While I don't think that anybody was surprised by the firings, for ease of the term, of Bob Hill and Rick Sund, what did surprise me was that the team didn't use the opportunity to make a bigger splash, to get the fan base (or what's left of it) excited, to generate some buzz about a dwindling product that is a distant fourth in the marketplace in terms of interest and excitement. With all the bad news that has been revolving around the franchise of late, primarily with the failed bid for an arena and the possibility of leaving the region, today was the perfect chance to make the statement that Clay Bennett is serious about building a championship contender.

Instead, Clay chose to issue a two-paragraph release prepared by his pr staff that really I thought did his organization a disservice. Now I understand that Clay is at odds with the local media and feels that he has been mistreated from the very first day it was announced that he purchased the team, and I also understand that he feels that no matter what he does he is cast in a negative light, but what I don’t understand is the cutting off his nose to spite his face – or at least his organization’s face. Why not hold a press conference that would get national exposure on SportsCenter and local exposure on every station and in every newspaper? Why not go on KJR to garner interest from that crowd, which clearly is focused on the Mariners right now? Why not use the opportunity to make a lasting impression about his stewardship of the organization and this day as the first step toward a bright, winning future, regardless of where that would be? Even if it does not get fans in Seattle overly excited, it may get fans in OKC more interested.

Instead, he left a gaping hole of questions, including most importantly what is the role of Lenny Wilkens and what are the parameters Lenny is going to use to make these new hires? We said all along that this ownership change was going to get ugly, and it may not be viable because of the circumstances, and we are smack dab in the middle of the ugliness, a new owner painfully learning the inherent difficulties of purchasing a franchise with a lackluster present and a questionable future.

Now, outside of the team’s handling of today’s announcement, the other questions to be answered regard, obviously, the hires themselves. With the GM, do they go young, up-and-coming or established name? My gut tells me a young guy who will work in concert with and take direction from Lenny – though that person could be on his own in a year if the team moves to OKC and Lenny decides he does not want to move with it. (So many moving parts to this thing, it makes one’s head spin.) Some names in both categories include John Gabriel (Portland), John Hammond (Detroit), Tony Ronzone (Detroit), Sam Presti (San Antonio), David Griffin (Phoenix), Wayne Cooper (Sacramento) and Jerry West.

As for coach, I think it would be difficult to hire a young guy because it is such a gamble at a time that there needs to be stability, but a new owner may have different ideas and different confidence in their hires. Names in both categories include Marc Iavaroni, Rick Adelman, Rick Carlisle, Brian Shaw, Doug Collins, Dean Demopolous and P.J. Carlesimo.

As for me, I am heading out on vacation. I’ll blog when I get back. Somebody email me and let me know what’s going on. I have a feeling I’ll have a lot of catching up to do.

I blogged yesterday after the locker room cleanout, but we must have had some computer gltiches because when I went on this morning it was not posted. So what I had said in that posting was that I will continue to blog even in the offseason. I am taking some time next Wednesday to shed the manacles of this season, and I will be out of commission during that period, but when I get back I will be blogging regularly, whether it is the draft or free agency or new hires, whatever the case.

Speaking of new hires, Bob Hill remains the coach for now, though I fully expect that to change by the middle of next week. My understanding is Clay is coming into town early next week and something will be done. Now, if they make a move this weekend and then let Clay do a separate news conference, I am not sure. But I can't see this thing moving past the middle of next week. Clay has been late on just about everything he has said since taking over ownership, which to me seems funny because aren't those boys from Oklahoma known as the Sooners, not the Laters? Perhaps he didn't get the memo.

If they do start a new search, my first choice for coach would be Rick Adelman. I am writing a column on that for Sunday's paper but basically my thinking is that if you are going to keep this roster intact, why even pretend that it is going to play defense? Go out and get the best -- or at least one of the best -- offensive minds in the game and play to the strengths of Ray and Rashard. Adelman was 8-for-8 in getting to the playoffs in Sacramento, and I don' think there was any prettier system run. Iavaroni is my second choice, but he is unproven and is a gamble to a degree -- and in the back of my mind I have to wonder how Iavaroni's relationship with Wally affects ownership's decision on him since the new owners clearly were not fond of the way Wally departed.

