RealGM

With some of the recent buzz about who's taking who in the draft I've come up with a best-case (IMO) for the Sonics' 1st round draft. It centers around 2 trades and 2 more pieces added to our long-term core:

Trade 1:
Seattle Trades: Wilcox, #4, #32
Seattle Receives: #2 (Beasely), Blount

Miami Trades: #2, Blount
Miami Receives: Wilcox, #3 (Mayo)

Minnesota Trades: #3
Minnesota Receives: #4 (Love), #32

This trade re-orders the draft around some of the recent rumors surrounding each team. Seattle adds the next huge piece to their future and the perfect piece for a long, athletic zone with 6-10ish athletes that are interchangeable at the 2-4 (and someday 5) based on matchups. We eat the last couple of years on Blount's contract but he is basically the only serviceable C on the roster. Miami wants Mayo anyways and gets a possible long-term PF OR expiring in Wilcox depending on how his season goes. If they're in full rebuild mode they lose about $25 mil with Wilcox/Marion after next season and are in perfect position for a big FA splash. Minnesota gets the man they want (and considered at #3) in Love and get an early 2nd rounder for their efforts. They have the #31 also which they may be able to package and move up into the early 20's. Starters for Miami/Minnesota:

Miami:
PG - Mayo
SG - Wade
SF - Marion
PF - Marion
C - Haslem

Minnesota:
PG - Foye
SG - Jaric
SF - Brewer
PF - Love
C - Jefferson

Trade 2:
Seattle Trades: Collison, #24
Seattle Receives: Williams (either), #10

New Jersey Trades: Williams (either), #10
New Jersey Receives: Collison, #24

First off, I think this works with Collison's BYC status but I'm not 100%. Considering about $2.2 mil for the #10 base year and a little over $1 mil for the #24 it's within about 121%. Seattle trades a proven veteran in Collison who will put up a solid double-double to get an unproven player and move up in the draft. Basically Nick's minutes will be limited with Green/Beasely/Petro taking up most of the minutes at PF anyways and we decide to go young. Not to mention this would save clay around $4 to $5 mil the next couple of seasons. New Jersey goes into win-now mode with Carter and Jefferson aging and can still get very good value at #24. Their lineup:

New Jersey:
PG - Harris
SG - Carter
SF - Jefferson
PF - Collison
C - Krstic / Robin Lopez (?)

Depending on who's available at #10 the Sonics either go PG or C. My ideal situation is that Westbrook falls. Even though I think he's extremely risky I like him in a lineup where all you have to do is pass the ball to KD and Beasely and let them do the work, kind of like Rondo on the Celtics. He also fits perfectly in a tough zone with his 6-9ish wingspan and great perimeter defense. He can backup for the first half (or maybe whole) season while he's learning so that gives him some flexibility for his development. In this situation we obviously go with Sean Williams as the trade piece who will serve as the backup C. Lineup is:

Seattle:
PG - Watson / Westbrook / Ridnour
SG - Durant / ?
SF - Green / Wilkins
PF - Beasely / Petro
C - Blount / Williams / Sene

Decent lineup next year with a few more moves to be made. I would fully expect another Top 5 pick in 2009 so you can bank on adding a BJ Mullens/Hasheem Thabeet to form our young core. Just imagine how deadly defensively that team would be in 2 to 3 years. We'd be looking at an average height of around 6-10 that would create matchup problems across the board. Let's just hope they're playing here...

2011-12 Starting Lineup:
PG - Westbrook
SG - Durant
SF - Green
PF - Beasely
C - Thabeet

well thought out.
like your trades all make perfect sense and as a seattle fan would be happy if presti pulls them off.

But get ready to be shot down by miami,minn and new jersey posters.just joined real gm as a poster and what i have learned is that everyone over values players and draft picks for their teams.example miami will say not enough to move down and will say no straight or want something unreasonable like green as well.same for minnesota as 80% of fans want mayo even though love or lopez is a better fit.new jersey fans like williams for same reason we want him defense and block shots.

so most sonic fans would agree happy with the trades.but id be suprised if many miami,minn and nj fans would sanction these trades.

That gets me excited...

But this is a very long shot

McG wrote:2011-12 Starting Lineup:
PG - Westbrook
SG - Durant
SF - Green
PG - Beasely
C - Thabeet

Three defensive players with 3 offensive players

Too Dream or eat mushrooms

ALL GOES BELLY UP IF CHICAGO TAKES BEASLEY

I think that lineup is great but anyone have any thoughts on BJ Mullens, Thabeet, or Greg Monroe? Like which one would you prefer. Personally I would take Monroe right now. I have never seen BJ play though. Does anyone know why they aren't talking about Greg for next years draft.

you take Best player avaliable cant make that call now look how this years top 5 changed from beginning of college season.On nba draft.net mayo and beasley was ranked no1&no2,gordon no3 ,batum was no4 .rose was no5 -things change .but at this point we need a center bad.thabeet could be the next dikebe mutombo or another sene .another year in college we will learn a lot more about 2009 draft .

london sonic wrote:so most sonic fans would agree happy with the trades.but id be suprised if many miami,minn and nj fans would sanction these trades.

It's definitely difficult to be unbiased when you're thinking of trades for your team but I think the overall value is pretty close. In Trade 1 both Miami and Minnesota move down exactly one pick and, if you believe the rumors, are left with the player they wanted to begin with.

Miami also gains flexibility next summer (it looks like they're semi-rebuilding) and who knows, an insanely athletic lineup like the one above may actually put them in serious contention in the East for a few years (Mayo/Wade/Marion/Wilcox is still young).

And Minnesota get's paid to pick Love, as I just can't picture either side (team or player) being too excited about Mayo in a T-Wolves jersey (although I'm sure the fans would be).

New Jersey at first seems far off but they're at a position in the draft that is right there at the talent dropoff to Tier 3 players. I don't think the gap between 10-24 is as great as people think, and if they have any intention of keeping Jefferson/Carter than the trade makes sense.

Westbrook will be gone by 10 as suggested by most mock drafts I've seen. But I would love to pick him if he is still available.