RealGM

Nathan Jawai C, Cairns Taipans
Brook Lopez PF/C, Stanford
Shaun Pruitt PF/C, Illinois

1) Link?
2) When will they work out?

BTW: Brook Lopez is still working out for the T-Wolves, so he probably won't be in town for a workout before Friday.

brooks last work out was this morning.

he said he was headin to you guys after this soo..tomorrow or friday

Are you going onto all of the boards and posting draft player names? I saw you post on the Warriors board, and Kings as well. Can we see a link if this is true.

The Sonics have begun their pre-draft workouts and it began with UCLA's Kevin Love, who was one of four guys to participate today at Furtado Center. Love was joined by North Carolina State's J.J. Hickson, Ohio State's Kosta Koufos and Austrailian prospect Nathan Jawai.

Love worked out for the fourth pick and maybe Koufos if the Sonics trade down. Hickson and Jawai likely would fit into the 24th pick because both are projected as second rounders, according to draftexpress.com. Hickson, at 6-foot-9, 242 pounds, still has to decide whether to stay in the draft. Koufos, who enjoyed a solid freshman season for the Buckeyes, is staying in the draft after hiring an agent. Jawai, at 6-10, 282, is a legitimate center and definitely the kind of player general manager Sam Presti may draft and stash overseas for a few years with the 31st pick.

Hickson averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Wolfpack but may be better served by returning to Raleigh.

On Saturday, the Sonics will work out Georgetown's Roy Hibbert, IUPUI's George Hill, Illinois Shaun Pruitt and UCLA's Russell Westbrook.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/sonics/archives/140522.asp

Just to expand on Dick Tates post, I read where the Seattle Times put out the rumor of Presti trading down a little if he could pick Kevin Love. The article went on to say that Collison has high trade value and could save the Sonics money if they can get something cheaper in return such as a first round pick next season(as if we need more of those).

It doesn't seem like the thing to do to me but for fun how about this? Seattle trades down one spot with Memphis. The Sonics trade #4 and Collison for #5(Love) and Marc Gasol. It saves money for Bennett, fills the center hole, and brings onboard two players that are closer to the age of Green, and Durant to grow together for the future. Seattle could throw in the #24 in exchange for the #28, plus the Spurs and Suns picks the next two seasons if they could wrestle the Grizzlies first round pick next year from them.

Memphis gets an experienced power forward in Collison, can draft either Bayless for shooting guard or Lopez for center. I've read where Gasol may not want to play for the Grizzlies and obviously talks to his brother about the Memphis organization.

Presti then needs to manouver in a different fashion for a pointguard.

Remember, this idea is just for fun and highly unlikely.

Downtown, I don't like it. It does nothing for us and we don't really need to act based on salary constraints.

How about a trade of #4 and #24 to Golden State for Biedrins + #14. The Warriors have some serious issues resigning all their guys and may lose Biedrins in free agency. They ought to get something for him now while they can. He will get $10M when he resigns and they could replace him with a rookie. Otherwise they are going to be in luxury tax hell with him and Monta Ellis both needing big paychecks.

I know. Don't shoot the messenger though. I was simply relaying what the article said about how Presti is supposedly wanting to trade down, plus trade Collison if he can get Love.

I just wanted to get the ball rolling to see what sort of possible deals are out there if any of this rumor is true.

I mean how far down can Presti go if he does want to get Love? Memphis, New York, Millwaukee, Los Angeles?

Maybe it's all a strategy to make Minnesota not trade down from #3 so he knows who he'll be dealing with ahead of him for the draft. If Minnesota thinks they can trade down and still get Love because the team they switch with wants Mayo, and then Minnesota thinks Seattle will take Bayless, and New York Lopez then they might do it. But if they aren't sure it will play out like this because Prestii hints at Love for himself they may stay in it and take Love, thus leaving Mayo for Seattle.

Hey, that might actually be good strategy.

Patches Pal wrote:Downtown, I don't like it. It does nothing for us and we don't really need to act based on salary constraints.

How about a trade of #4 and #24 to Golden State for Biedrins + #14. The Warriors have some serious issues resigning all their guys and may lose Biedrins in free agency. They ought to get something for him now while they can. He will get $10M when he resigns and they could replace him with a rookie. Otherwise they are going to be in luxury tax hell with him and Monta Ellis both needing big paychecks.

Re-signing Biedrins and Ellis does not put the Warriors in luxury tax hell, why do you think Richardson was traded away last year.

We apparently worked out Love and the big Greek Kid from Ohio St (Kofus or whatever... I forget). Apparently Love didn't look so hot.

(from hoopshype rumors, Saturday June 7th)

Big L where on there did it say he had a ba workout cant find it.

I found this on Nathan Jawai

The NBL's most recent rookie of the year will try out with the Seattle Supersonics as he aims to join Andrew Bogut as the second Australian in the big time.

