Kevin Durant: ‘I love this team, man’
Some Knicks fans already see him as Plan B if LeBron James stays in Cleveland. And those who seek revenge against Oklahoma City for “stealing” the Sonics from Seattle can think of no better payback than to watch Kevin Durant walk as a free agent after the 2010-11 season.
I suppose it could happen, but I doubt it, especially after reading a recent interview Durant gave SLAM magazine’s Nima Zarrabi. Does this sound like a guy ready to bolt OKC?
SLAM: Oklahoma City will have to be speaking with you and your representatives about an extension very soon. Do you believe in GM Sam Presti’s vision for this team and is this the team you want to be on in the future?
KD: I love this team, man. This is where I want to be. Sam is incredible. He’s like another father to me, outside of my real father. Anything I need. He’s always asking if I need anything or how my family is doing. I just like good people like that. He’s not just a GM. He’s more of an everyday guy that is always around. He asks my input on everything, whether it’s about the newest music out or what type of shoes I like. Small stuff like that. I love him, I love the organization and hopefully I can stay as long as possible.
SLAM: Of the NBA people I have spoken to, Sam truly stands out. In my dealings with him, he has shown me a great deal of respect and professionalism. A great guy.
KD: I’m blown away too. He’s so young! But he’s so mature, so you wouldn’t think that. We have guys on our team that are older than he is. He’s a great person to be around and I’m glad I’m playing for his team.
So, it’s probably time to stop wondering and speculating on what Presti is going to do with that $14 million or so the Thunder has under the salary cap.
Among the other nuggets from the Q&A: Durant hasn’t sold his home on Mercer Island, Wash., but not for lack of trying. “It’s tough man. The market is tough for everybody right now.” Durant also has lots to say about his new teammates, his alma mater and settling down in Oklahoma.
The A.J. Hinch I knew: Arizona Diamondbacks new manager was destined for success
Midwest City native A.J. Hinch is expected to be named manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks today at 5 p.m. Oklahoma time, and I’d like to be able to say I saw it coming.
Not that Hinch would be asked to save a sinking National League franchise.
Or that he would become a major league manager at age 34.
What I knew the first time I spoke to the lad — way back in 1990 when I was a prep writer at The Oklahoman and he was a sophomore dropping sacrifice bunts to help Midwest City team a 5A baseball tournament game — was that Andrew Jay Hinch was something special.
It wasn’t exactly an exclusive. Everyone who talked spent more than a minute with Hinch knew the same thing.
Bright, talented, engaging and mature. The kind of skill set that would lead some to say he could run for office someday, but that would be underachieving.
When I left The Oklahoman in 1993, someone was silly enough to let me write a farewell column and in the midst of saying what I’d remember most about covering high school sports in Oklahoma I wrote “Ex-Midwest City catcher A.J. Hinch, a Stanford star who will make it big in baseball and life.”
Every high school baseball coach in the state loved the way he handled himself behind the plate. Their wives tried to play matchmaker and set A.J. up with their daughter. He spent the summer before his senior year on a whirlwind baseball tour that included personal catching lessons from Gold Glover Bob Boone and playing on a national team. Yet he was the first player in line the morning Midwest City football coaches handed out equipment for two-a-days.
His goals and cap size unchanged.
“I’ve always wanted to be a Midwest City Bomber quarterback,” Hinch said told me that day. “I waited my turn. Now here’s my chance, and I’m ready to jump at it. I’ve received a lot of ‘free advice from people telling me not to play football because I might get hurt and mess up my baseball future. I’ve been playing football since the fifth grade and I’ve never tore up a knee or broken a leg, so why should I stop now? ”
Hinch was a nice quarterback. Mike and Cale Gundy he was not, though in becoming a big-league manager he surpasses OSU football coach Mike Gundy in the sports leadership stratosphere as the most accomplished former Bomber.
It was clear from the start that baseball wanted to ride baseball as far as it would take him. As John Rohde wrote in a terrific 1996 column about Hinch and his late father Dennis: “For his 16th birthday, the son had to choose between a car and a batting cage. He chose the cage.”
A wise choice, which is what everyone has come to expect from A.J. Hinch.
Now its the Diamondbacks who have chosen wisely.
Malik Rose to the Thunder
With ESPN reporting that the Thunder has traded Chris Wilcox to the Knicks for Malik Rose, Oklahoma City’s connection to San Antonio strengthens. In Rose, Thunder GM Sam Presti acquires a reserve who played on the Spurs’ NBA championship teams in 1999 and 2003, a player who gained popularity for his hustle and defense.
