A year ago, when Seattle SuperSonics GM Rick Sund, Coach Nate McMillan and several scouts took part in their annual pre-NBA Draft media availability the Monday of Draft week, the Sonics direction was pretty clear. While several trade rumors were flying, it was well known that the Sonics would prefer a point guard and a power forward if they kept their two first-round picks. While Luke Ridnour was a bit of a surprise, he and Nick Collison fit those two needs perfectly.

If the Sonics want to improve their perimeter defense, Snyder might be the player at 12. John Byrne/Byrne Sports Images

This year, things aren't quite so easy, because the Sonics don't have any glaring holes on the roster.

"The one thing I want to make sure we understand is I like this team," said McMillan. "We need to add to this group some perimeter defense and we need some rebounding."

"We're a unique kind of lottery team, because if we had Ray (Allen) and Bones (Brent Barry), we would have made the playoffs," added Director of Player Personnel Dave Pendergraft, who heads the Sonics scouting efforts.

As a result, both concluded that it will be difficult for whoever the Sonics take to get much playing time next season, barring a move. (McMillan pointed out that what happens in tomorrow's Expansion Draft could change that, if the Charlotte Bobcats select a player who the Sonics expect to be a rotation player.)

With the rebounding need addressed in large part by Collison, the Sonics 12th pick a year ago who missed all of last season after undergoing surgery on both shoulders, the Sonics main focus at this point may be on players who can improve their defense on the perimeter. Two names that stand out amongst that group are Nevada's Kirk Snyder, who is expected to go between 12 and the late teens, and Oklahoma State's Tony Allen, who could be selected anywhere from the late first round to the middle of the second round, which might give the Sonics a shot at him with one of their two second-round picks.

"I like both of them," said McMillan. "They both had good workouts."

Both players also have drawn comparisons to former Sonics swingman Desmond Mason in terms of their ability to play physical defense on the perimeter, their athleticism in transition and also question marks about their ability to consistently knock down the NBA three-pointer.

"Allen is a lot like Mason," said McMillan. "Mase is bigger. Oklahoma State sends out some tough players. They both are capable of bring both ends of the court to the game."

Snyder is one of four players on Pendergraft's "fear list". Those are players Pendergraft is scared to take, but also scared to pass on because of uncertainty about what they might be able to do in the NBA. Colorado center David Harrison, who Pendergraft says was outrunning guards when the Sonics brought him in to work out, is the "captain" of that group, which also includes Puerto Rican center Peter John Ramos and Minnesota forward Kris Humphries.

"At the worst, let's say you take him in the lottery and you're completely wrong on him, his basement is Gerald Wilkins," said Pendergraft. "I think that's the God-fearing worst, and Wilkins played 14 seasons in the NBA."

Pendergraft confirmed Snyder's reputation as a cocky player, but noted he backed it up by getting out on the court during his workout and nailing "jumper after jumper after jumper". He praised Snyder's defensive potential, but also worried how he might respond if the Sonics select him and he sees limited playing time next season because the team already has Allen, Roland "Flip" Murray, Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic capable of playing the two and the three.

Araujo is the most NBA-ready center in the Draft. Sixers Photos

Up front, the three players who got the most attention were BYU center Rafael Araujo, Humphries and Mississippi high schooler Al Jefferson.

The Sonics like Araujo, but wonder what he gives them they don't already get from Vitaly Potapenko, who started 38 games during the second half of the season.

"Araujo can come right in and play, but he's a lot like Vitaly," said Pendergraft, who later made a comparison with another former Sonics center. "He's a much better version of (Predrag) Drobnjak. He shoots it like Peja, is a much better rebounder and mean as heck. He might not be the right fit, but then again he might be."

The name Shawn Kemp came up in conversations about Jefferson with both McMillan and Pendergraft. "(Does he remind me of) Kemp? Of course," said McMillan. "Al is raw. He is a raw young fella that has the potential. I like his hustle, the way he was going after the ball relentlessly when he worked out here last weekend."

One thing that was clear from the discussion about the big men available is that they are more advanced offensively than defensively. While the Sonics could use more post scoring in the middle, a defensive presence in the lane is more important.

"No question their offensive game is ahead of their defensive game," said McMillan about the college big men. "Euros - I would say the same thing." The latter comment probably mostly refers to Latvian Andris Biedrins, a likely lottery pick who could be left on the board when the Sonics pick at 12.

That opinion was confirmed by Lojze Milosavljevic, the Sonics European Scout. "He must work a lot," said Milosavljevic. "He's much better on offense than defense." Milosavljevic added that Biedrins is playing against competition in Latvia that is comparable to Division III NCAA basketball, making his impressive statistics relatively meaningless. According to Milosavljevic, a team will have to wait a couple of years for Biedrins to make an NBA impact, though that could be a big one, as he's a similar prospect to Darko Milicic, taken second overall in last year's draft by the Detroit Pistons.

The Sonics may not yet be certain who they're going to end up selecting Thursday evening, but they're confident that whoever they do take will be a quality pick.

"Whoever we take, we're going to get a heck of a guy at 12," said Pendergraft. "Either it's a high schooler with tremendous potential, or it’s a swing guy who can play."

Still, Pendergraft noted that the pick, "is not going to make-or-break our franchise". In Collison, Murray, Ridnour and Radmanovic, the Sonics have four quality young players on the rise to complement the team's core of Allen and Lewis.

"Don't look at the player in those terms (his immediate impact), or you will be disappointed" said Pendergraft. "We have to look at what's going to improve this organization."

The answer to that could be any of at least a half-dozen prospects available with the 12th pick, it could be a trade down in the Draft, or a move to acquire an established veteran player. In just over 72 hours, the answer will be clear.