Lenny granted reporters 10 minutes apiece after the Sonics got the second pick in the lottery. He has not spoken since he April 26, when he named himself president on KJR. There was a lot to cover, and at times the interview became I would say strained. Read for yourself and make your own judgments about the answers. Here is the unedited version of the interview.

Q: What is your reaction to today’s events?

LW: I am pretty excited about it. I think that it is great to finish in the top 2. I think it is great for the franchise, for the ownership, for the fans. I think it is something positive and something to go forward with.

Q: I assume you are going to take Durant if they take Oden?

LW: Don’t assume anything. We are going to sit and talk and discuss everything. But I think the chances are very good but I can’t say for sure we are going to do this or do that.

Q: Can you talk about your vision of getting this team back to the level that you want it to be at.

LW: I want it to be an elite team. A team that can compete, have a chance to win a championship. We know that we have to grow to that. Certainly you start in the right direction, and this is a first step to be able to have a chance to be able to take one of the top two players. That is very positive. Hopefully that gets people excited and starting to talk more about the team. It is a step at a time. We want to as soon as we can get a general manager and a coach, and I know that July 1 is coming up soon and we want to pursue Rashard Lewis. We are taking our time but I think we are doing all the right things.

Q: Lenny, specifically, some changes need to be made if you are 31-51. Do you have any ideas on that?

LW: Well, I think the team is a little better than its record. OK. Certainly we will evaluate that. We will sit with the general manager and the coach. I will give my opinions and see what they think. There may be some changes that need to be done, but that is something we will have to address.

Q: Lenny, are you going to hire your son to be a part of the organization?

LW: I don’t know. He is a great scout. He has done some scouting for us. I will have him help scout a little bit in Orlando. He has some experience in that. He judges talent pretty good. So we will see. It is a possibility he will scout for us. Why do you ask that?

FH: Because I have heard that.

LW: From who?

FH: We can discuss it afterwards if you want but I only have 10 minutes so can I ask the questions?

LW: I want to know. I am curious.

FH: We can discuss it after we are done. As the public face of the organization, at least in Seattle, why have you chosen not to speak publicly since you were named president?

LW: I don’t have anything to tell you. OK. Right now we are looking for a general manager, we are looking for a coach. And I don’t have anything to say or to report. So why was it necessary?

Q: Because other teams are going around conducting interviews with coaching candidates. Where does that stand with you guys?

LW: Just because other teams do their business one way doesn’t mean we have to do it that way. Does it, Frank? I don’t understand that.

Q: Were you guys waiting for today’s outcome to start interviewing?

LW: I have started to interview people already.

Q: You have? Can you say who?

LW: No. I don’t want to. When I have something to give you I will give it to you. And I will be very open with it.

Q: Do you have a time frame for the hire?

LW: Not really, but I would like to get it done as quickly as possible and more than likely I think that general manager will come first.

Q: What are the parameters for your hire?

LW: That is not for me to discuss with you. Certainly we want somebody who knows the NBA and has experience in the NBA.

Q: Is it going to be an up-and-coming guy or an experienced guy?

LW: That we will let you know when the time is right.

Q: How much of the time in Orlando will you spend on conducting interviews.

LW: As much as possible. There are a lot of hours in the day. I will watch the practices and in between those we will see.

Q: How much say will you have in the direction of the organization and how much say will the new GM have?

LW: Hopefully we will be able to work together. If I hire someone, I am going to have confidence they can do the job and I will ask their opinions and if I have any I will give it to them. But certainly we will work as a team.

Q: Is it going to be a consensus? Will you have final say? Is the GM going to have final say?

LW: We are going to work together. I am going to trust that the GM makes good decisions, and if he makes a good decision I am not going to overrule him. That doesn’t make sense.

Q: How much say will the GM have in the coaching hire?

LW: Hopefully he will have a say. We wan to get it done quickly but certainly I will value his opinion.

Q: Did you ever approach Clay about coaching?

LW: No I didn’t.

Q: Why? Did you no longer want to do that?

LW: I think this a great challenge to be vice chairman and to be also president of basketball operations. I like this challenge. I think I can be very helpful here and that is what I want to do.

Q: Lenny, so what happens if the team leaves? Obviously you have roots in Seattle?

LW: We will cross that bridge when we get there, Frank. I am not one of those guys who likes to speculate about this, that and the other. If it happens, then we will address it at that time.

Q: Lenny, so what does the acquisition of Durant mean for the roster, assuming that Rashard comes back?

LW: It adds a great talent to our roster and certainly we will evaluate it. We will look at it. We may have to make some changes but we want Rashard Lewis to be a part of our team.

Q: Lenny, preliminarily, if they play the same position, and obviously you have coaching background, how would you envision those guys playing together and with Wilcox established at the four and Swift coming back?

LW: That is something we will look at. That is what the coach will address. We will sit down and let him evaluate the team and see how he wants to pay them. I mean, who’s to say they can’t play together? These are assumptions that are being made. I think you have to wait and get them in training camp and then see.

Q: I am neot saying they can’t play together. But as a former coach, how would you play them together?

LW: Don’t worry about how I would do it because I am not coaching.

Q: Alright. Does this give you assets for other potential moves?

LW: No question about it. I think it makes us stronger. We have to sit and look at how do we put the best team on the floor. What is the best team? What can we do to make our team better? We will continue to look at all those avenues.

Q: A lot has been written about how this affects the potential of the team staying in Seattle. What is your view on that?

LW: I hope it has a huge positive impact. When you have an opportunity to get one of the top two players, it is a positive and it gets people talking about the team and keeps them in front of politician and business and in front of the community. The Sonics are worth keeping.

Q: Can you see a way that this sways the Legislature to do an about face on their current stance?

A: This is the last question because I have a lot of other calls to make. But I think that certainly it has an impact on them. I hope that it does. I can’t say that is will or it won’t but certainly if people are talking the issue is still alive.