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Training Camp Homepage Notebook: Mixed Weekend Results Sonics News Archive

What a difference a year makes. A year ago, the Seattle SuperSonics entered training camp looking for a point guard after the departure of veteran Brent Barry as a free agent. While former Coach Nate McMillan later admitted that he had desired to start Luke Ridnour since the end of the 2003-04 season, Ridnour opened camp battling Antonio Daniels and Ronald "Flip" Murray for the starting position.

Luke Ridnour is the Sonics unquestioned starter at point guard. Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty

While Ridnour opened the season as the Sonics starter, his hold on the position seemed tenuous at best. However, Ridnour quickly silenced critics with his performance, recording 11 assists in the Sonics fourth game of the season and following with a 17-point, eight-assist effort in the second week of the season. Ridnour ended up starting all 82 games - the only Sonics player to do so - and playing more than 2,500 minutes.

As a result, Ridnour opens the 2005-06 season as the Sonics unquestioned starter at the point, and more pressure will be put on Ridnour this season. With Daniels departed for Washington as a free agent, the Sonics can't bring one of the league's top backups off the bench when Ridnour has an off night. And after Daniels finished many of the team's games a season ago, it will be Ridnour who serves as the closer at the point this season.

During training camp, Ridnour has done nothing to dissuade the notion that he is the man for the Sonics at the point. His tireless hard work over the off-season has resulted in several pounds of new muscle that will help Ridnour battle the bigger players he faces at the point on a regular basis. Ridnour also put in countless hours of work on his jumper, and has shown more confidence and had more success shooting from 18-20 feet during scrimmages.

That success has carried over into the Sonics first six preseason games. Projected over the 32 minutes per game Bob Weiss has said he'd like to play Ridnour (who averaged 31.4 minutes last season), Ridnour is averaging 13.7 points, 7.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds - all significant improvements over his 2004-05 averages (10.0 ppg, 5.9 apg and 2.5 rpg). Ridnour is shooting 44.0% from the field, a solid step up from his 40.8% career mark.

None of Ridnour's shots during October have been more important than his shot-clock-beating 3-pointer last Wednesday against the L.A. Clippers that gave the Sonics a five-point lead inside the final minute. Granted, the shot only gave the Sonics a preseason win, but more importantly it spoke to Ridnour's ability to contribute down the stretch in tight games, something that will be important for him this season.

Ridnour's explosive open-court ability is also key to Weiss' emphasis on transition during training camp thus far.

Murray is the Sonics first choice to back up Ridnour. Andrew Bernstein NBAE/Getty

"Luke is more ready for it," said Weiss. "We are going to have very little structure when we get down there. We'll free their minds to play basketball, which is what they do pretty well."

While the starting point guard position is settled for the Sonics, Ridnour's backup remains an open competition. The first chance to back up Ridnour has gone to Murray, who is capable of playing both guard positions, a la Daniels. Veteran free-agent pickup Rick Brunson and even holdover Mateen Cleaves remain in contention to play backup minutes as well. Weiss has gotten minutes for several different players at the point during the preseason, including invitee Alex Scales.

Though Murray is not a traditional point guard, he prefers to play with the ball in his hands and has had success in that role. Murray doesn't set up teammates in the same way as Ridnour, but is skilled at penetrating to the basket and creating for either himself or someone else. His 6-4 size is also an asset when playing the point.

After impressing the coaching staff during early training camp scrimmages, Murray has struggled to put the ball in the basket during preseason play. He broke out of his slump with a fine all-around performance Saturday in Oakland, scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds, handing out four assists and coming up with three steals in 28 minutes, shooting 6-for-10 from the field.

Brunson was impressive in the Sonics informal workouts prior to the start of training camp, but has lost some of that momentum since camp officially started. In limited preseason action, Brunson has averaged 1.0 points and 1.8 assists per game. Though Brunson owns a better NBA track record, Cleaves has given the Sonics more preseason production, averaging 4.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists.

Cleaves

Brunson

Both Brunson and Cleaves offer steady play and the ability to run the team from the point. That's in fitting with the recent tradition of Sonics backup point guards who have contained turnovers while giving the Sonics heads-up performance.