David Locke updated his blog re: the Sonics players and coaching search. Good read. Check it:
http://www.lockedonsports.blogspot.com/
Locke also has a write-up of the current Sonics free-agency situation, with salaries. Interesting take on it all, but they might have a decent chunk of cap room to make a move or two.
SONICS FREE AGENT BREAKDOWN
SONICS FREE AGENT UPDATES
LISTED BY IMPORTANCE
RAY ALLEN – Signed deal with Sonics 5 year deal with incentives up to $80 million. Will become official on July 22nd.
Chance of Return: 100%
VLADY RADMANOVIC – The market for restricted free agents has been very quiet. Radmanovic is finding it hard to find a suitor that is willing to tie up their money in a restricted free agent. Any offer would be tied up until the 27th of July. The Sonics are trying to find a number above the mid-level that ties up Radmanovic before he gets heavy action in the market.
Chance of Return: 85%.
ANTONIO DANIELS — Daniels told me and others that he wants to be a starter. Ironically, the best spot for him may turn out to be Portland. The irony is that had the Sonics been able to sign Brent Barry or Derek Fischer a year ago, Nate McMillan and the Sonics were going to trade Daniels to Houston for a second round pick. Now McMillan is Daniels chance to start. He has also talked with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, his market is dwindling and Portland may be the stop. Chance of Returning: 0%
JEROME JAMES – The sucker has bit and his name is Isaiah Thomas. The Sonics had decided that they were willing to go to three years at the mid-level to keep Jerome, but Thomas put 5 years on the table and James has a new home. Wow what a mistake by the Knicks. This is why you draft 7 footers like Swift and Petro, because getting a center is almost impossible in the market.
Chance of return: 0%
REGGIE EVANS – Evans is a restricted free agent. The move of James may allow for Evans to return. However, where does he play? Nick Collison is ready to take the next step and Radmanovic is likely to return. There are 96 minutes to spread out between small forward and power forward. Lewis gets 38 a night and both Collison and Radmanovic are ready for around 30 a night. That leaves 6 other minutes. Unless, Collison plays some center their aren’t a lot of minutes for Evans. Look for someone, maybe Minnesota, to make an offer to Evans that is just good enough that the Sonics may have to let him go.
Chance of Return: 65%
FLIP MURRAY — Murray is getting a lot of action on the market and someone will make a mistake on Murray believing he can be a regular scorer in the NBA. He is a good sign and trade candidate for the Sonics. The Nuggets and the Wizards are the most active teams hunting for Murray.
Chance of Return: 15%
DAMIEN WILKINS – Wilkins has a very intense loyalty to Nate McMillan and would be interested in playing in Portland. However, the Blazers are over the cap and Wilkins is a restricted free agent. This means the Sonics can match any offer and unless the Blazers are going to use most of their mid-level exception on Wilkins he will be tough to pry away from the Sonics.
Chance of Returning: 75%
VITALY POTAPENKO – He will be one of the last moves of the off-season. If he drops to as low as the veteran minimum the Sonics may retain him. My guess is with James gone there is a chance he returns and plays. The Sonics are looking for a veteran to supplement to youth of Swift and Petro in the middle. Potapenko may become the answer.
Chance of Returning: 35%
SONICS CAP SITUATION
SONICS CAP SITAUTION
Salaries (in millions)
Player 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Allen 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000
Lewis 10.714 11.688 12.662 13.636
Ridnour 1.638 2.425
Collison 1.815 2.501
Fortson 6.207 6.596
Swift 1.764 1.887 2.601
Petro 900 1.006 1.077 1.939
Kutalay 733
Radmanovic ????
Wilkins ????
Potpapenko ????
Total 38.771
Cap 49 to 50
Room 11 million
Notes
Allen’s contract has not been defined year to year yet. The 15 million is an estimate. If the Sonics re-sign Radmanovic they may front load the Allen contract, however if they lose Radmanovic they would likely start Allen at the lowest number possible to open up more cap room.
If they lose Radmanovic they could go under cap at 7.9 million, but still have to sign other players. To get under they would renounce all other players.
Finally, Mkristo and Bumpus have updated their diaries:
Bumpus: http://washingtonstate.scout.com/2/395880.html
MKristo: http://washingtonstate.scout.com/2/395258.html
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