The Sonics hold both the fourth and 24th picks of the upcoming draft and one news source in Seattle has speculated that the team may be planning to use the latter first-round selection to pick the big Australian.

http://sportal.com.au/Basketball-news-display/jawai-continues-to-chase-nba-dream-49914

Come to think of it, I read as well that Koufus outplayed whoever he went up against, either Love or Brook Lopez in the workout.

I don't know if there's a trend with who they're bringing in, but I'm starting to think that Presti is looking at bigs at #24 with the likes of Koufus, Hibbert, and Jawai in so far. I bet we'll see Robin Lopez, Mareese Speights, and Jason Thompson in as well.

It wouldn't be a surprise if at least two out of the group of Koufus, Jawai, Lopez, and Hibbert were still on the board at #24. If Presti can manage to get the pointguard with the #4 pick, either at that spot, or trading down, or up, then a center makes sense. They wouldn't qualify Swift, and Sene could miss most of next season with his knee injury anyway.

All that would be left is to wheel and deal to get a perimiter defender that can play both shooting guard and small forward, and to deal one of either Watson or Ridnour to free up a spot at the point.

I've said for a while now that if Presti can manage to aquire a pointguard, center, and combo defender I'll be very pleased, especially if they can make a significant contribution next season. I don't have the stomach anymore for waiting eternally for project players.

Here you go:

"The 7-foot-1 1\/2 center is lighting up individual workouts and fighting jet lag during a whirlwind trip through NBA cities. His most recent stop in Seattle included work against UCLA's Kevin Love, and word is Koufos left the Emerald City having bested the Bruins star in one-on-one drills."

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=4 ... tegoryID=0

big L wrote:Here you go:

"The 7-foot-1 1\/2 center is lighting up individual workouts and fighting jet lag during a whirlwind trip through NBA cities. His most recent stop in Seattle included work against UCLA's Kevin Love, and word is Koufos left the Emerald City having bested the Bruins star in one-on-one drills."

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=4 ... tegoryID=0

One problem with that blurb is that KK isn't 7-foot-1 even with shoes.

big L wrote:Here you go:

"The 7-foot-1 1\/2 center is lighting up individual workouts and fighting jet lag during a whirlwind trip through NBA cities. His most recent stop in Seattle included work against UCLA's Kevin Love, and word is Koufos left the Emerald City having bested the Bruins star in one-on-one drills."

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=4 ... tegoryID=0

Sounds interesting and i wouldn't mind Koufos at #24, though i doubt that he'll be available that late.

BTW: He's a good shooter and i believe that his game suits him well in those workouts, so i expect more positive vibe about him during those next 3 weeks.

I'm looking for other articles dealing with Sonics' workouts and can't find any yet, most likely because their private. So they guy saying the "word" is, I can't trust at this point. Because we've seen what Kevin Love can do against taller opponents, especially of Koufo's athleticism.

RiseoftheSonics wrote:I'm looking for other articles dealing with Sonics' workouts and can't find any yet, most likely because their private. So they guy saying the "word" is, I can't trust at this point. Because we've seen what Kevin Love can do against taller opponents, especially of Koufo's athleticism.

Given the way the Sonics are operating under Sam Presti/Clay Bennett, i wouldn't expect a lot of information ever coming out about those draft picks.
To me, it's pretty frustrating seing what other teams sites report(videos, articles etc. for nearly every workout), while the only thing the Sonics have put up so far is a scouting report about Jerryd Bayless(a hint???).

BTW: Koufos was ranked as a a top 5 pick at the start of the season, but his mediocre season let him slip till the end of the 1st round. So i'm not totally shocked that he might rise up again and show some good stuff in workouts, cause he's got all the tools to be a solid big man(Mehmet Okur like) in this league.

Det the Threat wrote:-= original quote snipped =
BTW: Koufos was ranked as a a top 5 pick at the start of the season, but his mediocre season let him slip till the end of the 1st round. So i'm not totally shocked that he might rise up again and show some good stuff in workouts, cause he's got all the tools to be a solid big man(Mehmet Okur like) in this league.

Yeah I remember Draft Express had him at #1 or #2 at the begining of the season. Once Ohio State started to struggle, Koufos started to drop on the board.

I wouldn't mind him if the Sonics drafted him with the #24 spot. But typically I can't stand soft centers. Okur is a very talented guy but do you really want your center camped out for three? There is a reason why Jazz fans are wanting to trade Boozer for a banging center. Essentially getting rid of two of your better players.

I hope that isn't the direction the team goes, I'd rather take Hibbert who is more traditional.

It sounds like Sonics might be blowing a bit of smoke to protect the likelihood of them landing Love later in the first round if they do infact trade down?

I think the fact that it's a paper from Canton, Ohio could indicate some bias in favor of the Greek.

I can't imagine Koufos being available at 24, but you have to work someone like that out and see what he amounts to. And Det raises a good point about Koufos' jump shot giving someone like Love trouble. So IF the report is accurate, we know that Love has trouble with athletic big men like Dorsey as well as with guys who can step out and make the jump shot.

There've been some good reports on this Turkish guy Omer Asik. Any opinions?