Dallas doesn’t have that guard and it is killing the Mavs in the Golden State series. Devin Harris is still slow in his development to that stage. It is what Houston is missing when the shot clock gets down, because Alston can only penetrate in the open floor. Orlando didn’t have a prayer with Nelson and Arroyo and the same has gone for Toronto. T.J. Ford needs to dominate the slower Kidd and he hasn’t done it.

What I learn from this is that there is no right answer. What is clear is that each coach comes with a culture in how the game is played and how the organization is going to run. That is what separates success and failure. And, of course, those guys named Duncan, Bryant, Magic and Jordan.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

The Pursuit of a Championship-Caliber Culture
Posted on April 24 | permalink

Today, he started the process of shaping the Seattle Sonics into his championship-caliber vision. Bennett announced the Sonics will not renew the contract of Head Coach Bob Hill and that General Manager Rick Sund will serve as a consultant during the remaining one year of his contract.

This is a franchise that is in desperate need of a new culture. Leadership has been non-existent since the sale announcement last summer. Being with this club every day for the most of the last year, it has felt rudderless. It is finally time to move forward.

This is not to blame Bob Hill or Rick Sund. Neither of them could assume that leadership role without an assurance of future employment.

Clay Bennett has a solid voice he trusts to oversee this area of his company in Vice Chairman Lenny Wilkens, a man who brings an unbelievable perspective. Wilkens knows this team. He knows this region. He knows the league and, most importantly, he knows winning.

What is a championship-caliber franchise? Throughout this season I have closely monitored how other franchises conduct themselves, trying to figure out what differentiates a winning cluture from a losing culture.

The top franchises have a culture that emanates from every pore. Everyone from the usher to the superstar knows what is expected and how actions will be rewarded or punished.

The culture has to be about championships. Surprisingly, many franchises are about other things. Some are about getting the most for the least. Some are about outsmarting people. Some are just dysfunctional.

Unfortunately in Seattle, the Sonics have been cultureless.

My observation is the culture has to come from the head coach. The owner gives the head coach the ability to install it, the leeway to act as he needs to implement it, and the freedom and support to succeed.

The general manager’s role is to facilitate the culture of the head coach. With a clear, defined culture a GM knows which players fit and which players don’t fit into what the coach needs and wants. At the same time the general manager has to have a relationship with the head coach where he can challenge his thoughts without challenging or disrupting the building of the culture. I believe those franchises where the GM is more dominant than the head coach have struggled.

There isn’t one culture that works; it is based on the needs of the franchise. Good examples can be found in Utah, San Antonio, Miami, Phoenix and Houston. Dallas under Avery Johnson moved out from under the shadow of owner Mark Cuban.

Today, Clay Bennett has begun the building of a culture, the core of every winning franchise. Therefore, today is a great beginning for the future of this franchise.

Hill and Sund
Posted on April 24 | permalink

relieved of their duties

Bob was a pleasure to work with every day of the season. I was most impressed by his family. This is a hard life to hold a family together, but the core of the Hill family was impenetrable.

Bob understood what was going on in Seattle. He clearly saw where the organization needed to make changes to start moving in another direction. However, he was never able to get that ball rolling.

There are a lot of areas both as a unit and as individuals where this team is better since he took over the head coaching job.

One thing jumps out to me: The players never quit. That is a fantastic statement for the future of the organization. These players respect the game and play it correctly. It also is a credit for Coach Hill that his players never turned on him his while his situation was obviously tenuous.

Rick was a great person to talk with about the game. He is the master of the wide-ranging conversation. I have learned a great deal about the game from days in his office. His ability to communicate with the players and the agents is really fantastic. It is also the most underrated part of that job.

Today the Sonics needed to move forward and start building a culture of competitive excellence for a franchise that has been in flux for months. The impact of that is two men I like a great deal will no longer be with the franchise.

Thanks to both of them for the time and effort they gave both to the organization and to me over the past years.

