Destination unknown, still Sonics appear on right path
The Sonics aren’t just a franchise paddling in uncertainty.
They’re also a paradox.
As bad as their exterior looks, their interior sparkles with possibilities.
As overwhelmed as the owner seems, his renovated basketball-operations department appears well-stocked to rebuild a floundering team.
As much as we doubt the Sonics’ future in Seattle, we should trust that they have a radiant future on hardwood.
Oh, not this season. The Sonics are in for a miserable, wildly erratic year. But young Kevin Durant’s long arms will reach into the right cookie jar soon enough, and this franchise will be a winner again.
Set the over/under on wins at a meager 26 this season, but look harder, and you will see the promise. It’s not just about Durant, though he’s the catalyst.
It’s about P.J. Carlesimo and the unbending, disciplining style he will use to develop all the young players. It’s about a coaching staff that can account for Carlesimo’s weaknesses. It’s about general manager Sam Presti and his brainiacs in the front office, who will equip the Sonics with the proper building blocks.
The Sonics have no permanent home, no clarity on where they’re going, and yet they’re moving in the right direction.
“Maybe my expectations are unrealistic right now, but I don’t think media reports or threats of lawsuits or any of the uncertainty everyone talks about will have an impact,” Carlesimo said. “I don’t think it will determine whether we win or lose.”
No excuses. Just basketball. That’s how Carlesimo conducts business. That’s how Presti does, too. Together, they have built an infrastructure that any NBA savant recognizes as solid.
This new basketball-operations staff includes obvious hiring coups: poaching assistant general manager Scott Perry from Detroit, landing the venerable Paul Westhead and the young Scott Brooks, a certain future head coach, as assistants. But there are subtle acquisitions, too, such as persuading Denver’s Bill Branch to join the team as the director of pro player personnel.
Presti, the most meticulous 30-year-old ever, considers every employee vital. In conversation, he’ll mention nearly everyone involved in trying to mold this green product.
He’s fascinated with exactly how players get their individual instruction. He’s focused on the daily grind of this rebuilding, not just the grand plan. He’s energized by the varying opinions of a committed staff.
“I enjoy listening, asking questions,” Presti said. “Some conflict in the process is not necessarily a negative. You want people to think. Hopefully, those exchanges lead to the right decisions.”
Walk into the Sonics’ practice facility, and the synergy is immediately apparent. Presti has long talks with assistants, not just Carlesimo. Perry is communicating with players. Chris Wilcox is learning post moves, for Naismith’s sake.
If you’re searching for something to believe in, stop right here. You have a fresh product, something worth watching, even during times of struggle. The only unfortunate part is, you might not see the complete uprising. The team might be in Oklahoma by then.
But come hell or Stillwater, the Sonics are serious about basketball now.
“To be honest, that’s really easy, not to focus on where the team is headed,” said Westhead, who left the WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury to work with Carlesimo again. “This is our business, the business of basketball. It’s an everyday operation. It’s right in front of us. We just worry about who’s going to run the point, who’s going to rebound the ball.
“That’s the beauty of being a basketball coach.”
The Sonics have an energy they’ve been lacking in recent years. So here’s the paradox of all paradoxes: Despise owner Clay Bennett for his arena politics, but credit him for making good hires to give his team new life.
“We’re idealistic,” Presti said. “We’re deliberate, but we’re impatient, too. What we’re trying to do from a basketball standpoint is going to take time, and it’s going to take some tough decisions. While embarking on this new challenge, it’s great to have people around you that you enjoy going to work with every day.”
Now the Sonics must take their vision and make it a reality. They must develop Durant and fellow rookie Jeff Green properly. They must determine which of their remaining young players fit into their plans. And then they must acquire more pieces over the next several years, which is where Presti and Perry should make their biggest impact.
In his first four months on the job, Presti has already shown much by having the guts to gut this team. In time, Presti’s vision will work, and the dysfunctional Sonics will return to being a good franchise.
So in one sense, it’s a fun time to follow this franchise. In another sense, you’re watching the scariest movie ever.
Are you willing to pull your hands away from your eyes?
Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For more columns and the Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports