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June 24, 2008 7:24 PM

Could Beasley fall to the Sonics?

Posted by Percy Allen

ESPN senior writer Andy Katz reported Tuesday night the Miami Heat could pull off a shocker and select USC guard O.J. Mayo with the No. 2 pick.

That would be a stunner considering the Chicago Bulls, which has the top pick, are telling Kansas State forward Michael Beasley that he's still in the running with Memphis guard Derrick Rose for the No.1 spot.

If the Heat does the unexpected and take Mayo, then Minnesota, which picks third, will have to resort to Plan B. The Timberwolves hope to draft Mayo, but if he's off the board they'l have to take a long look at Stanford center Brook Lopez or one of the top combo guards such as Arizona's Jerryd Bayless and Indiana's Eric Gordon.

Beasley doesn't make sense for Minnesota. Even though he shrunk at the combine (he's listed at 6-10, but is actually 6-7 without shoes and 6-8 1/4 with shoes) he's still a NBA power forward and that position belongs to potential All-Star Al Jefferson in Minnesota.

The folks in the Sonics War Room at the Furtado Center - not to mention Kevin Durant - would be ecastic if events unfolded like this on draft day. Durant and Beasley are childhood friends. During an interview a few weeks ago, Durant told me he loves Beasley and thinks of him as a brother.

A part of me thinks the Heat are posturing, which is an annual draft gimmick. It's no secret Miami President Pat Riley has doubts about Beasley, however, it wouldn't be unlike Riley to plant a story in an attempt to lure T-Wolves GM Kevin McHale into a trade offer for the No. 2 pick.

Over the next two days, we'll hear lots of crazy rumors and some involving the Sonics. Rumors on Tuesday and Wednesday tend to have no merit. Rumors on Thursday, however, are more legitimate so stay tuned.

After meeting with the media Tuesday, Sonics GM Sam Presti didn't divulge any secrets. It's his second year as GM, but he's quickly developed a heckuva poker face. He smiles, answers questions and says nothing.

Much more interesting than Presti's opinion on the draft were his opinions on Robert Swift, Mouhamed Sene and Mickael Gelabale.

Quick reminder. Swift played just eight games while recovering from right knee surgery. He tore meniscus in the knee and underwent surgery on March 4. Sene had microfracture surgery on his right knee after tearing his lateral meniscus April 4. Gelabale tore his right ACL on March. 18.

According to Presti: "Robert was in today. He looks good and continues to work toward getting back on the floor. He's made steady progress. Mo is the same thing. He's worked hard on his rehab. He's been very diligent and has been in the weight room just about every day, which has been kind of interesting because we've been bringing all of these draft prospects in and he's in there working out. Nick (Collison) is in working out. ... But Mo's been a regular. He looks good and getting strong. And then Gelly is obviously overseas, but things have progressed for him as well and he's rehabbing over there."

Presti said he's "still evaluating" when asked about their futures. Swift and Gelabale have contracts that expire July 1. Sene has a roster spot next year and will make $2.2 million next season.

Since Gelabale, a second-round pick in 2005, has returned home and he won't be available for training camp, he's unlikely to return. In two seasons, he averaged 4.5 points and 2.1 rebounds.

Obviously if the Sonics draft a center, Swift's days are numbered. Even if they don't take a center, the team isn't likely to re-sign him and save $3.6 million.

If I were GM, I'd let Swift walk and try to sign with another team, which will be next to impossible because nobody wants an unproven center recovering from knee surgeries who hasn't played in two years. Then the Supes can re-sign Swift - if they have a roster spot - just before camp for the veteran's minimum and a one-year, incentive-laden contract.

It's cold and heartless, but it's the smart move.

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Submit a comment

Posted by shane/olympia

1:11 AM, Jun 25, 2008

cold and heartless the sonics NOOO!

hey i like the idea though.

i think if the sonics could have it there way the players would go

rose
beasley
mayo
westbrook
bayless
lopez

i think the best move is to draft a guard (mayo) if beasley and rose are gone. then draft one of those falling bigs with the second pick.

jordan
mcgee
speights
hibbert
lopez (robin)
randolph
koufos

then athletes with the second round picks
weaver
walker
lee
cdr
devon hardin
jamont gordan
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
J.R. Giddens
Sonny Weems
Mike Taylor
demarcus nelson

Posted by jd928

7:56 AM, Jun 25, 2008

The Sonics don't need an undersized power forward like Beasley....regardless of whether he is best friends with Durant or not.

They desperately need a point guard. Rose will be gone, but Bayless or Mayo should be available.

It's nice to hear that Sene may be back. He has very good athleticism. Swift has been a complete bust. A minimum salary would be very generous.

Posted by Wsumojo

11:12 AM, Jun 25, 2008

I'm surprised if GM's were giving McIllvaine and Calvin Booth $40-$50 million deals a while back, why no one would think Swift has potential still since he's still young and snatch him up for just a couple mil?? I for one don't think you can get him back for just minimum even after all that missed time.