I also wonder if Jerry West is available. Would the team make that type of commitment, and what would Lenny's role be if they went after West? Lenny plays the X factor in all this because if he wants significant say in all things basketball, that is going to restrict who you can bring in as GMs or player personnel guys. It's putting a lot of faith in Lenny, I hope he is up to it.

Hey, we actually have some basketball to discuss, imagine that. Apparently Mavs coach Avery Johnson is going to play all his starters at least part of the game, which comes as something of a surprise since he played none of them last night. Sonics coach Bob Hill said the team prepared at the walkthrough as if it was playing against the starters and would adjust if the reserves get extended time.

Randy Livingston is heading back to Boise tomorrow morning for the NBDL playoffs, though Sene is not. I was told that playoff rosters for D league teams had to be set by Sunday, and Sene was not included on the roster so cannot play. By the way, Livingston was given the league MVP award last week.

A pretty quiet locker room, more reporters than players, which is unusual. Not sure what all the reporter are doing out here given the magnitude of the game, but I guess because it is the last game of the season. Earl was in the locker room moving around pretty well, but obviously will not play. Hill said he held a brief discussion with Luke but he is not ready either.

And despite Clay's assertion on his teleconference that there will be an announcement on Bob by the end of the week, I am getting the impression that nothing is going to happen until the weekend or early next week. Unless my instincts are way off, I would say it is 90 percent that Bob his gone. Clay is at the Board of Governors on Thursday and Friday in New York, and I think he probably wants to be available or even in town for any announcement. Concerning Rick Sund, I dont really have a sense, to be completely honest. Common sense says he may be relieved of his duties and the organization starts over all in one clean move, but there are mitigating factors that may change that, including the draft and that he has one year remaining on his contract.

The teleconference Clay had with reporters today re: the latest arena developments has been covered pretty extensively, so I wont rehash all that. But at the end of the teleconference, I asked Clay if the latest news about the arena affects at all the team's decision on Bob Hill or Rick Sund. He lapsed into his King Prevaricate mode, saying on the one hand it would be difficult to invest in a team that clearly is leaving town, then caught himself and said the new owners are still committed to building a championship team. Now, the reference to investing in a winner could have been a reference to re-signing Rashard Lewis, but A) I asked him specifically about Bob and Rick, not Rashard, and B) that would seem to be short-sighted regardless of where the team is playing. I followed up that question by asking him if any announcements regarding Bob or Rick are forthcoming, and he said he expects an announcement by the end of the week. Clay is in New York for the NBA's Board of Governors meeting, which is Thursday and Friday, so I assume he would conclude the BofG meetings and then jump on another teleconference about the futures of Bob and Rick.

Bob spoke extensively after practice today, saying that he has not control over ownership's decision but that he thinks the organization needs continuity and stability more than anything else, not another coach who will install a new system and new philosophies. Bob also said he will play all players tonight in the season finale as a thank you for the hard work put in all season, which to me says the Sonics will try to tank the game as much as the Mavs. At least the Sonics have something to gain by losing. The Mavs could care less either way.

Also. Bob said the team will discuss whether to send Sene back to the D League for the NBDl playoffs, though he suspects they will.

This information is coming mostly from our Olympia reporter, Sean Cockerham, who has been doing a great job following this story. The legislature rejected the Sonics' bid for $300 million in state money, prompting Clay Bennett to issue a statement saying their is little chance the Sonics and Storm can remain in the Puget Sound region. The statement was strongly worded, and I was told Clay was pretty angry at the decision. According to Sean, the legislature got Gov. Chris Gregoire to phone Clay and ask him to move his deadline, basically asking him to come back next year and try again. His answer was a flat no. The issue, of course, is not completely dead, as we learned with the Mariners stadium in 95. As Clay told some allies a few weeks ago, this is when the real negotiating begins.

A few of my own thoughts and questions: What does this now mean for the coaching staff and Rick Sund? Because if this is going to be a lame-duck season next year, why bother going out and getting a brand-new coach and brand-new staff. It might make sense just to keep everybody in place, let the year play out and then make changes, if it comes to that, when the team is ready to move. That may go against sound decision-making on the business side, but it could play out that way.

