Category: Seattle SuperSonics Blog

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Dan Raley) reports: Unlike his former NBA team, James Donaldson won’t be leaving town soon. The one-time Sonics center is interested only in making a deeper connection to Seattle. On Wednesday, Donaldson, 50, will announce plans to run for Seattle City Council in 2009, describing himself as a made-to-order leader and a person devoted to his hometown of the past 30 years… A California native and Washington State alumnus, Donaldson played 14 seasons with five teams in the NBA, the first three years for the Sonics. Teaming with Jack Sikma and Lonnie Shelton, he was part of a huge Seattle front line that was nicknamed “the Winnebago Wall.” He was an All-Star selection for the Dallas Mavericks.

General Manager Sam Presti announced today that guard Earl Watson underwent successful surgery yesterday in Los Angeles for a fracture of the right thumb. Watson suffered the injury on Monday while preparing for the upcoming season in a basketball game in Los Angeles. Watson is expected to make a full recovery and be available for the start of the 2008-09 season.

Last season, Watson averaged career highs in points (10.7), assists (6.8), rebounds (2.9) and minutes (29.1). Over his seven-year NBA career, Watson has averaged 7.4 ppg, 4.5 apg and 2.2 rpg in 529 games.

InsideHoops.com says: Either Watson or Luke Ridnour (probably Ridnour) may be traded by the time next season starts.

The Sonics are officially moving to Oklahoma City (see the news), but the team name will remain with the city of Seattle. I just spoke with an Oklahoma City-based representative of the team, and was told that they will reveal the new name “soon.” I was told they haven’t actually decided on a final new name yet, and that OKC ownership is working with the league and accepting their suggestions while making the final selection.

– Jeff

Seattle SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti announced today that guard Earl Watson suffered a fracture of the right thumb while preparing for the upcoming season in a basketball game in Los Angeles. The injury has a typical recovery period of three to four months. Watson is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday, July 3 in Los Angeles.

“We are confident Earl will work hard towards a healthy and timely recovery and look forward to getting him back on the court,” Presti said.

Last season, Watson averaged career highs in points (10.7), assists (6.8), rebounds (2.9) and minutes (29.1). Over his seven-year NBA career, Watson has averaged 7.4 ppg, 4.5 apg and 2.2 rpg in 529 games.

The AP reports: Turns out, Seattle leaders have some issues with e-mail, too. After months of enduring bombshell releases of incriminating messages that seemed to doom their case, the SuperSonics have produced damning e-mail from Seattle power brokers in the trial that will determine whether the team will move to Oklahoma City or be forced to play the final two years of its lease at Seattle’s KeyArena. Federal judge Marsha Pechman will hear closing arguments Thursday to end this six-day trial. The Sonics lawyers introduced evidence last week showing the former U.S. senator whom the city hired to lead its effort to keep the team was involved in a “poisoned well” plan to force Sonics owner Clay Bennett – the supposed villain in this civic drama – into losing so much money he would sell the team to local buyers. But how much will that matter?

The Tacoma News Tribune (Eric D. Williams) reports: “Although he remains unpopular with fans, former Seattle SuperSonics player and executive Wally Walker’s commitment to keeping professional basketball in his adopted hometown is undeniable. Walker was part of an effort to keep the Sonics, with whom he has been involved for more than 30 years, in Seattle for the long term, even after the ownership group he was part of – led by Howard Schultz – sold the team to Clay Bennett’s group. Attorneys for the Sonics have the documents to prove it. Walker’s role as a consultant for the City of Seattle, and his relationship with a private investment group led by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, served as the focus Friday during the trial between the city and the Sonics over terms of the KeyArena lease.”

The AP reports: A deal is a deal, and the SuperSonics should stay. That was the message from city of Seattle lawyers as a federal trial began Monday to determine whether the NBA franchise will be forced to stay at KeyArena until its lease expires in 2010. SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett is trying to move the team — Seattle’s oldest professional sports franchise — to his hometown of Oklahoma City, two years before the lease expires. Bennett, who sat expressionless at the defense table, is hoping to pay Seattle no more than $10 million in lost rent for the next two seasons.

The Seattle Times (Percy Allen) reports: UCLA forward/center Kevin Love highlighted a quartet of draft hopefuls that began workouts for the Sonics on Thursday. Love was joined at the Furtado Center by Ohio State 7-foot center Kostas Koufos, North Carolina State 6-9 forward J.J. Hickson and 6-10 Australian Nathan Jawai. Today the Sonics will bring in Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, UCLA 6-4 guard Russell Westbrook, Illinois 6-9 forward Shaun Pruitt and George Hill, a 6-2 guard out of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.