Sonics NEXT season
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Sent this to Jill Bames:
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A question I've never gotten my ethical bearings on -- the potential move now of the Sacramento Kings to Seattle. As you see it, should a Seattle basketball fan feel sheepish about the situation in general?
The new franchise will, or won't, be (or feel like) the Sonics on a civically psychic level?
Certainly you have a strong perspective on the general issue of sports teams relocating, the ethic that applies, and the tendency for it to turn out to be emotionally satisfying, or to manifest good karma so to speak, or not ...
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I'm looking for something a little more satisfying than "hey, they did it to us, so why should we feel bad about doing it to them?" If I accidentally cut a guy off in traffic, and that guy jumps out of car and starts hollering at me at a stoplight, and I lower myself to his level (meaning the level he was at during that incident, not during his life generally!), then I'm not going to feel good about my decision that night.
We certainly know how we felt about that Oklahoma City businessman hijacking the Sonics -- especially right before the big emergence.
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On the other hand, if the city of Sacramento is in a position --- > like they're customers who simply choose not to purchase enough pickle sandwiches to justify having Chik-Fil-A set up a chain in the area, then that's another thing. Is Sacramento getting its team yanked for refusing to kowtow low enough to the NBA? I dunno.
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Would muchly appreciate anybody being able to give us a rundown of the state of their franchise. I can see they have a huge young center, DeMarcus Cousins, who gets 17-18 points and 10-11 boards. He looks like he's a 12-week diet away from a bodybuilding competition.
Tyreke Evans scored 20 per ballgame as a 20-year-old and now gets 15; perhaps there's a pattern emerging here as to the classic NBA dry rot with young players needing a compass heading. Are Cousins and Evans potentially players the Sonics* could win their next conference with?
Only one other guy that Dr. D has a nodding acquaintance with. I think their kid Isaiah Thomas once said that if Larry Bird were black, he'd be just another good guy. And with that I'm a leeeetle bit more in need of help myself, than able to offer any.
What, exactly, would it take for the Kings to become a powerhouse franchise?
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No doubt, the NBA arranged for the Sonics to keep their nickname, and to stay at the front of the line, if they didn't squawk about the Thunder. Is Stern going to make sure their draft envelope has a bend in the card, do you think? We mean the question seriously.
Trades these days seem to be prearranged out of the commish's office. They've set up about 8 teams with twin marquee players, or that's my impression, and it would be nice if we're on the agenda to get a Chris Paul type parachuting in. We wonder whether the NBA is incentivized to feature the Sonics, to say hey look, if you lie back and enjoy it you'll be glad you did.
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They're bringing Big Bad Kevin back, right? And Frank Hughes was always one of my very favorite sportswiters, a model of what a young, SportsCenter-type beat writer should be. Totally plugged in, very good judgment, can hang around the ballplayers and not fret about the fact that --- > to the players, he's a geek. Because he is secure in what he does. Reminds me of Geoff Baker to tell ya the truth...
A delightful bit of serendipity that he works his ESPN gig out of Sacramento these days, or do we have that right? He used to. Wonder if Seattle has any shot at getting him here to cover the Sonics. Frank Hughes rox.
Every pro sports franchise should come with its own Geoff Baker, John Clayton or Frank Hughes. I think there's a Frank Hughes inside Jason Churchill somewhere - that's the kind of place we always thought he was headed, at some point. :- ) The two even look alike.
Alternatively, Chris Hansen could give Silentpadna a call. There's plenty of time for Russ to come up to speed.
Nothing like Live At the Hardwood,
Dr D