Lots of tidbits from the Sonics media session yesterday. The moste detailed gossip mongering clearly came from my second favorite writer (for the record supersonics.com's Kevin Pelton is #1 on my list!
For the most part I held back to allow the beat guys their stories but I can comment on most everything in these links.
Rodney Carney G Memphis
Cedric Simmons F N.C. State
Ronnie Brewer G Arkansas
Randy Foye G Villanova
Shelden Williams F Duke
Patrick O’Bryant C Bradley
Saer Sene C Senegal
Shawne Williams F Memphis
These are the guys in contention, with the Sonics feeling that Foye and Williams will likely be gone by their pick. Williams impressed greatly and he, along with possibly Hilton Armstrong are candidates should the team choose to move back. If Williams and Foye are both gone then there is a possibility that Patrick O'Bryant slips and the team is likely to select him, then use that asset as a trade chip, possibly at a later date.
Gary Washburn of the PI gets a scoop by being the only writer to mention the team's qualifying offer to Chris Wilcox. The team expressed great confidence in their ability to re-sign Wilcox but is likely looking at power forwards in the draft as insurance against hist potential departure.
Percy Allen then dips into trade scenario's briefly in his summary of the event.
Notable in my book is the process in which the whole deal went down. For the most part the reporters did not delve deep into the specifics mentioned yesterday without a single quote in any of the articles. Sonics brass were much more candid than this and I find myself questioning whether this is a courtesy issue, not wanting to burn bridges by leaking confidential information, or rather because they understand the level of misdirection and posturing involved in any direct comments. Regardless I think that the three articles combined to give a clear picture of the draft list and that Hughes' list is representative of the Sonics. In addition to that list are the "big 6", none of whom the team expects to fall. Don't read into that thinking the team does not like those players. If a guy like Morrison, Bargnani, or Tyrus Thomas were to fall the SuperSonics would look to snatch them up. They simply do not expect any slippage from the top echelon of players.
Lastly word out of DraftExpress.com is that the Houston Rockets are looking to consumate a trade with Portland in which they trade up for Washington swingman Brandon Roy. This could potentially be great news for the Sups as Houston is a likely candidate to grab one of the guard Seattle is enamoured with just a spot or two ahead of them. If Houston trades up for Roy it could result in the Blazers grabbing Patrick O'Bryant at #8 and then cause Randy Foye to slip to Seattle. That would be good news for Sonics fans.