Also, what happens if the Sonics miraculously get the first or second pick in the NBA draft? Wouldn't it be beautiful if the old cold envelope came into play on May 22, the chance of getting Greg Oden fires up the city and then they realize that the team is about to leave and one of the premier players of the future with it? Would that get people inspired enough to build the arena?

How does Clay figure out the lease if he decides to leave after next season? There still will be a couple years left on the lease with KeyArena and $30 million or so in debt left to be covered. Is the only way to negotiate his way out of it to pay off the leftover debt? I have to think at this point that the gloves come off with Clay and he begins playing hardball. Well, we said all along this was going to get bloody. The bloodletting has begun.

I walked out to the court at Staples Center and the first person I run into is Vlade Radmanovic wearing some crazy hair thing. He looked like he was getting ready to put a wig on for a Broadway play, and I resisted the deep temptation to ask him how the slopes were in Park City. Kwame Brown and Jordan Farmar are starting for the Lakers, who are desperate for a win given their tenuous position in the playoff seeding. A few more losses and they could miss the postseason altogether.

We spent a lot of time talking with Bob Hill in pregame. We usually get about 15 minutes, but a bunch of topics came up and he just kept going. One of the things he said for the first time, though he did not elaborate, is that his point guards (Luke and Earl) don't get along. Here was his quote: "For me it has been an interesting experience to try to manage a team with so many injuries. I mean, you lose both point guards. When I first got here, we only had one point guard -- because Flip (Murray) wasn't one. Then we had two -- and they didn't get along. We had three, excuse me, three, and two of them didnt get along. Then we came into this season and I said, OK, the two of them together will be good enough and accept it. And that didn't work. Now we are down to one, one and a half."

Bob said he would not have thought that Mike Wilks could be a full-time backup point, but the last two games have made him reconsider. I also asked Bob why it is not a team mandate that Luke Ridnour wear tape on his ankles since if he gets hurt -- as he did -- it negatively impacts the team. Bob said he didnt know. He said maybe it is something the organization needs to visit in the future. On top of no tape, Luke wears low-top shoes. It will be interesting to see if he changes up when/if he comes back next season.

We were asking Bob about being a GM, and he said he would not mind having that job if it came down to it. He has worked with six or seven over the course of his career and said it is a somewhat intriguing job.

Bob also said he did not watch the tape of Saturday's game, the first time this year he has not watched a tape. He said he was disgusted with the effort and did not want to rewatch it.

Very quiet locker room. Brandon Roy is not playing for the Blazers, who are dressing only nine players. Roy has problems in both knees. This game goes a long way toward deciding the ping pong ball count for the draft lottery. Sonics and Blazers both have 31 wins. Loser of this game probably gets more chances at a higher pick. Bob Hill said before the game he asked the players a few days ago about what these last three games mean to them. He said Damien Wilkins responded, "We get to play." That satisfied Hill that the players were not mailing it in.

Speaking of Hill, he said he does not have any meetings planned with Clay Bennett for after the season. Hill said there will be exit interviews Thursday, staff meeting Friday, and he is leaving for Texas on Saturday. He said he is scheduled to have surgery for a hernia on Tuesday in Texas, something that he has had to manage all season long.

Things are looking a little grim in Olympia. The Sonics should know by MOnday night whether or not their arena package is going to be pushed through the House. Chris gregoire is meeting with the House on Monday, I am told, to determine if a vote should be put through. The team will know by MOnday evening what the outcome is. Frank Chopp apparently is still fighting this thing. Could get very interesting next week. I wonder how the stuff in Olympia may affect the decisions on the coaching staff and GM as far as timing is concerned.

OK, so here was the details of what happened with Randy Livingston and Earl back in 2001-02, when Earl was left off the playoff roster in favor of Livingston. The other irony that Livingston pointed out while we were interviewing him was that he initially came to the Sonics because of an injury to Earl. Livingston had played for the Suns the year before, and with Jason Kidd out he started in a playoff series against San Antonio. The Suns upset the Spurs. And so the Sonics thought Livingston would be useful when they faced the Spurs in the first round, leaving Earl off the playoff roster. They pushed that series to five games but ultimately lost but it made Earl angry and he left that summer for Memphis. Anyway, Livingston said he expects to be named the MVP of the D league in the next few days, so it's a little bizarre this is the first time he was picked up by a team. But he has little upside because he is 32 years old. The Sonics signed him instead of Mateen Cleaves because he has size and the Sonics did not want to have two 5-10 point guards.