Thoughts from Ski Country
Posted on April 23 | permalink

You know you are watching the NBA playoffs in Canada when ….. you see lots of Andrea Bargnani commercials ……when Gatorade is being sold my Hockey players ….. when curling scores scroll the bottom of the screen ….. when sportscenter is spelled sportscentre.

I loved the Spurs at the end of the season, but their performance in Game 1 has me a bit concerned. Earlier this year when I watched them they didn’t seem right. They didn’t have the late game surge that the great teams have. When the best in the game get in a tied game they take the next step. Earlier this year, San Antonio was missing this and they didn’t have it again last night.

On the coaching front an two interesting names has surfaced in Sacramento, the Spurs assistant PJ Carlesimo and former Bucks Head Coach Terry Porter. PJ and I had a interesting talk about what he has learned in San Antonio and what he could integrate into a new coaching gig. Here is that conversation from before the last Sonics v. Spurs game., .

PJ’s teams traditionally were good defensive teams, but he struggled offensively in both Portland and Golden State.

I was always impressed by Terry Porter. His record with the Bucks was .500 the first year and fell the next. However, when I look at the roster I didn’t think it was his fault. His team was in the top 5 offensively and played the more popular up tempo game.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

My Man is In
Posted on April 19 | permalink

In all likelihood, Conley will be the first point guard taken in the draft, ahead of Texas A&M’s Acie Law.

The Sonics will be picking either from 1-3 or 5-8. Conley will be in that range. I believe he is very special. I am just a radio guy. The basketball people really know if he is special. I think he has Tony Parker's speed with Andre Miller's game.

How Did 2006-07 Happen?
Posted on April 18 | permalink

Five factors played into this season:

Lack of Culture - With the sale by Howard Schultz to the new ownership led by Clay Bennett, the Sonics embarked upon a transition. That transition had already started a few seasons before, when Howard disconnected with the team he owned. A franchise that already was lacking a definite culture became a boat without sails.

Clay Bennett said it well in a Seattle P-I column by Art Thiel: "The fact remains that what the public sees is not our product, but we accept responsibility." This season really was no one’s product and it hurt the team and its performance.

The good news is that the new ownership talks about becoming championship caliber. This is a much-needed change. Starting Thursday, this becomes Clay Bennett’s product and we will get to see what he plans to do and how he approaches building the championship-caliber product.

Nobody Broke Through - The margin for error on this club was very slim. The way the roster was built, it desperately needed someone to break through to the other side of his career. Early in the year it looked as though that could be Luke. For a month and half it seemed like it would be Nick and at the end of the season Weezy showed signs.

The best teams in the league have had this take place with Josh Howard, Manu Ginobili, Tayshaun Prince or Boris Diaw.

However, no one took their career to the next step on the entire roster. Rashard’s efforts in the final month of the season were spectacular, but this roster needed it from someone other than Ray and Rashard and it never happened.

Moreover, the team needed consistency. Jeff Van Gundy has said, “You can develop the young guys and I will win.” To win in this league you must have players that give you the same thing night in and night out. Veterans like Derek Fisher or Matt Harpring are able to deliver that consistency while developing players cannot.

96 minutes in the post - All preseason, I wrote here at SUPERSONICS.COM that the key to the season was if Nick and Chris could give you a consistent 55 to 60 minutes a night in the post. I figured Rashard would contribute 10 to 15 depending on the matchup and you would only need 20 from a combination of Swift and Petro to get to the grand total of 96.

The vision was that Swift and Petro could bring you 20 to 25 solid minutes about 65 times a year, probably 45 to 50 games from Robert and 20 to 25 games from Johan. Asking 21-year-old players to be more consistent than that in the NBA is fallacy.

However, when Robert went down the team needed a late first-round pick in Johan Petro to contribute 20 minutes a night every night in his second season. That was unrealistic. In turn, that put more stress on Nick and Weezy to suddenly be consistent every night for 75 to 80 minutes.

This is more than those players were ready for in their first full seasons of being the primary post players. Thus, the rightful basketball universe goes off-kilter and that leads to bad things.

The positive for the future is because they all had this significant burden they should be better equipped next season. When Robert returns, the burden will be minimized.