At 6-foot-7, he’s an undersized power forward who has survived 14 NBA seasons. He’s a Philly guy, starring at Drexel and playing high school ball at Overbrook. Yes, basketball historians, that Overbrook, whose most famous alumnus was Wilt Chamberlain.
I smell a column on Rose by Berry “You-Never-Write-Too-Much-About-Wilt-Chamberlain” Tramel.
More to come.
Hey Thunder fans, how does Malik Rose grab you?
ESPN’s Marc Stein is reporting that the Thunder and Knicks are discussing a deal that would send reserve forward Malik Rose to Oklahoma City for Chris Wilcox. Here’s what I know about Rose:
– His $7.6 million deal expires this season.
– He turns 35 in November.
– Unlike Wilcox, who I personally love because I’m from Maryland and he played on the Terps’ only NCAA title team (still doesn’t seem possible that could be true, but sadly it is), Rose will play defense.
– He’s a self-made player out of Drexel who would give the Thunder the toughness and rebounding they’ve needed off the bench. (Think Aaron Williams, the 2006 Hornets’ version, who got a standing ovation in the Ford Center when he checked into a game the first time after being acquired from the Nets).
Stein reported this in an update that led with the Knicks getting a lot of new players. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Larry Hughes is headed to New York from Chicago in exchange for Jerome James and someone named Anthony Roberson. Knicks fans who have been having Jerome James nightmares for years should sleep well tonight. We’ll be working to confirm and follow up.
The Tyson Chandler deal: Better to rescind than regret
Tyson Chandler’s ended the last two seasons — the most productive seasons of his eight-year NBA career — with a bad big toe.
Bad enough that he missed the last seven games of the Hornets’ final season in Oklahoma City and required off-season surgery.
Bad enough that he missed the last eight minutes of Game 5 of the 2008 Western Conference semfinals against San Antonio. Not bad enough that it cost the Hornets’ that series — Chandler played the final two games and played well.
But Chandler withdrew from Team USA last summer due to the injury. And on Wednesday, the Thunder thought the damage to his left toe was bad enough to void a trade that hours before was being hailed as the latest Sam Presti coup.
According to ESPN, the Oklahoma City doctor who did the 2007 surgery thought it was too great of a risk. After examining Chandler on Wednesday, Dr. Carlan Yates, the Thunder’s team physician, advised the team to rescind the trade because he believed the risk of re-injury was too great.
“He said he doesn’t know how long I’ll last,” Chandler told ESPN. “He told me, ‘I have no doubt you can play on it. I’m just saying it could take a turn for the worse if you come down on somebody’s foot or hyperextend it or something.”
And with that, the biggest sizzle leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline fizzled.
Chandler led the NBA in offensive rebounds the past two seasons. He’s universally praised for his boundless energy, ability to defend any situation and his locker room presence. On Tuesday, David West, seething over the trade, said it was Chandler who was most responsible for the Hornets’ playoff victory over the Mavericks and their seven-game series with the Spurs. There just aren’t too many guys capable of defending Tim Duncan alone.
The streets of Oklahoma City weren’t the only place people were high-fiving to celebrate the trade. In the bowels of the Ford Center, the staff who provide security and support were, to a man and woman, thrilled at the prospect of Chandler’s return. “Best news I’ve heard all season” and “TC is top-notch” was the reaction I kept hearing.
But Chandler hasn’t been right. He missed 12 straight games before the All-Star break with an ankle injury. And even before that, his production was significantly down (35 to 31 in minutes, 11.8. to 11.3 in rebounding). Maybe now we know why.
Anyone who has stubbed a big toe on the bed post can attest to how painful such an injury might be. But you can usually hop it off, throw on a shoe and go on safe in the knowledge that you won’t be jumping center against Yao Ming.
But the toe injury Chandler suffered, called “turf toe” probably because it’s more common in football, has ended some pretty impressive athletic careers (Jack Lambert, Deion Sanders) and might jeopardize some others (LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren McFadden).
Oklahoma City hasn’t been an NBA city long, but when it comes to rescinded trades we’re getting to be old pros. Those who followed the Hornets very closely may remember George Shinn’s decision to put the kibosh on a deal for 7-footer Steven Hunter after team physicians were concerned about Hunter’s knee in 2006. That guy was a reserve center in the first year of a four-year, $16.5 million deal.