Danny Fortson is not here, he had an excused absence to stay home. Personal issues.

I asked Bob if he was thinking about playing Rashard less time in fear of him getting hurt like everybody else. His response was that Rashard is in a contract year and would shoot him if he did not allow him to play his normal minutes. So you'll be seeing Rashard 38 minutes a game for the next four games.

Nothing abnormal came back on Luke's MRI. Just a sprained ankle. Bob said even if Luke or Earl were able to play, he doubts he would even play them because they are not going to be 100 percent.

The Sonics' point guard replacement for the remainder of the season will be Randy Livingston. The Sonics contacted Mateen Cleaves but he also has been talking to Denver, and my guess is he would rather catch on with the playoff-bound Nuggets then with Seattle. It is wildly ironic that Livingston is coming to Seattle because of an injury to Earl Watson since Livingston is the reason that Watson left in the first place. Remember when Earl was a rookie, in 2001, and Livingston was signed? The Sonics were headed to the playoffs against San Antonio, and though Watson was a point guard of the future and needed experience, the Sonics decided to leave Watson off the playoff roster and put Livingston on it because they felt he would be a better fit. That irked Watson and he ended up leaving that summer for Memphis -- something that Nate McMillan still second-guesses. Now Livington is back, he had been playing for the Idaho Stampede of the NBDL, averaging 12.3 points and 10.6 assists, and will meet the team in Phoenix for tomorrow's game.

The Sonics held an optional practice today, with Mo Sene, Gelabale, Swift, Andre Brown and Danny Fortson all showing up. They were shooting around when I got there, not much happening.

This is becoming a joke. Two games after Luke Ridnour went down with an injured ankle, Earl Watson landed on the foot of Dikembe Mutombo after taking a first-quarter jump shot and rolled his left ankle. He looked like he was in a lot of pain and rolled around on the floor before the training staff got there. He was carried off the court to the locker room just as Luke was. It seems unlikely he will return but we'll see.

Rockets forward Bonzi Wells is not at the arena, apparently text messaging the team's trainer that he felt he was being a distraction (as if failing to show up for a game is not a distraction). Not exactly what a team fighting for the fourth seed in the playoffs needs, especially one which has lost three of four, but it's not like Bonzi doesn't have a history of such things.

On Sonics ' side, Bob Hill said the team's comeback against Utah the other night was one of the best he has ever been a part of, particularly given the opponent and the circumstances.

Since Rashard said a few years back he wanted to be like Tracy McGrady at some point in his career, I went to ask McGrady before the game how close Rashard was to him. He did not want to talk, pulling the superstar BS, so I guess we'll never get his wizened opinion on the matter.

Hill said he spoke to Chris Wilcox at the team's shootaround about getting benched in Utah the other night, and said he basically told him he needs to find a way to contribute on a regular basis, even when he is fatigued. Wilcox needs to learn, Hill said, that his body is capable of doing things that his mind thinks it can't, and he has to learn that.

Hill said he thought Mickael Gelabale's 3-point shooting was progressing nicely, and that the most positive aspect of it is that he always is willing to shoot it. Now, he is getting the confidence to say he is going to make it whenever he shoots it. Hill said one of the things that Gelo needs to work on is being prepared to shoot before he even catches the ball, something that younger players have not mastered.

Earl Watson told Hill he thinks he dislocated his pinky finger in the Utah win but that it popped back in. He started the game. Hill said he was fine.

This was just released by Pacific Public Affair, the public relations firm representing the Sonics in their pursuit of an arena:

The Professional Basketball Club (PBC), which owns the Seattle Sonics and Storm, and Transwestern/Harvest Lakeshore, LLC, which is a joint venture between Transwestern Investment Company and Harvest Partners, the developer of The Landing, a mixed-use retail, entertainment, and residential complex on the shores of Lake Washington, have reached an agreement in principle to assign the rights to acquire 21.2 acres of land that could become the home of a new multipurpose events center.

