Seattle SuperSonics Breakdown: Growing Pains

Seattle's struggles this year should be a surprise to nobody. The Sonics sacrificed the present to slowly shape their roster for what they hope is a glorious future.

Their agenda isn’t about results, it’s about five key points that will shape their tomorrows: the progress of rookie Kevin Durant, the progress of rookie Jeff Green, solving the muddled big man situation, solving the muddled point guard situation, and figuring out a time frame for how long it will take for the team to become legitimate challengers.

Since Jeff Green was injured in Seattle’s 86-85 win Saturday over the Knicks, his progress report will be submitted at a later date. Let’s explore the other four points of emphasis.

Kevin Durant

Durant certainly has the superstar-level athleticism and the excellent shot mechanics that will enable him to be a big-time scorer in the NBA for as long as his rail thin body will hold up.

Against New York, Durant’s stat line read: 7-21 FG, 1-1 3FG, 6-8 FT, 7 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO, 2 BLO, 21 PTS.

Of his shot attempts, he slammed in a breakaway dunk, went 5-13 on jumpers, 1-5 on layups, and 0-2 from the post. Durant simply doesn’t have the body strength or the low center of gravity to absorb contact and finish with any degree of consistency.

Hitting the gym vigorously in the offseason is a must for Durant, because as he stands right now, only teams that play turnstile defense won't prevent him from being a one-dimensional jump shooter.

Durant’s shot selection is also still poor as he often took pull-up jumpers the first chance he sniffed.

However, the most important offensive play Durant made came with the Sonics tied at 83 with a minute to go in the game. Durant fed Wilcox in the left box, backed up behind the three-point line, received a kick out from Wilcox, and buried a game-turning three pointer that did the Knicks in. Even as a rookie, Durant certainly has no problems taking and making clutch shots.

Durant’s crossover dribble is too high and he can’t cradle the ball on drives because he has no body to cradle the ball into. That almost cost the Sonics the game as Jared Jeffries stripped a Durant drive with the Sonics up one and Durant driving to the hoop.

On defense Durant usually played well off his man, trusting in his sprawling arms to compensate and disrupt shooters. He did, however, anticipate a sloppy reversal pass forcing a turnover; block a Jamal Crawford desperation heave with the shot clock expiring; and, most impressively of all, block a Jamal Crawford layup on a two-on-one Knicks fast break and deny Crawford the ball on an inbounds pass forcing a five-second violation.

His two steals were unimpressive, the result of Nate Robinson fumbling the ball right into him.

Aside from being too scrawny to stop powerful penetrations, Durant is far too upright in his defensive stance. Quick changes of direction leave him twisted and hopelessly out of position.

Durant’s tremendous leaping ability and quick second jumps make him a capable offensive rebounder. Three of his boards against the Knicks came on the offensive end. In fact, because he doesn’t box out and isn’t strong enough to hold opponents off, virtually all of his rebounds are either uncontested or the result of his incredibly quick hops.

Durant struggles with the same flaws all rookies do. Whether or not he improves depends entirely on how much he plans on working out over the summer, both in his upper body and in his defensive stance. Since he has so much work to do in both categories, it will probably take him several years just to become moderately tough and simply adequate on defense. Until then, he’ll be just another gifted scorer.

The Bigs

Kurt Thomas had a disappointing game against his former team. While his stat line was unremarkable (2-4 FG, 5 REB, 1 AST, 5 PTS), it was his defense that was troubling. Thomas was frequently late closing out on Zach Randolph jumpers, got pushed around when Randolph posted him up, and was beaten off the dribble by Randolph’s right hand—his off hand—for several layups.

Where Thomas made up for it was on the game’s final possession. With the Knicks down one with under 10 seconds, they inbounded the ball to Zach Randolph with his back to the basket on the right box. Thomas proceeded to push Randolph all the way out of the box to the three-point line forcing a pass and a missed desperation three by Nate Robinson.

If Thomas is getting up there in age, he still has the smarts and the toughness to make the right plays in crunch time. And with so many kids and projects on the Sonics front line, Thomas serves as a valuable mentor while they grow up. He's a definite keeper.