The stakes were considerably higher for Presti, who is trying to build a franchise that will last in a small market, in the midst of a worldwide economic crisis. The same folks who raised toasts to Presti on Tuesday would have been roasting him a year from now if he was paying $24.6 million over two seasons for an average NBA center — which is what Chandler has been this season.
There’s sure to be some yammering Thursday about how awkward and embarrassing this is for everyone involved, and I’m sure it is. Unless Presti pulls off something by the NBA trade deadline of 2 p.m. CST Thursday, Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox could be back in a Thunder uniform as early as Friday night in Phoenix.
If they are they’ll get over it, though Oklahoma City won’t offer them the consolation Houston had for Robert Horry back in 1994. Those Rockets rescinded a deal that sent Horry to Detroit for Sean Elliott after Elliott flunked a physical. Then, Horry and the Rockets went out and won an NBA title. Among Horry’s teammates on that squad, Thunder coach Scott Brooks, who like OKC is gaining experience with rescinded trades.
Capel on being No. 2, in the country and on the OU campus
Oklahoma basketball coach Jeff Capel was a guest Thursday on ESPN’s PTI, probably my favorite TV show. Capel was asked whether there is an East Coast bias, if Blake Griffin is the player of the year, how it feels to be in the shadow of OU football and how it feels to hit a big shot in a big college basketball game.
I thought the interview was interesting and asked Oklahoman staffer Josh Jefferson to listen to it on ESPN’s Podcenter and transcribe it. Maybe one reason I liked the interview so much was because it was clear to me that host Tony Kornheiser, guest host Dan LeBatard and one of their producers had read Berry Tramel and John Helsley’s excellent package on Capel that appear in The Oklahoman’s SportsMonday editions and on NewsOK.
That package included a column on why Capel could stay at OU, a story on how the rant was calculated, a story on the admiration of Sooner fans, and the calm of Capel.
Now, here’s a transcript of Capel’s appearance on ESPN’s PTI:
Tony Kornheiser: Well everyone is talking about UConn and North Carolina, and by everyone I mean me and LeBatard. Oklahoma is a very quiet 24-1. I welcome in the coach of the Sooners and a Dukie, you can’t escape him, baby, Jeff Capel. Jeff, we have read that you have used the lack of respect rant. But you went to Duke, your brother Jason went to North Carolina, so you must understand why those schools get more attention than your school now, right?
Jeff Capel: Oh absolutely, definitely, I mean you’re talking about the, you know probably the two premier basketball programs in the country so I certainly understand that part of it. You know, it’s interesting. I grew up on the East Coast, grew up in North Carolina, and being out here for three years I definitely understand now why some of the people out here feel that there’s a certain East Coast bias, especially with basketball. I think it’s more so, even here… when it comes to football, but especially when it comes to basketball. Probably is a little bit more biased from the East Coast.
LeBatard: Is there any part of you that prefers being second even on your own campus, that you like that you can be in the shadows and insanity of your football team?
Capel: I love it. I absolutely love it. Number one, I’m a huge football fan, and to be at the premier football program in the country. And then to have a chance to have a relationship like I have with Bob Stoops. I mean football’s the front door of everything we do and because of that and because of how great our football program is it gives all of us incredible resources and I certainly love that.
Kornheiser: Premier football program? People in Florida and USC are going to have something to say about that. Blake Griffin is getting some attention as the player of the year, but not like Hansbrough not like Stephen Curry. Do you think that your kid is clearly the best player in the country?
Capel: Well I’m biased. I definitely think so, Tony. If you look at the impact that he’s had on our program, our team, everything we do revolves around him. If you look at the numbers he’s putting up, and he’s doing that, Tony, against double and triple teams every night. If you look at the blocked shots, obviously the rebounds, if you look at the assists, if you look at the free throw attempts, I mean everything, and the fact the we’re 24-1 and that we’re No. 2 in country. But there’s still a lot of season left and there’s some awfully good players, I mean you mentioned those two, I would I would definitely have to put DeJuan Blair (of Pittsburgh) into the mix, you certainly have to put (Hasheem) Thabeet from UConn, his offensive numbers maybe aren’t as impressive but defensively there’s nobody like him in our game. I think you have to put Jody Meeks (of Kentucky) a little bit into that mix. I think there’s some guys that are definitely deserving, but I think our kid, I think Blake has separated himself a little bit from the rest of the guys.
Kornheiser: Anybody in the world you’d trade Blake Griffin for?
