Bench or Starting Lineup this Offseason?

[RJ 24]

What do you guys want to improve the most? I would rather build an impressive bench this year and leave our starting lineup as is. With a bench containing SWAT, Hassell, M. Williams, #10, #21, Stro, (Boki maybe), and MLE, we could get a bench resembling those of the glory days. What do you guys think?

[Preludepunk27]

I'd like to add a consistant above average guy to start at the 4, and 1-2 average-to-slightly above average vets that will limit mistakes. Preferably a guy that can play the 1 and 2 to back up both Harris and Vince and hopefully a 3 that can also play the 4 if we wanted to go small (so a guy like 6' 8"-6' 9") If we did those two on the bench, I'm completely fine with having Hassell, Boone, S-Will, #10, #21, #40 on our bench. Hopefully we can accomplish the starting 4 by packaging Stro/Marcus together and use the MLE and LLE or use the TE from the Kidd deal to get the combo guard and combo forward.

For combo guard, I still think Janero Pargo would be great backing up Harris. He can play the 2 as well. I've been high on him since his days in Chicago. We've tried to get him in the past and I think he'd fit into our system pretty well.

In terms of a swing man who can play the 3 (and the 4 at times) and the guy we can start at the 4, I really have no clue. Besides Boki and Cliffy, We haven't had a swingman and/or big man work for years the way he had hoped.

[Rich Rane]

As always for the last four years or so...

If we're going for contention...
1.) Solid athletic and consistent 4
2.) Consistent swingman to come off the bench
3.) Rest of bench

[RJ 24]

I would love to get Gallinari at 10 and to have Speights drop to 21. (I would even take Arthur or Hickson or Jordan) With Gallinari off the bench and hopefully Speights starting at the 4, our bench would be great. Like someone said before, Pargo would be a nice pickup.

PG - Harris/Pargo/M. WIll
SG - VC/Gallinari/Ager
SF - RJ/Boki/Hassell
PF - Speights/SWAT/Stro
C - Boone/Krstic

I think thats a pretty good team. Our starters would be balanced and our bench would be greatly improved over last year.

[halfHAVOC]

just get wilcox or speights to start at the 4 and a really good bench.

[Downtown]

Sonics fan here. Sorry guys to keep beating it to death, but I think our teams have some assets that could work for each other. I see Chris Wilcox still comes up on your board. I do believe that he would provide the explosive low post offense for your team. Crazy athleticism, I was at the game the night he scored 24 points and grabbed 26 rebounds against the Rockets.

The biggest question you guys need to ask is would he get the ball enough? He really isn't a complimentary player but rather he needs to get touches to get his feel for the game. When he is used sporatically he sometimes fades out, but when he gets it rolling and gets involved in the game early he pretty much is unstoppable, and I mean that. But would Carter and Jefferson dominate the ball so much that Wilcox became an afterthought in the offense?

Since he is playing for a new contract next summer I expect his best season ever from him. He specifically asked for a three year deal with Seattle last time because he said he wanted to prove he would turn into a big contributor at the age he starts to come into his prime. People forget that even though he's been around a number of years he is only 25 years old( I think). The motivation is there for him next season.

Now that this sounds like a sales job, I guess I have to say which assets would come back Seattle's direction. From my own personal standpoint I like both Josh Boone and Sean Williams. Seattle suffered from a terrible inside(I should say lack of) defensive presence last season(actually the last five years). Either Boone or Wiliams are of the age that could grow together with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.

I wonder if it could work since your team is looking to win now and could use an experienced low post scorer and rebounder and Seattle could use a young inside player that could learn the game over time yet is good enough to get significant minutes now on a rebuilding team. I don't know what else you could throw in that would make the contracts match mind you.

Sorry if this is an offensive(no pun intended) offer. I really don't know how much you value both Boone and Williams. I think I might put this idea on the Sonics board and see what they think.

[Preludepunk27]

Yeah we talk about Wilcox on the board a lot. The problem is every time he comes up and we discuss trades, we never want to give up any form of value for him (i.e. Boone, Sean Williams, 1st round picks).

If you guys were willing to take Stro and KVH, then I think eventually we'd have to do this deal. But I'm not giving up any form of value for him because I personally don't like him.

Regardless this would probably be a late off-season deal because we'd obviously be looking for a better player in our eyes first. But if this was an August/September addition and you guys were willing to take expirings, then we can make something work. Don't expect to get someone would be part of your "future" though.

[halfHAVOC]

well wilcox would get touches.

as long as krstic is not playing as much he would


Carter is a very unselfish player, and jefferson has improved his play making ability + harriss can set him up as well.

[deviljets7]

On Wilcox,

I honestly think Stro plus 21 is probably fair value for Wilcox. The problem I personally have with the move is that I don't think the team is good enough (even with Wilcox) to be trading away a draft pick. The Net fans were are against rebuilding might disagree with me though.

For the same reason above, I doubt many Sonic fans would endorse a trade of say Donyell Marshall and pick #24 for Artest. The value is good, but if you're not anywhere close to contending, why give up youth for veterans?

[S.I.C. GM]

I agree with Devil.

Wilcox would help but I dont think he is the answer. Anyway doesnt the Sonics have like 100 draft picks this year?

Wilcox + 32 pick for expiring and 21 even that doesnt make me bite.

[Adam1221]

Downtown that's a very fair offer but I dont think Thorn will give Boone or Sean for Chris Willcox who'se a great player that we desperately need.
I think something along the lines of Marcus Williams (a kid whose very young and has some amazing upside that just cant be shown here in NJ because of our incompitent coach and the fact that we're already covered in the PG position for the years to come and for right now) and KVH's contract (a very valuable expiring) and maybe even our 21st pick for his contract is a great trade for both sides.
You guys get a future piece in Marcus Williams that will lead the future movement you guys have going right now along with Durrant, the #4 pick and Green add a 21st pick and youre in a prime position for rebuilding while we finally get that well rounded big man we've been looking for ever since Kenyon Martin left.

