Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | April 20, 2006
As the Seattle SuperSonics cleaned out their lockers Thursday at The Furtado Center and many prepared to leave town for the off-season, a sense of optimism carried the day. Certainly, there was disappointment that a year that began with hopes of defending the Northwest Division Championship the Sonics won in 2004-05 ended in the lottery. At the same time, however, the Sonics 14-11 record after
Earl Watson joined the team at the end of February has players convinced that will carry over into an improved 2006-07 performance.
"I came in the right part of the season where that positive momentum swing was starting to happen," said Watson. "We have to bounce off that."
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"I hope the organization does the right thing, re-signing me over the summer."
Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty
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"One bright spot for this season is we've set a blueprint on how we're going to play," said
Nick Collison. "We know how we want to play and how Coach
(Bob) Hill wants to run the team. That's a good thing."
On Monday, the Sonics answered a question mark that had loomed over the second half of the season when they exercised the 2006-07 option on Hill's contract, ensuring that he will be the team's head coach next season. Hill had no choice but to begin planning for the off-season as if he would remain coach, and has already begun drawing up off-season programs for the team.
"I think that's A#1 right there," said 
Ray Allen, who had voiced his support for Hill's return. "The coaching staff will be able to focus on next year and getting guys better."
With Hill's status resolved, 
Chris Wilcox has become the biggest off-season question mark for the Sonics. After joining the Sonics in a February trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, Wilcox averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over the last two months of the season, making himself potentially a key part of the Sonics future. Wilcox will be a restricted free agent this summer, giving the Sonics the opportunity to match any offer made to him.
"I hope the organization does the right thing, re-signing me over the summer," said Wilcox. "We have a great group of guys that's willing to come back and put in work. I think if we can stick together while we're young and keep building on what we've got, I think we can have a successful season next year."
Wilcox was able to put his impending free agency out of his mind after joining the Sonics and focus on producing on the court.
"I can look at that now, but I haven't in the past because I've been focusing on the season," he said. "Now I've got some time to sit back and just think about what I really want.
"It's tough right now, because this might be my last time to be here or it might be a spot for me in the future. Hopefully things work out and I'll be able to see this spot again."
"He's a big part of what we did," said 
Luke Ridnour. "That's going to be a tough situation, but hopefully he'll be back."
Another pair of key decisions this off-season will be possible extensions for Ridnour and Collison, both of whom are entering the fourth and final year of their rookie contracts and will be restricted free agents in the summer of 2007 if not extended. Ridnour handed out a career-high 7.0 assists to rank ninth in the NBA, while Collison averaged 7.5 points and 5.6 rebounds. They ranked first and second on the Sonics in double-doubles, with 12 and eight, respectively. Both players want to stay in Seattle long-term, but realize an extension might not be the right way for that to happen.
"I've thought about it a little bit, but we haven't really started talking or anything like that, so at this point I don't really know," Collison said. "I do know historically it's kind of hard to get a deal done when you don't have to. Both sides are thinking they might as well wait and see. It's very likely we could decide to just wait for next year. It wouldn't mean anything negative for either side. That's the way it happens a lot. But I'll definitely listen. I'd love to be here and talk about it. I also know that's how the business works. Sometimes it takes until the last second to agree on something."
"It's not really in my court," said Ridnour. "It's what they want to do. I'm definitely open to it, so we'll see what happens."
While the Sonics will have a lottery pick in this year's NBA Draft, scheduled to be 10th overall entering next month's Draft Lottery, if Wilcox is signed they will have a strong nine-man rotation. That means the main source of improvement will come from within in terms of development by the team's young players.
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"Talking to Coach Hill throughout this season and talking to him now, he knows he can make me a better player."
D. Clarke Evans/NBAE/Getty
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"The main thing is nothing is guaranteed next year," said Watson. "It doesn't matter what we did this year. We have to take a positive mindset, come back even better individually and put it together collectively."
The development of 
Rashard Lewis will be particularly important. Throughout the season, Hill has maintained that Lewis is playing at about 65 percent of his potential ability and has looked forward to having an off-season to work with Lewis on developing his game. Lewis looks forward to that as well.
"Talking to him throughout this season and talking to him now, he knows he can make me a better player," said Lewis, singling out his ballhandling and defense as areas for improvement. "I'm all for improving. I think you can always improve your game and taking that next step will be big for me and especially big for the team. We're trying to get back to the situation we want to be in."
While Hill is working to help his players train more effectively in their off-season homes, he'd also like to see them spend more of their off-seasons in Seattle. Allen, Collison and Ridnour have Seattle as their home base, while Lewis and 
Damien Wilkins also spent much of last summer in Seattle, working out with their teammates.
"Just be here," said Allen, asked what he can do to get his teammates back to Seattle. "I know Bob Hill's going to do a good job of making sure the guys come back and show their faces and bodies. Not just work out, but do the things that are necessary for this team. Work out and train how we play."
"I'm going to be working out regardless," said Wilcox, another key off-season project. "If they want me to come back and work out a few times, I will."