Capel: LeBron, maybe (laughing). No one in college, absolutely not.
LeBatard: Gary Williams and Bruce Pearl sweat through their suits. You seem like a very calm coach, are you faking it? Are you secretly anxiety soaked?
Capel: Well I’m secretly nervous. I’m paranoid before the games, hoping that we’ve prepared our team enough and that we’re ready. During the games, you know it’s it’s funny because during the game I feel a sense of calm, and certainly I’ve had more reason to be that way this year, because of our record and because of the guys that we have. I am nervous, but I don’t want my guys to see me nervous. I don’t want to see me… I don’t want them to see me panicking, because to me if they see that that gives them a reason or maybe an excuse to feel the same way, so I want them to look at me and see a lot of confidence and to see someone that’s calm and sort of looks like you have everything under control.
Kornheiser: We’ll get you out of here on this: Fourteen years ago you hit a shot against North Carolina to send the game into double overtime and you said that as much as you love coaching and again, coaching is in your blood, you’re the son of a coach, as much as you love coaching, that moment is why there’s nothing like being a player. Could you explain what you mean by that?
Capel: Well there’s nothing like it, being able to make a crowd go crazy because of something you do, whether it’s a shot, whether it’s a pass, whether it’s a dunk, whether it’s a block… I mean there’s nothing like that feeling, being a part, you know, being in that locker room after a win, after a practice, you know just kind of jiving around with your teammates. There’s nothing like it as a coach. You still feel a part of a team but it’s different from being in that locker room. As a coach one of the things I do now is, is love to see our guys make those plays, but there’s nothing like the feeling of being able to, whether it’s for a minute, an hour, two hours, to make people forget about what’s going on in their lives and to lose themself into that moment, and I’m sure everyone that’s played the game and they’ve retired or they’ve moved on to something else, they’ll tell you the same thing: That there’s nothing like playing in the camaraderie and everything that goes along with it.
Kornheiser: LeBatard of course will never have that feeling. Thank you for joining us, Jeff and good luck the rest of the way.
Capel: Appreciate it guys, thanks.
Thunder wonderings: Preseason game 1 and road unis that make a statement
By Mike Sherman
Sports Editor
Remember all the folks who told us Oklahoma City was delusional to think it was getting an NBA team? Remember those who laughed when we thought the Hornets might stay? Remember when we were told that Mr. Microsoft, Mr. Coffee and Slade Gorton and all those superior intellects, millionaires and “revealing emails” were going to force Clay Bennett’s group to sell the team?
None of that, none of those people, mattered on Wednesday night when Oklahoma City’s — that’s right, OKLAHOMA CITY’S — NBA team made its debut in Billings, Mont.
The Oklahoma City Thunder might not be scheduling any ring ceremonies or NBA championship parades in this decade. But this preseason game was no small thing. It marked the first time a major league team that belongs to and in this city — and this city alone — ever took the court.
Here’s what one life-long basketball lover — someone who has been following the NBA since he was a wee lad watching the Wes Unseld battle Willis Reed in the Baltimore Civic Center — thought about what I saw from the preseason game KSBI broadcast from Billings, Mont.
– Loved the road unis. LOVE THEM. The look like the New York Knicks’ roadies and that’s a good thing. The “Oklahoma City” on the front might be crowded, but hey, you’ve got to fly the flag. I heard some folks say the “OKC” would have looked better. I might have even been one of them. If I was, I was wrong.
Spelling it out is a political statement. This team is representing the city and the taxpayers who made its presence here possible. And the ownership group is broadcasting that to the world and every NBA city the Thunder visits by wearing “Oklahoma City” across the franchise’s chest. It’s a sign of appreciation, respect and gratitude. Good call, Clay.
– These guys won’t be the Phoenix Suns, but I’ve got a hunch that they’re more suited to a fast-paced, open-court style of play. 1) Westbrook looks born to play that way and playing fast could smooth out some of his rookie mistakes (6 turnovers). 2) The guy is a defensive force and can cut off passing lanes, which leads to steals, which lead lead to layups; 2) The Thunder has lots of young legs, and you need to play to your advantages; 3) There was a concern about Westbrook’s natural playmaking skills at point guard and those skills are less important in the open court; 4) The Thunder can develop low-post scoring, but currently lacks a consistent threat there, making half-court sets something of a struggle.
Of course, the goal of every team is to shoot layups. But the Thunder’s current best bet to get them is to force tempo and turnovers.