Close-Game Failures - The inability to gain momentum in the first half of the season was the death knell for the season. It can be traced back to the team's failure in close games. The Sonics improved late in the season, when Rashard made numerous dynamic plays down the stretch.

As we talked about all season on the broadcasts, these games were often lost in two- or three-minute stretches in the second or third quarter when guys lost focus or made poor decisions. This often stems from being asked to do too much. Again, it goes back to the rightful order of the basketball universe and when it is off-kilter it is hard to win.

Star League - It is hard to survive in the NBA if you lose the amount of player games the Sonics lost from their two main guns.

I don’t put this first because injuries are universal. The Hornets lost all season from Peja and were missing Chris Paul and David West a lot. The Warriors were crippled at times.

It can’t be denied that this league is won and lost by the best players on the floor and when you are missing your stars, it disturbs the rightful order of the basketball universe. When a club’s rightful basketball universe is disturbed it will shortly thereafter crumble.

As the horn sounds tonight, we get to start the process of looking ahead - no longer looking back at what took place, but with excitement at what we have ahead of us and what needs to be done to establish the championship-level play Clay Bennett envisions.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

Locker Room Breakdown
Posted on April 17 | permalink

Locker Room show

Check it out.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

Crawford Suspended for Duncan Ejection
Posted on April 17 | permalink

the suspension of one of the NBA’s best officials, Joey Crawford

Many years ago, the NBA’s best official was Jake O’Donnell. However, he made it personal with Clyde Drexler and he was banished from the league.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT PERSONAL. It destroys your credibility in any game you ever call.

One of the most common refrains I heard when I hosted a talk show was, “These officials need to be scrutinized.” That is a joke. These guys are so insanely scrutinized after every game you would be amazed.

Stern’s statement today answers that question very loudly.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

Coaching Carosuel Slowing Down
Posted on April 17 | permalink

However, in the last week things have changed dramatically. Boston is rumored to offering Doc Rivers an extension. Bryan Colangelo has said he wants Sam Mitchell to return; whether Mitchell, a free agent, returns could be another issue. Lawrence Frank, who has been mentioned as a possible ouster in New Jersey, is said to be safe. Orlando’s Brian Hill has made the playoffs and the Magic has said he will return.

Milwaukee already made their change

What was looking like a Black Thursday is now going to be much tamer.

Memphis will have a new head coach. Brian Shaw of the Lakers staff has been rumored, but with today’s announcement that Jerry West will be out after the draft, you have to wonder who is making the call.

Charlotte has already announced that they will replace Bernie Bickerstaff. One name being circulated is former Bulls Assistant Jim Clemons. Michael Jordan will be making that call.

Changes are anticipated in Minnesota, where firing Dwane Casey was a disaster. Atlanta and Sacramento are two other cities where speculation is rampant that a change will be made.

What happens in Indiana is going to be interesting. Injuries, issues away from the court and a trade that didn’t develop as they hoped combined to bring Indiana’s remarkable run of playoff seasons to an end. The question is, will it also mark the end for former Sonics broadcaster and former Coach of the Year Rick Carlisle?

Lastly, Clay Bennett said today we would know by the end of the week what the plan is here in Seattle. Bob Hill is not under contract for next season.

All in all, it looks like as many as seven teams could be searching for new head coaches. That makes for some interesting negotiations. It makes hot candidates hotter and makes some coaches who are out of the game become players to get back in.

There is no off-season at SUPERSONICS.COM. Check back for all the latest. E-mail me any questions or thoughts at AskLocke@sonics-storm.com throughout the off-season.

Is Conley Going Pro?
Posted on April 16 | permalink

During the tourney Conley said he was 100% going back to Ohio State. However, that has changed. He is now considering the NBA. Keep an eye on this.

The Sonics largest need is the best player to increase their talent level, but the more high quality point guards in the draft the better for the Sonics who will need to address the future of that position in the off-season.

A Great Season Capper
Posted on April 16 | permalink

Early in the night, it was obvious that Kobe was in a special place. He scored the first eight points and 17 in the first quarter. After a quiet second quarter he arose again in the third quarter. When the Sonics got within one point, Kobe promptly dropped in 18 of the next 22 Lakers points.

