Seattle Sonics Season Preview
Kevin Durant, Unleashed
By Emry DowningHall
For the rest of us, green light means go. For Kevin Durant, it means, fire!
When Seattle selected Durant with the #2 pick in this June’s draft, it was arguably the biggest no-brainer selection in NBA history. The Portland Trailblazers had won the rights to the #1 pick and with that they were essentially drafting for themselves and Seattle.
Portland went with Oden, Seattle took Durant. What happened next is well documented; let’s hope Oden’s recovery is more Amare then Penny.
But while we cross our fingers for Oden, and while doing so hand Durant the ROY trophy, it’s time to take a look at the 2007-2008 Seattle Supersonics.
This here is a youth movement. Beyond resident senior Kurt Thomas (12th season) and season-ending ankle injury waiting to happen, Wally Szczerbiak (8th season), the oldest guy on this squad is Earl Watson.
If you’re a fan of the green and yellow you have to be pleased with the start of first year GM Sam Presti. He drafted Kevin Durant and cooked up a pretty nice package for Ray Allen, which included Jeff Green, Delonte West, and Wally’s World. He then managed to finagle a trade exception from the Orlando Magic out of the Rashard Lewis exodus. Finally, he topped it all off by grabbing two first round draft picks along with Kurt Thomas, a veteran defender, in the annual Phoenix Suns payroll slashing fire-sale.
Beyond the new faces suiting up for the opening tip, Seattle also has a fresh, yet very familiar, face behind the bench. P.J. Carlesimo has emerged from his stint under Gregg Popovich’s wing with a rehabbed reputation, two championship rings, and the stigma that he can’t get along with NBA players, seemingly behind him. P.J. is a defensive-minded guy, and it will be interesting to see how he sells this mindset to his largely inexperienced roster.
Last season, the Sonics finished dead last in the Northwest Division. They racked up 51 losses (and only 31 wins). They were decent at home but abysmal on the road tallying only 11 wins.
When Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis were healthy, they were tough on the wing, but beyond Chris Wilcox, the Sonics were average at every other position. Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson are serviceable, but both are better off as backups then starting point guards.
With both Allen and Lewis out of town the scoring load will be heaved onto the shoulders of Durant and trickled down to Wilcox. If they can finally get some healthy minutes from Robert Swift, we could finally get a sense of what he can contribute to the team. On a side note, have you seen him lately? Whoa.
My prediction for the 2007-2008 Sonics? Pains, growing pains. While I am positive Durant will put up serious numbers for a rook, he will struggle initially with the physical nature of the league. I don’t put much stock in his inability to bench 185 pounds, but he will need to fill out to hold up to the 82-game schedule. I see him putting up 18 points, 5 boards, and 3 assists per night. The fantasy GM in me also loves the fact that he will also average nearly a steal and a block, as well.
I think the NBA future is bright for a do-it-all-type like Jeff Green, but I would have went elsewhere with the #5 selection if I were making the call. I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Ridnour or Watson moved before the trade deadline, moving West to point and Green sliding into the starting five.
One thing that jumps out about the 2007-2008 Sonics: I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to watch a team that will likely finish in the basement of the Northwest division. The only thing that will keep them from finishing dead last is the fact that Kevin Garnett is no longer playing for the Wolves. I predict a very entertaining 28-win season.
Projected starting lineup:
Point Guard – Earl Watson
Shooting Guard – Delonte West
Small Forward – Kevin Durant
Power Forward – Nick Colison
Center – Chris Wilcox
6th man – Robert Swift
44 Responses to “Seattle Sonics Season Preview”
Oct.1 at 11:38 am
white hot eboy says:
Wow, that was extremely concise, to the point, and probably eerily accurate. Good job, Emry. At least KD will snatch the ROY trophy and they have a young nucleus to build on. Good start for the next few years.
Oct.1 at 12:01 pm
Mo Charlo says:
“very entertaining 28-win season”
Oct.1 at 12:16 pm
alex t says:
i say that the rookie sophmore game is gunna
be…sad for the sophmores…
Oct.1 at 12:21 pm
Cheryl says:
Man, I cannot wait to watch this kid against the big boys. Will it be “The Education of K.D.” or “K.D.’s Conquest”?