– I’m going to be accused of harping on the Russell Westbrook should start point, but this isn’t major league baseball where you worry about a rookie prospect’s confidence if you promote him too quickly through the system. This is the NBA and high draft picks play a lot and play soon in this league. If this team was trying to win an NBA title, starting the veteran makes sense, but it’s not.
Some of my colleagues at The Oklahoman say we should leave it up to the Thunder coaches and GM Sam Presti to decide who starts. Clay Bennett agrees with them because he hired those guys and not me, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t offer opinions and observations.
My eyes tell me that Westbrook has what it takes to be good in this league. How good? Why wait to find out? Start now.
– The Thunder roster is better than the one the Hornets brought to town in 2005. I’ll make my point in a more in-depth way in an upcoming blog, but our beat writer Darnell Mayberry advanced my cause tonight during our live chat during the game when, after Damien Wilkins hit a 3-pointer in the second half, I asked him who was better: Wilkins or Rasual Butler. Darnell said Wilkins because he’s more versatile. They’re in very similar roles with the opportunity to play similar minutes. It goes deeper than that, of course, and I’ll break it down in a future blog.
– Our NBA/Thunder writer Mike Baldwin is right: No need to overanalyze the preseason opener, but I left impressed by Nick Collison. He does a lot of things well. Unfortunately, if one of the three 7-footers doesn’t get healthy and start contributing, Nick is going to guard a lot of centers and that’s got a chance to wear him down. But he had a lot of nice passes and heady plays Wednesday night. Of course, Kansas fans knew all that, but his game has translated well — not tremendously, but well — to the NBA. I keep hearing folks in Oklahoma complain that Collinson has said he’d rather have stayed in Seattle and has made those feeling known. Give him a break. If you were from Iowa, went to college in Lawrence, Kan. and got a chance to live next to the Pacific Ocean for three or four years, you wouldn’t be too hepped up to head back to the Plains yourself.
– My interest in the NBA is, of course, greater than my expertise in it. But watching these games is a great way for all of us to learn. And no matter how complicated some try to make it, if we watch the game, and keep our mind and ears open, we all can learn a lot quickly. This is not the NFL or even college football, where you’ve got to watch game film with Bob Stoops or Mike Leach or Ron Jaworski to have any idea about what an offense or defense is really trying to do. The beat writers and broadcasters who are around the team every day are good guides, but so are your eyes.
My eyes tell me Russell Westbrook is going to be a ballplayer.
== MS
Bart in Beijing, or Bart Conner for governor
By Mike Sherman
Sports Editor
We’re all going to be seeing a lot more of Bart Conner in the coming weeks, and that’s a good thing.
We’re among the media outlets who are tapping into Bart’s gymnastics expertise, charm and magnetic personality during the Beijing Olympics. He stopped by the office the other day to film a video with Jenni Carlson, and discuss the video blogs he’ll be posting on NewsOK throughout the Games.
Later that night, I was watching the Channel 4 10 p.m. newscast and saw Bart flipping through the KFOR newsroom. It was part of a KFOR Olympics coverage promo — a straight knockoff of ESPN’s killer SportsCenter campaign, but everybody is doing ESPN knockoffs these days.
And everyone either is or wants to be associated with Bart Conner.
A couple months ago I spoke at a sports business conference at Oklahoma City University, and had the unfortunate task of following Bart. I love talking about the news and information business, but I’m not sure the “business” side of it makes very good listening. Bart’s speech was like a lunch conversation with an old friend. He entertained everyone with stories about his thriving gymnastics academy in Norman, his work as a gymnastics commentator and his life as the husband of the world’s most famous former Olympian not named Muhammad Ali.
The next time you’re around Bart, ask him to tell the story about the time he and his wife were making one of their many globe trotting appearances and he saw Bono walking toward him with a pen and a piece of paper. So there’s Bart, thinking “the lead singer of U2 wants my autograph” until Bono speaks: “Hey, could you get Nadia to sign this?”
Nadia Comaneci, of course, is Bart’s wife. Winner of five Olympic gold medals. The first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympics event. That Nadia.
And because of Bart, she lives in Norman, Oklahoma.
Bart is one of our state’s great human assets. It’s going to be interesting living the Beijing Olympics vicariously through him. And here’s what would be more interesting: Bart Connor for governor in 2010, how about sooner if Brad Henry goes to Washington as Barack Obama’s secretary of agriculture.
Coming soon, the 64-name bracket
By Mike Sherman
Sports Editor
Confession time. Sometimes I go a little overboard on the bracket thing.