Before the game, Tex Winters, the architect of the triangle, talked to us about how Kobe forces more shots then MJ ever did and said that Kobe needs to play more in the team concept. Against the Sonics, he put 50 on the board in just 25 shot attempts and rarely seemed to be forcing the action.

The array of shots was mind-boggling, or mind-bottling if you have seen Blades of Glory. On the left baseline, he double-clutched falling to his back and released just as his back hit the ground, swishing it home. His jumper was rolling and when he is hitting the J the game has never seen a more prolific scorer.

The niftiest move of the night was a right-hand dribble at full speed between his legs behind him back to his right hand and then pulling into a jumper for two.

It was an insane pleasure to see that performance in person. It is what makes NBA basketball dynamic.

The flipside was the little-known 12th man on the roster finally getting a shot and, for the third straight night, embracing the opportunity with a brilliant performance. Mike Wilks, the Executive, had a career-high 20 points in start one, his first career double-double in start two and then another career high in start three.

More importantly, Wilks ran the team well and was indefatigable. One of my favorite moments this year was Mike admitting that when he is on the bench during a game, every time Bob Hill looks down the bench he leans out to make eye contact, hoping to get put in the game. That may have been surpassed when Bob said after the game, “Mike has to be driving home each night wondering, 'Why didn’t my coach play me sooner?'”

Kobe was a show. Mike was a good life lesson we can all learn from. Be ready, stay ready, be a pro and when the door of opportunity opens blast right through.

The Toughness of the Executive
Posted on April 10 | permalink

Still, two other players deserve huge props for their play: the Mikes, Gelabale and Wilks. They have both been on the floor when the Sonics have made their miraculous comebacks over the past two weeks.

I have raved about Gelabale for months. He has a special feel for the game. He plays with a great confidence. He has been big in late-game situations. He moves the ball. He is unselfish. He creates. All of these items combine for the most important thing in the game: he makes his team better.

Wilks has flown under the radar all season, though that will change now that Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson have both suffered sprained ankles. Kevin Pelton wrote a feature on Wilks today, but I wanted to share my thoughts as well.

I refer to Wilks as "the Executive," because whenever he is off the floor, he looks like the CEO of a company. If you spend any time around him, you have no doubt he could be a CEO. He is bright, a graduate of Rice University, well read (he most recently gave me the Obama book) and approachable.

The best way I can describe it is I would love to have Mike and his great wife, Kimberly, to dinner once the season was over. This is a genuinely good and interesting dude.

On the floor, he is TOUGH. I mean really TOUGH. Maybe it is from his upbringing in the inner city of Milwaukee. Maybe it is because at 5-10 this is how he has to survive. Regardless, he is TOUGH.

In Minnesota, Wilks was setting a cross screen on a bigger man and just buried him. In Denver, he was being hassled in the back court trying to get the inbound pass. He took his forearm (read: elbow) and blasted the defender in the mid-section. The message was clear - if you are going to be this tight, there is a price. In Utah, Mike stopped the penetration of Deron Williams.

He is impressive in his communication with his teammates. Many third point guards would be hesitant to be vocal. Instead, Wilks is the most vocal of the three Sonics point guards. He is constantly on his teammates to keep trying, to keep working and to play the game correctly. When I asked him about it, he said, "My teammates respect me and trust me, so I lead them. That is what a point guard is supposed to do."

Those are two elements that have been much needed on this team.

Coaches and evaluators have a hard time getting over the warts on a player like Mike Wilks. He is just 5-10. He is just a lifetime 38% shooter (he is at 44% this season). They are right in some fashions. Wilks may never be a big-minute player in the NBA, but he is a quality NBA player and he is a winner. Too often the leadership and the toughness are overlooked.

He forces his teammates to play the game correctly because he does it himself.

There is a bit of irony to the trade the Sonics made for Wilks. They moved the anti-Wilks in Flip Murray. Murray wows scouts with his ability to score and his one-on-one breakdown. Nevertheless, I promise you the Cavaliers would have been a better team with Wilks than with Flip Murray.