On the subject of what I want improved- the bench or the starting lineup Im gonna have to say the bench.
If there's one thing I've noticed about this team ever since the Kidd trade is that after a point where we would trail by like 8 points we'd go on 20-5 run's take the lead and when Vince or Harris would go to the bench the team would just completley stop scoring (the Denver game is an example I remember especially well).
That's why I believe Danillo coming from the bench can be extremley effective for us.

[MrDollarBills]

The bench needs to improved if we have any chance of even hanging close against the Celtics, Cavs, Pistons, and Magic. We need a legit poster scorer as well, if Krstic cannot return to his 17 and 7 self we are in trouble

Wicox get touches??? Are you sure about this?? Lawrence Frank doesn't have any plays in the "offense" that calls for a big man to post up. In fact, i haven't seen that type of play call from the Nets in so long, i forgot what it looks like to see a big man in a Nets uni work down low.

[S.I.C. GM]

We arent hanging with none of those teams with a bench.

All those teams have a F'n guy that dominates takes over a game or has the balls to take an important shot.

We dont have jack. We have a Vince and a Richard. No JACK HERE!!!!!

[TheNetsFan]

You always improve your starting line-up if possible. The bench is always priority #2.

[mack69]

IMO I think getting a post presence has and always be the #1 goal. A veteran of course! Unfortunately, this has been the greatest problem for our management. I would mind having a young player to fill into two starter slots. Use the MLE to fill in a key sixth man spot.

The #10 pick should be a starter. #21 a developmental player and the 40th a player that we can develop unlike the way we handle Hassan Adams.

[mack69]

Sonics fan here. Sorry guys to keep beating it to death, but I think our teams have some assets that could work for each other. I see Chris Wilcox still comes up on your board. I do believe that he would provide the explosive low post offense for your team. Crazy athleticism, I was at the game the night he scored 24 points and grabbed 26 rebounds against the Rockets.

The biggest question you guys need to ask is would he get the ball enough? He really isn't a complimentary player but rather he needs to get touches to get his feel for the game. When he is used sporatically he sometimes fades out, but when he gets it rolling and gets involved in the game early he pretty much is unstoppable, and I mean that. But would Carter and Jefferson dominate the ball so much that Wilcox became an afterthought in the offense?

Since he is playing for a new contract next summer I expect his best season ever from him. He specifically asked for a three year deal with Seattle last time because he said he wanted to prove he would turn into a big contributor at the age he starts to come into his prime. People forget that even though he's been around a number of years he is only 25 years old( I think). The motivation is there for him next season.

Now that this sounds like a sales job, I guess I have to say which assets would come back Seattle's direction. From my own personal standpoint I like both Josh Boone and Sean Williams. Seattle suffered from a terrible inside(I should say lack of) defensive presence last season(actually the last five years). Either Boone or Wiliams are of the age that could grow together with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.

I wonder if it could work since your team is looking to win now and could use an experienced low post scorer and rebounder and Seattle could use a young inside player that could learn the game over time yet is good enough to get significant minutes now on a rebuilding team. I don't know what else you could throw in that would make the contracts match mind you.

Sorry if this is an offensive(no pun intended) offer. I really don't know how much you value both Boone and Williams. I think I might put this idea on the Sonics board and see what they think.

If I am the Sonics you will need to give Wilcox another year with Durant and Green. Hopefully, with the draft maybe you can get Bayless.

Simply speaking the key for us is to make significant deal that free up cap space in 2010. Like Prelude mention we will consider it only if we are not able to make the big deal and it make sense at the end of the summer.

[kamaze]

Well I'd like to get a defensive/somewhat consistent/ borderline starter shooting guard aka Carlos Delfino.

If they keep all the picks I'd like to see 1 or 2 solid bigs and a shooter drafted.
*A blockbuster trade would have me essssssstatic.

5 days till the NBA draft

[Birth of the Cool]

Well I'd like to get a defensive/somewhat consistent/ borderline starter shooting guard aka Carlos Delfino.

On a team full of average/poor defenders Carlos Delfino was one of the worst.

He's also inconsistent on offense.

The only good thing about Delfino is his contract.

[Rich Rane]

We arent hanging with none of those teams with a bench.

All those teams have a F'n guy that dominates takes over a game or has the balls to take an important shot.

We dont have jack. We have a Vince and a Richard. No JACK HERE!!!!!

Really, SIC? You think Jarrett Jack is the answer to the team's problems?

I'm still getting used to this whole new layout. I wasn't sure which green was good for exaggeration.

Anyway, spot on.

[Downtown]

Hi there. One last try.

So I gather Wilcox wouldn't be the answer because of wanting to free up cap space and after this season it would cost more to re-sign him. Is that correct?

Here's my latest offer. The #4, #24, and Johan Petro for the #10, #20, and Josh Boone. You could draft Kevin Love for power forward. He would be on his cheaper rookie contract for a few years and would look pretty good I think for you guys. The #24 pick is a little cheaper than the #20. And Johan Petro is a 7 footer who can play both center and power forward, and is very quick and athletic, it's just his learning of the game that needs time. But check out his stats which showed good progress as the season went on.

Seattle gets either Westbrook or Augustin at #10. At #20 they can pick up a decent player(that 20-25 range will be tough to predict this draft). Boone can probably start at center for the Sonics and is a liitle more reliable than Petro.

Is this a bit closer to what you're looking for or should I give it up?