Oct.1 at 12:22 pm
hoodie says:
i agree the future is bright for seattle fans, this is a rare must see 20 win team…
Oct.1 at 12:24 pm
Lang Whitaker says:
Good stuff, Emry. Thanks.
Oct.1 at 12:41 pm
jbn74sb says:
Good stuff. But check the proper uses of then and than. And Ridnour will start.
Oct.1 at 12:48 pm
white hot eboy says:
Bodie, are you planning on writing your own Lakers review once the actual one is posted? Like a 3000 word comment? I would like to read that. I’m always looking for a way out of reviewing trial briefs.
Oct.1 at 12:56 pm
Emry says:
Mo - I stand by that entertaining 28 win statement. You know you will be tuning in to watch these guys hoop… and TNT will give you your chances. Lang - My pleasure! Bodie - I will do just that, please forgive me, it was a long off season. I think Ridnour will be showcased for a trade, so he may start, but Earl will finish.
Oct.1 at 1:00 pm
Captain America says:
Agree, mostly. Durant #s will suffer all season. He’ll get bounced on like a pin ball. No quick fix to enduring season. Look for his time to shine in 2009.
Oct.1 at 1:02 pm
Emry says:
White Hot Eboy: Good lookin’ out, I have been meaning to give you props for those Jordan 11’s in your blog profile pic… I never hooped in mine but, always nice to see those out and about.
Oct.1 at 1:08 pm
Rubens says:
it’ll be a loooooooooong season for the “kevin durant road show”!
Oct.1 at 1:09 pm
Hisham says:
i like it. i don’t like Earl Watson at the two.. him and delonte west together at the 1&2 may as well go collect acorns in the Washington Forests. Chip and Dale!
Oct.1 at 1:09 pm
white hot eboy says:
They were nice to ball in Emry, and then I felt shi*ty once I wore them down. Luckily, I’m a freak and have 3 pairs of white/concordes and 3 black & reds.
Oct.1 at 1:10 pm
Hisham says:
(thats what those two disney chipmnks are called right?)
Oct.1 at 1:13 pm
H to the izzo says:
This will be a beautiful mess,looking forward to getting to see a grand total of zero Sonics games but whatever,Ridnour will start.And basketball shoes are meant to be played basketball in
Oct.1 at 1:39 pm
Emry says:
Robert Swift was coming on strong at the end of the 2005-2006 season. Now that he added that mass, that hair, and those 15 tats, he’s ready to go…
Oct.1 at 1:49 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Apparently Robert Swift has cut his hair since that piece and no longer looks like this: http://www.theangryt.com/images/7-5/clip_image011.jpg
Oct.1 at 1:49 pm
Bryan says:
The picture doesn’t show up.Am I the only one who likes Luke Ridnour?
Oct.1 at 1:52 pm
jbn74sb says:
eboy - I’ll go with a definite maybe. I am still not convinced Kobe is going to show up today. Also, I rolled my ankle so bad last night that I nearly puked. One of the few things I hate about playing hoops is ankle injuries.
Oct.1 at 1:54 pm
white hot eboy says:
Bodie, did you land on someone’s foot?
Oct.1 at 2:04 pm
Bryan says:
I blew out each ankle in consecutive years.Destroying my athleticism in the process.
Oct.1 at 2:10 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
if pj is smart kevin the dude would start at 2 and jeff green would start at 3. kevin at the 2 would destroy everyone, nobody could guard him
Oct.1 at 2:17 pm
Tony G says:
they will just switch the best perimeter defender onto Durant, so that doesn’t matter.. the Sonics won’t win more than 20 games this year..their lineup is disgusting..Durant will probably get a lot of points with a bad shooting %, but the Sonics will suck either way..
Oct.1 at 2:22 pm
jbn74sb says:
eboy - Yeah. I did the same thing to the same ankle about 15 years ago(!) and had surgery on it. Every time I tweak it, the pain is incredible because of the scar tissue, but the ankle itself is fine structurally. I’ll be cool in a couple of days I think.