The Best Off-Season Pick Up
Posted on April 9 | permalink

Rashard went 6 of 24 against the Rockets this evening.

Anyone who didn’t watch the game will look at the box score and see Battier was 0-4 and scoreless. Yet, anyone who saw the game can tell why Battier was the best off-season pick in the NBA.

The Rockets acquired Battier for their first round pick, Rudy Gay, and the consistently underperforming Stromile Swift. It was a steal. While the national media raved over the Ben Wallace to Chicago and the Peja to the Hornets deals it was the Rockets getting Battier that had the biggest impact on the landscape of the NBA.

Battier completely understands what it is to win in the NBA. After the game, when we chatted he said, “This team doesn’t need me to score for this team to win.” How simple and yet how many guys in the league are willing to totally give up themselves for the teams quest to win.

The question that should be asked whenever a player is acquired, is he willing to give himself up for the team or is he willing to do what is tough to win as well as the easy things?

The answer to Battier is yes and that is why he was the best off-season pick up in the NBA last season. Tonight he showed his value in a scoreless 35 minutes. How many players can do that?

A Great Effort
Posted on April 9 | permalink

It seems equally amazing when I knew what was going to happen. I can tell you that unlike in Minnesota, where I just had a feeling that the Sonics could do something remarkable and the Wolves could crumble, I never imagined the Sonics could come back from down 20 going into the fourth quarter.

Listening to the call there were three or four times where I could hear in my voice the thought, “Wow, that was a nice run, but too bad that it has fallen short.” Two times were when Rashard hit just one of three free throws or when the Jazz perfectly executed a play to go up 7.

However, the Sonics just kept coming. As we talked about after Minnesota, this says a lot about this group and their dedication to playing the game correctly. Bob Hill said it best after the game. “It’s phenomenal, you have to give the team a lot of credit. This game means nothing to us except to go force your will on a game just to win. That’s rewarding.”

Forcing your will on the game is a big deal. It is really impressive against the Jazz in Utah. Jerry Sloan team’s don’t fold up very often. The Sonics had to take the game to Jazz and administer their will on the game.

Once again, that is a good sign for the future of the organization. If your guys don’t respect the game, you don’t have a chance to re-build or re-load. These guys respect playing the game the correct way.

Another refreshing moment was after the game, talking to Nick Collison. I went down the road of does this give you something to build on in the off-season? He rejected it, saying this is nice and it is good we respect the game, but this season is not what we wanted and it is not acceptable. I loved hearing that.

Final thought for you on this game is when I re-listened to the game I was amazed at how many things had to come together for the Sonics to win. There were numerous times one play here or there and the run losses its momentum. However, the Sonics never relented and the Jazz never made that single play that could have swung the game back in their favor.

Down 20 going to the fourth quarter and winning in Utah is insane. Great effort.

48 Minutes Expose
Posted on April 7 | permalink

It was really a great night. It is why you are a season ticket holder so you see that game. It is how hoops brings something that no other sport can match with the energy of a sold-out arena, sick athleticism of players and big moments that bring you to the edge of your chair.

However, for just the third time this season the Sonics blew a game they led going into the fourth quarter at home. Again it was a possession here or there. The game turned on three offensive possessions for the Sonics last night.

They had back-to-back turnovers in the fourth and then on the key play of the game they weren’t able to execute the play they wanted and ended up with Nick Collison in the post and he was unable to score. Nick Collison with his back to the basket in the post is a great example of a pre-game comment by Phil Jackson. Phil Jackson made the point that 48 minutes will expose a player. When a team has injuries and asks more out of a player then he is either accustomed to or ready for, inside the 48 minutes it will eventually be exposed.

In the case of Nick, he is an outstanding complimentary player, but he has not solidified his back-to-the-basket game yet. He doesn’t have the athleticism to jump over his defender, so it has to be crafty. On the other end, he is one of the best in the league at reading the floor and finding the open spot for an easy two.