Boeing currently owns the property, which is adjacent to the site already being developed by Harvest Partners as the first phase of The Landing. Harvest Partners has the first right of refusal to buy it.

“We have been involved in extensive recent discussions and expect to have a signed definitive agreement soon,” said Eliot Barnett, Managing Partner of Harvest Partners.

“We both see excellent potential for The Landing and the new events center and believe that together they would provide even greater economic, cultural and other benefits to the City of Renton, the region and the state,” said Clay Bennett, PBC Chairman.

Representatives of Harvest Partners and PBC have been discussing how the adjacent developments would complement each other and contribute to the ongoing redevelopment of Renton.

Harvest Partners is on track to see its first retail tenants open for business in October of this year and the balance of the retail following in May 2008. The first residential phase would open in 2009.

In addition to Sonics and Storm basketball, the new events center would host a variety of other sports, business, entertainment and cultural activities. PBC is working with business, labor, sports fans, community leaders and others for approval of state legislation that would enable the development of the multipurpose events center, which ideally would come on line for the 2010-11 NBA season.

So much for Luke dunking before the end of the season.

Ray Allen had successful surgery on both ankles on Saturday and will be in boots and a wheelchair for the next few weeks. The Sonics are saying his rehab is 2-3 months. Nobody had spoken to him following his surgery, and there is some question if he is going to be at any of the remaining games given his stay in LA and then his confinement to a wheelchair. The press release said he had bone spurs removed from both ankles. I am not sure where that came from, that is the first I heard of a bone spur in his right ankle, Ray has said all along it was scar tissue. The Soncis say that is what Dr. Richard Ferckel told them post-op. So that is what I am going with for now until there is more clarification.

Bob Hill said Ridnour is done, he is on crutches right now and will be re-examind in a few days, after all the swelling goes down.

Danny Fortson is not playing tonight. I was told that he was suffering from "post-surgical pain following his tooth extraction." At least his abscessed tooth did not explode in mid-air, raining down enamel all over the Wasatch Range.

Bob said Rashard is starting to get more attention from defenses, even when he is in the middle of the floor in an isolation. There is no counter, Hill said, when he gets the extra attention he has to pass to an open teammate and hope they knock down shot.

I asked Bob if they had any interest in Zelko Rebraca, recently waived by the Clippers. Bob said not at this point in the season. But if it was a month or two ago, they definitely would have had to discuss signing him.

Before I get into Lakers pregame -- which was very very slow -- I have to tell a story from postgame the other night in OKC. So Percy Allen and I were talking to Luke post-interview, just BSing, and I said to Luke, who is pretty down right now, "You have to do something for me before the end of the season." He says what. And I tell him that I want him to dunk in a game, preferably at home so he can bring down the building. He said he has to get a breakaway, but said he'll try. So keep an eye out for that in the final seven games, that would be fun. I also said, "What would you do if you dunked ON Kobe in one of the two games you play them." He said, "I'd take my jersey off like Gilbert Arenas, lay it in the middle of the court and then retire." Pretty good answer from a guy who does not normally display a great sense of humor.

OK, Lakers pregame was slow, the locker room was empty, we got Bob Hill to tell a few Michael Ray Richardson stories from when he coached him in Italy, which was pretty amusing. Ray is going to have surgery tomorrow on his ankle, not quite sure if he having it on both ankles but I am assuming he is. Sonics PR mavens didn't have an answer yet and wont until after the surgery. Andre Brown was in the locker room with a fresh scar across his nose following surgery. And Danny Fortson was back. Otherwise, not a ton going on. Team flies to Salt Lake City after the game for Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz.

There was a story in The Oklahoman today that essentially says that if Clay Bennett moves the Sonics here, he is going to have to do the same thing he is doing in Seattle right now, asking for a new arena because the Ford Center does not cut it as a state-of-the-art arena and it is only five years old, built for $89 million. Though it is more likely OKC gives Clay what he wants, moreso than Seattle, especially since Clay knows all the politicians.

