Is already on the roster.
Having just watched the Finals, we all saw the value of a veteran interior banger that can hit free throws late in a game.
Seattle already has that player, his name is Danny Fortson.
Yes I was as frustrated with Fortson's play this year as I was excited about it last year; he's a truly enigmatic figure that hurts a team as much as he helps. I pin this year's failures on Danny not playing and Nick not playing well/improving to what type of a player he should be. That's not meant to be a critical statement, but one saying how much I value both of those guys in the Sonics scheme.
Seattle needed interior rebounding, toughness, and some type of defensive presence in the key. That was the job of Danny and Nick last year (with Reggie included). This year, we were very soft inside and the key offensive rebounds the team garnered last season were fast breaks going the other way this season.
No Danny, no Nick, no toughness. Yeah, I really do believe that's the cause of a 17-game turnaround.
A lot of the draft talk, here, is focused on potential trades. Danny's a throw-in on nearly every one. I understand that's because he's unhappy and his expiring contract has value, but I really wish there was some way of rehabilitating his status with the team and he could be a factor again in a Seattle uniform.
As I look at the team needs right now, we need a lockdown perimeter defender than won't hurt us on the offensive end of the floor, but what we really need is Danny staying and being the guy that made a difference in the Sonics lineup last year.