I think we saw that across the board last night on both teams. From the Sonics standpoint, Chris Wilcox became the go-to guy in the fourth. As nicely as he is developing, being the man late in the fourth is a huge jump. In turn, one of the big plays was a turnover.

Earl Watson has played five more minutes a game this season then any other season of his career. He has sparked the team in stretches, but on occasion his energy and tenacity flips around and bites the Sonics.

Damien Wilkins was fantastic for most of the night. However, he was being asked to guard Kobe and score with Ray out of the lineup. There are only a handful of players in the NBA that can handle that assignment and most of them play in an exhibition game at the midpoint of the year.

This is the reality of where the Sonics are right now and it is a good lesson. There is a rightful order to basketball universe and when you try to sneak by or screw around with it, the game will come back and get you.

Another observation from last night is the point-guard play. This has been the Achilles heel for both the Sonics and the Lakers this season. Smush Parker is seriously inadequate for the Lakers and Shammond Williams and Jordan Farmar are being asked to do too much and, as Phil said, will be exposed in the course of a game.

The play of their point guards has also been an issue for Seattle this season. It just reminds you how vital it is to have a conductor on the floor. The Lakers are an average to below average team because of that weakness.

Tonight’s opponent, the Utah Jazz, turned back into winners when point guard Deron Williams emerged. In his second year, he has changed the team. It couldn’t have been any more obvious than last night when he injured his groin and the Jazz fell apart down the stretch to the Kings.

If the Jazz are without Williams tonight, they will be vastly different, as the Sonics and Lakers have learned all year.

What to Watch Tonight
Posted on April 2 | permalink

Greg Oden, Ohio State This 7-foot center is all the talk and he should be. He is terrifically talented. He moves well. He has good touch around the basket. He will be a better pro than a college player. His defensive instincts are very strong. Quietly, he shows a strong will to win. Watch how well he moves. Defensively, he will need to improve as he stands very tall when guarding on the floor, but what 7-footer is good at that?

Oden's best skill is his pure strength. Watch when he grabs a rebound and throws an outlet pass - he usually hits his teammate around midcourt. That is amazing strength and transforms the game.

Mike Conley, Ohio State This freshman point guard may not be in the draft. However, if I had the third pick of the draft I would seriously think about taking him. He has “it.” He is Andre Miller with Tony Parker’s speed. He amazes me every time I watch him. I re-watched the entire OSU v. Georgetown game just to watch him and his first half was one of the best I have seen.

His ability to understand time and score as a freshman is almost unprecedented. He scores when he needs to. However, most of the game, he is working his players into the game. His ability to run the break is fantastic with a great feel for space. He has a high paint game and is a good finisher. His outside shot is still limited. I love this kid. Love him. He will alter a franchise the day he walks into the locker room.

Joakim Noah, Florida Another winner. His game is actually very limited. He doesn’t have an offensive move. His outside shot is sparse. Still, Noah impacts the game. He is the floor general from all positions. He plays with an insane passion and his teammates follow. His commitment to the game is fantastic. He will make a team better. I doubt he will be able to be a lead offensive player at the next level.

Al Horford, Florida A power forward with a special body. He is big. He has a strong back to the basket game. I like his movement and his hustle. He is around a lot of loose balls which shows great instincts for a big guy. He has been heavy in his career, but everything about his approach leads me to believe he will control that in his career. Very good touch around the basket and passes well when double teamed. Will likely be a top 5 pick.

Enjoy the game and keep an eye on all four of these guys.

Unlucky Number Four
Posted on April 1 | permalink

That really is the story of the season, this team’s inability to get a hot streak going. It takes a really complete team to go on a winning streak. Unfortunately, this team still has enough weaknesses that an opponent seems to be to expose them enough to prevent those streaks.

AI took over the game in the third quarter. I like the Nugs better when AI takes over and Carmelo plays off AI then when it is vice versa. Iverson does a better job of getting teammates involved.

It is my opinion he is looking to distribue too much and overly being passive. Iverson can carry this team places if he takes over more and they play any defense.

We take off tomorrow for another matchup with the Spurs on Tuesday.