When OU went looking for Kelvin Sampson’s replacement in 2006 I hatched the idea for Berry Tramel to do a 64-coach bracket, seeding a field of possible replacements. Then we let the Joe Castiglione Invitational play out in The Oklahoman in NewsOK for three days before we declared a winner. The regionals were named after Sooner basketball greats. We had some upsets. It was all great fun, and the feedback we got from readers and the buzz on the airways was positive, except for the part of us leaving the guy OU eventually hired as its men’s basketball coach — Jeff Capel — COMPLETELY OFF THE BRACKET.
We did the bracket thing again a couple weeks ago when OSU was searching for its next basketball coach. Once again, Berry did the seeding and declared the winners for the three-day Mike Holder Invitational. We didn’t pick the right winner — we had Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery — but at least we got the eventual hire — former UMass coach Travis Ford — on the bracket as a No. 10 seed. Ford lost to second-seeded Mike Brey of Notre Dame in the second round.
Well, we’re going to trot another bracket out there for readers this Monday. Not quite sure what we’re going to call it, but the Clay Bennett Invitational is certainly under consideration. We’re going to seed the field of 64 potential names for an Oklahoma City NBA franchise, only this time we’re going to let readers vote for their favorites on NewsOK.
We’re doing this with the knowledge that:
a) The current franchise that has been approved for a move to Oklahoma City has more pressing business these days than thinking up possible names.
b) The mere fact that we’re conducting such an exercise might put me in breach of a good-faith promise I made with Brackets Anonymous to dial it back a few notches on the bracket thing.
c) We run the risk of being sued by Howard Schultz, Greg Nickles, Slade Gorton, Save Our Sonics, Pike Place Fish Market Inc. and the Muckleshoots.
d) Howard wins his lawsuit against Clay Bennett and Co. and what we’re really doing is coming up with a name for a team that opens the 2008-09 Continental Basketball Association season at Millwood High.
We’re going to go ahead with it anyway, hoping that one way or another we get the eventual name — whichever league or team it’s used for — on the bracket. We’re thinking about releasing the No. 1 seeds Friday.
There is one name we’re intentionally leaving off the bracket — Sonics. Consider it our olive branch.
Speaking of olive branches, I was going to throw one out to the Emerald City by mentioning that my insurance carrier just happens to an 85-year-old Seattle institution known as Safeco. Then I saw where Liberty Mutual is buying Safeco and could be moving jobs to Boston.
Let me know when the Save Our Safeco movement begins and I’m in.
Howard checks in
By Mike Sherman
Sports Editor
Well, at least some folks in Seattle are talking settlement.
Last week Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz walked to the scorer’s table. Late Tuesday, Schultz checked into the game, filing the lawsuit his lawyer threatened last week. Schultz seeks to void sale and have the Sonics returned to him.
In this blog, Seattle Times’ Percy Allen promises more juicy emails that will put Clay Bennett in hot water again. And maybe they’ve got them. But it’s hard to see where the email claim made in the lawsuit — that Bennett told fellow owners that they could “flip” the Sonics if they got an arena built and still get a team for Oklahoma City — breaches the good-faith promise.
If the Oklahoma City-based owners had secured a new arena, thus securing the future of an NBA franchise in Seattle for another 30 years or so, then turned around and sold them, here’s what would have happened: People in the Northwest would be hailing Bennett, not cursing his name.
Seattle would have a new arena, it’s beloved Sonics and probably a local owner. And Clay Bennett could have gone to the NBA with this case: As part of the Spurs ownership group in 1992, he helped stabilize the franchise and secure its future in San Antonio. As part of a local investors group, he helped bring the Hornets to Oklahoma City, stabilizing a franchise that was floundering before Hurricane Katrina. And as the chairman of the Sonics ownership group, he would have saved basketball in Seattle.
With those three accomplishments in hand, Bennett could have gone to the NBA and asked, “Now what can you do for my hometown?” Still, two out of three ain’t bad.
There’s quite a few people, including our man Berry Tramel, who think Howard is just trying to save face. Can’t see why that would be any motivation, other than the fact that a Seattle Times poll last week named Schultz as the person most to blame if the Sonics leave Seattle.
It’s going to be interesting to hear legal experts — especially those beyond Washington and Oklahoma — weigh in on the merits of this case. Of course, ESPN has its own, and it doesn’t sound like Lester Munson is buying the face-saving scenario.