Posted by scottM

11:23 AM, Jun 25, 2008

from Dawgone in AZ: "Just seems to me that either (a) seattle doesn't care or (b) seattle is not distressed until the vans are loading up or (c) the poor Times reporting on the trial has rendered the blog useless."

Or you forgot, (d), this is at its core a dry contractual trial about which most non-lawyers are ill-equipped to discuss with any level of authority. Even the sports reporters covering it admit to being over their heads on legal fine points.

So what, the blog isn't overflowing with: "It s*cks that the Sonics are being poached by these OKC thieves." About 2,500 fans showed up on the courthouse steps to say this very thing quite loudly.

Posted by shane/olympia

11:29 AM, Jun 25, 2008

beasley is a stud and yes they need pg badly which is rose but that won't happen, mayo and bayless are combo guards and westbrook could be a solid true pg, that could also be said for dj augstine(former texas teammate with durant).

but if you are able to take the 2nd pick in the draft 2 years in a row and have them be best buds you take them.

it would be nice if we could stay put and get beasley or mayo, if they are both gone by then i would want them to either take lopez or trade down and take westbrook

Posted by m

1:25 PM, Jun 25, 2008

Sonics should trade down then draft a center either love or lopez. doesnt matter who they pick. both would be an improvement in what they currently have. Sonic starting 5 next year would be durrant, green, wilcox, watson and brook lopez at center.

Posted by srkboy23

2:01 PM, Jun 25, 2008

If Beasley is available, we have to get him. I'm one of those people who believes in taking the best player available, regardless of position.

If we really need to get a PG, we could possibly get someone like Mario Chalmers or Kyle Weaver with our 24th or 32nd pick.

For Centers, I would wait until next year when there will be much more talented big men available early. Blake Griffin, BJ Mullens, or Hasheem Thabet would certainly be better in the long term than Kevin Love, or the Lopez's.

Posted by shane/olympia

2:06 PM, Jun 25, 2008

love would be an udersized power forward

after the elite players are gone in rose, beasley, and mayo i think lopez would be the best move, unless they are really high on westbrook and think he can be the point guard of the future

this draft is so hard to figure out since everyone thinks there will be some deals done and the sonics could be in them either moving down or up?

Posted by clownbaby40

2:29 PM, Jun 25, 2008

m, if Earl Watson is the starting PG next year, I will help pack the vans to OKC. I cannot stand another year of Earl standing around waiting for the clock to wind down, pass to an unopen teammate that has to pass back so earl can shot. I would rather have Flip Murray back, I can't stand Earl at the point. But I will never question his heart or motivation, he was one of the few that wanted to win and was pissed when they lost, he just doesn't have the skill set.

Posted by shane/olympia

2:46 PM, Jun 25, 2008

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=DraftWatch-080625&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2fdraft2008%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dford_chad%26page%3dDraftWatch-080625

espn listed 1st round players and the teams associated with them

they linked

beasley
bayless
lopez
westbrook
eric gordan

with the 24 and 32 pick
serge ibaka
javale mcgee
nicolas batum
cdr
ante tomic
dj white
omar asik
nathan jawai

i am not sure if the sonics should big then small, small then big, or just both smalls

big then small
lopez
cdr

small and big
mayo
mcgee
or
westbrook
ibaka
or
bayless
jawai
or combos of the above

small and small (try and get a point and a shooting guard)
mayo
cdr
or
westbrook
chalmers
or
bayless
weaver

Posted by shane/olympia

2:58 PM, Jun 25, 2008

good article on the draft for the sonics and presti

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ian_thomsen/06/24/sonics.draft/index.html?eref=T1

Posted by t

5:16 PM, Jun 25, 2008

Sonics will draft a center/power forward with first pick in draft. Either 7 foot 258 pound brooks lopez or 6 - 10 foot 255 pound kevin love. Seatttle rebounding last year was awful on both ends of floor. Seattle has their shooters in durrent and green, they just need a monster to rebound the basketball. The hard part is deciding which one seattle sonics should choose. All the current sonic centers are worthless. And the current power forwards with the sonics do not dominate the boards.

Posted by shane/olympia

5:24 PM, Jun 25, 2008

i agree with ya that the sonics centers are worthless except collison who should be a power forward but he works his back side off.

i hope its beasley or lopez and not love.
beasley is a scorer and a great rebounder
lopez is a true 7 foot center with good post moves
love is under sized and dosen't have the upside like beasley

i am pumped for the draft!

Posted by shane/olympia

12:09 AM, Jun 26, 2008

after looking at the article in the P.I. i think presti's ideal situation would be to get Lopez at center and trade up to get a point guard in augstine or chalmers. unless the heat deal with the sonics and land beasley then go for a center and pg with the 24 and 32 pick

something like
beasley
javale mcgee/ deandre jordan
kyle weaver/jamont gordan

there is a lot of guessing going but at the end of the day i would like to see any of these players
rose
beasley
mayo
lopez
westbrook
chalmers
augstine
cdr
eric gordan
hibbert
deandre
2nd round
courtney lee
weaver
gordan
devon hardin
joey dorsey
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
demarcus nelson
bill walker
darnell jackson
jr giddens