March 26, 2007 12:43 pm  |  23 Comments

The Sonics are going all out in the Durant/Oden sweepstakes

Is this a fine-able offense?

By Sam Rubenstein

Months ago, I floated the idea that when Ray Allen was slightly banged up the Sonics should have shut him down for the season. They lost many lottery balls in the process of bringing him back, but now Ray is done for the season. Too little, too late for the #1 overall chance at getting the first pick. Right now the Sonics are lumped in a group with Milwaukee, Portland, Charlotte, Philly, and Atlanta. This could lock up the third most lottery balls for Seattle, but the consensus is that after the top 2, there is a steep drop-off in value. Maybe Seattle will be that mystery team that swoops in with blind luck and steals Durant from Danny Ainge’s tampering fingers.

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This story is filed under: Blogs, NBA, The Peoples Champ

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  • Gnar Gnar Duckets! Posted: Mar.26 at 12:55 pm
    yeeee haw!

  • Homie Posted: Mar.26 at 1:03 pm
    Although I would love to see Oden or Durant in Seattle, but Bob Hill would probably screw it up anyway…

  • Keith Posted: Mar.26 at 1:04 pm
    SEATTLE – Sonics General Manager Rick Sund announced today that Seattle are a horrible team to watch. With or without Ray.

  • Tom Jackson Posted: Mar.26 at 1:12 pm
    ooo how about Kevin Durant playing in Oklahoma City in 2009… high drama

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Mar.26 at 1:17 pm
    Since North Carolina tanked yesterday, does that mean they have a shot at Oden or Durant now? I hope so!

  • That Guy Posted: Mar.26 at 1:37 pm
    sonics need durant, rashard is gone after the season anyway

  • SteveSmith8fan Posted: Mar.26 at 1:50 pm
    The NBA is Tanktastic!!!!! Come on serious guys if you are going to Tank the season can you at least not make it so obvious it is becoming down right embarassing now. The sudden season ending injuries to your “star” players without any valid explanation, coaches stammering on why they are playing little used young bench players, the Bobcats sitting 3/5 of their starting lineup this weekend. Out of that group the only teams that are playing hard are the Blazers and 76ers. The lack of effort and consistent quality play this season is killing the NBA.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Mar.26 at 1:55 pm
    What’s wrong with giving your young guys extended minutes once you’ve been eliminated from playoff contention? You call it tanking, I call it development.

  • YOUR BEARD LOOK STRONG aka PIMPN Posted: Mar.26 at 2:19 pm
    damn right russ. also, jesus has been hurt all year, bone spurs. i would love to see memphis draft oden. can you imagine pau gasol and greg oden? wow

  • Mike Posted: Mar.26 at 2:53 pm
    A rash of injuries to a key player that submarines a season is now considered “tanking”? I guess Orlando has been tanking every season since they signed Grant Hill.

  • Max Airington Posted: Mar.26 at 3:08 pm
    If Oden or Durant turn out to be gay will Seattle still want them?

  • Akuma Posted: Mar.26 at 3:22 pm
    I think Oden needs to go to Philly. They lost so much in Iverson and Webber, but Oden could speed up the rebuilding process. I like Atlanta the way it is for the most part, although they could still use a true point guard. If Charlotte gets the first pick they need to trade it and add a good veteran. Milwaukee and Portland just need to learn how to play winning basketball. It only comes with time.

  • SteveSmith8fan Posted: Mar.26 at 3:38 pm
    Giving guys like Roy, Alridge, Webster, Outlaw, and Jack playing time is development. These guys actually have a future in the league. What teams like the Celtics are doing is tanking disguised as development.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Mar.26 at 3:42 pm
    If Charlotte gets the first pick they can DEFINITELY get a veteran—Greg Oden.

  • Boyd Posted: Mar.26 at 4:49 pm
    Is Ray Allen the new Mitch Richmond?

  • AP Posted: Mar.26 at 5:53 pm
    Charlotte sat out almost all of their roster against the Nets b/c everyone is hurt…and the Nets had to force ot to beat them…says a lot about the Nets….
    I hope Charlotte gets a high draft pick…this coming off season better be big for them…

  • Brian K Posted: Mar.26 at 8:34 pm
    Maybe Shuttlesworth was just looking forward to taking his daughter to those WNBA games, like the commercial suggests…

  • The Truth Posted: Mar.26 at 9:28 pm
    Love to see the bobcats next season starting Felton, Wallace, Rashard Lewis, Okafor, Oden - with a bench of Knight, Carrol, Stache Boy, May, Brezec. Surely they would be one of the top teams in the east with Defense, Inside scoring, outside scoring, only youth would be a factor but damm exciting to watch!

  • The Real Mongoose Posted: Mar.26 at 10:39 pm
    BETcats still need a coach though

  • Western_dream Posted: Mar.27 at 3:53 am
    Is Joakim Noah ever gonna declare? this years draft will be so unfair otherwise. Top 2 will be like Shaq and KG followed by Kris Humphries. Gotta love those 20-62 records for some reason.

  • dpak Posted: Mar.27 at 4:03 pm
    don’t tell me you all forgot about cleveland tanking for lebron.

  • Sam Rubenstein Posted: Mar.27 at 4:11 pm
    Ray Allen has been on some better teams than Richmond was in his prime. But the comparison is not bad.
    Cleveland did an amazing job tanking to get the local hero. Having a blind owner was a little over the top but it worked.

  • YOUR BEARD LOOK STRONG aka PIMPN Posted: Mar.27 at 11:19 pm
    hey, wheres the new story about shaq being the big ______ its some old composer or dancer or some shit. i read it recently. help

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