Oct.1 at 2:27 pm
Bryan says:
Dang man I feel your pain , I did my ankles in 9th grade and 10th grade and they still swell up and I can’t even think about playing with some heavy duty braces on.
Oct.1 at 2:27 pm
Bryan says:
without* dammit.
Oct.1 at 2:27 pm
Jas says:
Your starting lineup is off. Durant is going to play the 2, Green the 3, Wilcox the 4 and Swift the 5.
Oct.1 at 2:28 pm
RiseKing says:
Brian, I too like Ridnour’s potential with this team, and blogged about such things yesterday. Check it out…
Oct.1 at 2:31 pm
Dallas J says:
It’s not Robert Swift anymore.. it’s “The New” Rob Swiffle.
Oct.1 at 2:44 pm
Emry says:
Bodie, you ever try the Air Max 180’s? I have broken my left ankle and busted it up a number of other times and (knocking on wood) haven’t rolled it once since picking up those sneaks…
Oct.1 at 3:03 pm
jbn74sb says:
Emry - The way I tweaked it, no shoe could have helped. I don’t even think an ankle drace would have prevented it. Now, weighing 235 might have had something to do with this.
Oct.1 at 3:05 pm
RiseKing says:
I like the idea of KD at the 2…
Oct.1 at 6:19 pm
Emry says:
235 could be the issue, that sucks man. Never like to hear about an ankle injury — I like the idea of Durant at the two but his transition to the league at the 3 is going to be difficult enough. Changing his position like that would make it that much more challenging. Also, if he was playing the two he would still be guarding by a front court guy, and he would be covering a 3, so essentially nothing would be going on there. Also, as thin as he is, he is a hell of a rebounder, he needs to be around the hoop.
Oct.1 at 10:20 pm
john says:
kevin durant rookie mvp, no greg oden, but greg will come back strong and better like he said for next season. i can see him blocking shaq ball, yao ming ball, dwight howard ball. it’s going to be a hell of a season in 08-09. get ready.
Oct.2 at 4:01 am
black pinoy.. says:
the sonics has a better lineup last year…
Oct.2 at 9:07 am
INGE says:
What do u think about Gelabale?
Even if he is too skinny, he could develop into a decent player - he brings intensity and could be reliable from outside
Oct.2 at 9:40 am
The Best Yet says:
I agree. I saw Gelabale play for france last summer before starting with the Sonics and dude was on. I dont think that he’s too skinny, just that the confidence isn’t where it needs to be as yet. Look at Leandro Barbosa, they waited for him to calm down and gain confidence for three years. If management remains patient with him they can have a decent player there.
As for KD for ROY, yes it seems likely, but I think Jeff Green has more bball knowledge and you never know. he might just give KD a run for his money. BRYAN- i feel your pain playa. I got two bad ankles myself. had to switch career plans at 15 as a result of.
Ridnour is a good player, but he’s been lapsing. He’ll start and might get traded by the All Star break. Should be an exciting year for them. Too bad I live in Holland. All I get is football, soccer to y’all across the Atlantic. *sigh*
Oct.2 at 11:42 am
ab_40 says:
green isn’t boris diaw, and has hardly played in the post in college yeah on the high post in that passing game they have but hey if getting outrebounded every game is your gameplan do your thing
Oct.2 at 12:36 pm
ojie says:
hey em, good to see you’re back in session
Oct.2 at 5:37 pm
bambi3487 says:
eh, i say that wit ray allen & rashard lewis, kevin durant will fit rite in…though they probably won’t be great this year, they’ll be better than the 51 losses of last year
Oct.2 at 6:08 pm
BAMBAM says:
Aren’t we forgetting a certain Wally Sczbewhatever to be the 6th man of the Sonics
Oct.2 at 8:20 pm
Swizz Beatz says:
Jeff greens my boy!
Oct.3 at 5:41 pm
Myles Brown says:
Kevin Durant is starting at the two?! Interesting.