the post-season next year. That would mean yet another lottery pick.

      Charlotte could be that kind of trade partner. The Bobcats have just one pick, No. 27. Presti could give up 24 and one or two second-rounders for the Bobcats' first-rounder in 2009.

       It's going to take three or four years to make the Sonics a post-season candidate. If Presti can go into the 2009 draft once again with a slew of high picks – one or two in the lottery – then he'll have something going on.

       By then, however, we may be watching them from about 1,000 miles away.

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