We spoke with Clay for a little over 10 minutes before the game, and King Prevaricate was at his best, saying very little of substance about what course the franchise is taking after this poor season. We are evaluating. We are considering. We are not ready to share. We are disappointed about the season and we want to win a championship but we are trying to get our hands around the business. We dont know how NASCAR bailing out of Bremerton affects us. We dont know what is going on in Olympia. We want to put the best people in place to be successful but we have not decided who those people or and if they are already in the organization. You get the idea.

However, he did have this quote at the end of the interview, which I think is the nut of the entire evening and leads to a great deal of speculation:

“I don’t know enough about the basketball side to (give conclusions about the season) except to say that we all, coaching staff and players included, are disappointed about the season,” Bennett said, speaking before the Sonics’ game against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets at the Ford Center. “We came out of (training) camp with high expectations. Clearly injuries have played a big role in our season. But that notwithstanding, all teams have injuries and challenges and we were not able to perform the way we hoped we would perform.
“Across the board we are all about winning. That is how we judge our success in this business. That is the context we are going to approach in how we do these evaluations and how we reposition ourselves for next year.”

To me, that calls into question the jobs of either Bob Hill, Rick Sund or both.

I asked Bob Hill about playing Sene 30 minutes a game at some point in the future, since there is nothing left to play for. He said it is not fair to the other players. I said, Who cares? There are only a handful of games left, why not see what you can get out of the rookie in extended time. He asked how we felt Sene played in his 12 minutes against San Antonio. I said he looked pretty good -- against Jackie Butler. I want to see him against Tim Duncan or David West or even Andrew Bynum, some of the league's front-line players.

Andre Brown had his nose fracture repaired and is possible for Friday against Lakes. Danny Fortson had a tooth pulled. No word if he did it himself with an ice skate to get out of Friday's game. (Think about it.)

By the way, go to www.olympiadispatch.com for an arena update by Tri-City Herald reporter Chris Mulick, who covers Olympia.

Danny Fortson apparently canceled his dentist appointment for his sore tooth. No reason given why. Bob Hill had a difficult time keeping a straight face as he told us that Danny could not fly because they told him that an abscessed tooth might explode in flight. Now there is something I would like to see. I wonder if it could blow up the plane.

There are a good number of front-office personnel on this trip, for the obvious reason that this trip ends in Oklahoma City, wherethe bizarre dynamic of the Hornets leaving town after this season and the SOnics the possible replacements convenes tomorrow. Lenny Wilkens is meeting with Clay Bennett in the afternoon to plot a course for what to do after the season; and the owners are going to have a breakfast meeting with the players at the team hotel, the first time they will have met their investment. Hill said he was excited to see what transpires on Wednesday -- though in a weird circumstance, after the owners have breakfast with the team, they apparently will have a board meeting to determine his future.

RC Buford, the Spurs' general manager, is not at the game tonight. I wanted to speak to him about his potential interest in being the Sonics' next GM -- though I doubt he would have wanted to answer the sensitive questions since he still works for the Spurs. His assistant, Sam Presti, is a name that keeps popping up as well.

I asked my editor how the NASCAR development affects the Sonics' chances at getting an arena, and he said there was no clear-cut answer. Here is what he wrote: "I think most folks never thought the two would be horse-traded because there hasn't been enough support for either to get to that level. It might help
just a tad because it removes a similar proposal that was competing for
attention. But it doesn't advance the Sonics' cause, so I'd argue that it
doesn't help, but it doesn't hurt either."

The city of Renton on Wednesday will release it report on fiscal and economic impact of the new arena on its community. I'm quite certain it will be a glowing report.

This was actually a very slow locker room, the only thing of interest Ray Allen going through the locker room collecting money from players who lost in the NCAA tournament blind draw. Mike Wilks won the draw, somehow picking both Florida and Ohio State out of a hat to take $1800.

Nuggets coach George Karl's son Coby, who many saw grow up here when George was the coach, will undergo surgery for cancer tomorrow. Coby plays ball for Boise State. George will take a charter to Boise after the game tonight and be with his son as he goes to the hospital. George is likely to miss the Nuggets' next game to remain with his son.

Bob Hill spoke a little about Johan Petro, coming off a 22-point effort on Friday night. Hill sounded very optimistic about Petro's future, but said he needs to work on his strength and his rebonding more. He said Johan works really hard on his jump shooting, his most developed skill, but needs to work on his weaknesses more.