Chris Wilcox had an exceptional game (8-12 FG, 4-6 FT, 10 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 3 TO, 20 PTS). Wilcox loved to set up on the left box and hit right hooks or turnaround jumpers over the too short arms of David Lee and Zach Randolph. He also used several nice baseline spins, always coming back to his right hand, to finish a number of tricky layups.

Wilcox boxed out on every shot attempt, fought for every loose ball, helped on penetrations while still recovering to his man, and made several outstanding passes out of double teams to open passes. It was Wilcox's ability to draw double teams and pass out of them that set up Durant’s huge three-pointer with a minute left in the game.

Since Wilcox can employ his various right hooks with consistency over smaller, shorter defenders, he should be kept around. He’s the only low post threat the Sonics have.

Nick Collison (4-6 FG, 1-1 FT, 12 REB, 1 AST, 2 TO, 9 PTS) boxed out diligently, reversed the ball, swarmed to the offensive glass every chance he had, hustled, bustled, hit a handful of jumpers, and stayed with a Renaldo Balkman crossover to contest his shot. Collison’s post defense left much to be desired as Zach Randolph overwhelmed him the few times Collison was matched up with Z-Bo.

Johan Petro (0-6 FG, 6 REB, 1 AST, 2 TO, 2 BLO, 0 PTS) played with tremendous energy and showed remarkable athleticism for a seven-footer. Petro was willing to run, attack the offensive glass, help on defense, challenge entry passes, and contest shots. What Petro couldn’t do was make a shot, missing several point blank layups with little defensive pressure.

All four Sonics big men shut down the Knicks on the offensive glass, holding them to three (three!) offensive rebounds. They all played with confidence, determination, and energy.

Since Thomas is invaluable to the team with his defense, his rock solid screens (he actually knocked former football player Nate Robinson to the ground with one of his screens), his leadership, and his clutch play, he remains as the team’s starting center.

Chris Wilcox gives the Sonics a post presence so he remains on board as well. Johan Petro’s athleticism is too enticing for the Sonics to give up on. He stays.

Since Robert Swift hasn’t proven that he can stay healthy, let some other team take a flier on him. Collison is the best rebounder of the bunch and his ability to corral missed shots will be important since the Sonics miss so many.

However, all those players are backup types or complementary players. It says here the Sonics should draft a center next year to give the team some offensive muscle inside.

Point Guards

Earl Watson (3-7 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT, 2 REB, 8 AST, 0 STL, 1 TO, 9 PTS) is an incomplete player. He loves to run and makes good decisions on the break, but won't make any snappy passes or crisp decisions in a half court set. He makes poor choices and is strictly a drive and dish player. He’s a pest on defense who’ll pressure guards bringing the ball up, but he can’t fight through screens and will turn his head.

What Watson is best suited to being is a useful backup brought in to pester opposing guards into turnovers and leading a pressing, running second unit. But since Watson has always complained about being a backup, he wont accept that role. Seattle would be best served to ship him out.

Luke Ridnour (3-7 FG, 4 REB, 1 AST, 6 PTS) is a playmaker who can create for himself and others. He won't defend at all, but he will allow his teammates to play off the ball, making an offense run smoothly. He should start so P.J. Carlesimo can get Durant in motion more instead of having Durant catch the ball from a standstill at the wing.

Delonte West (3-13 FG, 1-6 3FG, 1-1 FT, 2 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 1 TO, 8 PTS) didn’t bring his jumper with him and missed two easy layups, but is a tough combo guard who can run an offense and defend. West is strong enough to be a creative finisher and smart enough to anticipate the defense and record steals, as he did when he saw a screen/roll developing and stepped in to intercept a pass to a cutting Fred Jones.

West is perfect in his niche as the team’s third guard.

The Time Frame

Because their key parts are so young, because Durant is their only elite athlete, because their projects may never realize their potential, because their roster is so mismatched, and because their players simply don’t have NBA bodies right now, the Sonics will have a ways to go before they can be a force in the postseason.

Assuming the Sonics make prudent draft decisions, sign smart free agents, have their youngsters develop nicely, and assuming the team doesn’t sign a star free agent, the Sonics will be contenders in an NBA generation.

Give them five years and they’ll start making noise again in the West.