Criticism from his coach sounds real familiar... Sonics confess they are rebuilding By Percy Allen Seattle Times staff reporter Five developments were made clear after general manager Rick Sund and coach Nate McMillan met with the media yesterday during a fireside chat about the Sonics' past, present and future. No. 1: The Sonics are officially "rebuilding." The restoration project actually began last year after the trade that involved Ray Allen and Gary Payton, but the team's public-relations and marketing department declined to make that clear to its fan base. No. 2: When many thought that the Sonics could compete for the final two berths of the Western Conference playoffs this season, the team was actually developing players, Sund and McMillan said. Perhaps it was a veiled attempt at rationalizing a 37-45 record, but it's the team's new stance, which came as a surprise to several players once they heard the news. No. 3: The promise that majority owner Howard Schultz made to fans — the one in which he guaranteed after buying the team three years ago that he would need five years to turn the Sonics into a championship contender — may not come to pass. Sund said that he believes Seattle will compete for a playoff spot next season but admitted "there is no tangible proof" that the Sonics will be among the top four teams in the Western Conference for the 2005-06 season. No. 4: Sund will aggressively pursue what he termed "a big deal" this summer that might net an All-Star or at least a player to which the Sonics can build around. He was vague on how he plans to acquire such a player, but insinuated that no Sonic is off limits. No. 5: McMillan had several problems with Allen, including the All-Star's understanding of the team's goal, his shot selection and decision-making with the ball. On three occasions during the hourlong discussion, McMillan singled out Allen and was particularly displeased when talking about the guard's offensive execution. "He is a run-and-gun style of player," McMillan said. "His shot selection is a little different. That is something that will have to change. Anything decent, he took that opportunity. "Ray had the same problems as Gary in giving up the ball. ... Shot selection will be addressed more so than it was this year. He took some shots that were (not good) shots. What we're talking about is discipline." Allen, the Sonics' leading scorer at 23.0 points per game, also had a team-high 2.79 turnover average. He raised his rebounding average to a career-best 5.1 and shot 44 percent from the field, his highest since 2001-02. "If Nate had a problem with the way I played, that's news to me," Allen said yesterday. "That should have been addressed much earlier. Saying that at the end of year, that I was selfish or that I took bad shots, well if that was the case, then that should have been brought to me at the time." Allen took exception to the suggestion that he played outside the confines of the offense and was particularly miffed when told that Sund described the season as a rebuilding year. Allen said he wanted McMillan to commit to a high-paced style, while the Sonics coach wanted his star player, who missed 25 games because of injury, to adapt to the frequent changes in the lineup. "This season was more of a year for developing," McMillan said. "I don't think Ray Allen understood that." Said Allen: "That's funny how at the beginning of the year, they were saying that we were trying to make the playoffs. I never thought anything short of trying to make the playoffs. Yeah, we had young guys, but we had young guys trying to make the playoffs. "I started the season with the mind-set of we're trying to win a championship. I'm not concerned with development. You can never sell yourself short and say you're developing." McMillan didn't blame all of the Sonics' problems on Allen and took some responsibility for the team's worst record since 1986. Allen, who plans to renew contract-extension negotiations with the Sonics in a few months, said that McMillan's comments wouldn't sway his decision to remain with the team. "To me, it's just disappointing," he said. "When you lose I guess everybody starts pointing fingers. But believe me, it' s not just one or two guys, it's all of us. I'll evaluate what I need to do this summer based on this team getting better."
a run-and-gun style of player, with bad decision-making, and bad shot selection. I'd like to hear what some of you guys who have been wanting Allen think about this. To me it sounds like Steve Francis, except he misses 20, 25 games a year with injuries. How on earth would he make us better?
A shooting guard who hits 40% from 3 pt land and gets 5 assists per game. And that's on a team with no power forward, four overpaid worthless centers..... The health part is a good question. When healthy, Ray Allen's The Goods. How will his health hold up? No one knows. But Ray Allen is a smart, smart player. I don't know why Nate McMillan had a problem, but he should have addressed it outright, rather than waiting to throw something to the media when the season was over. Of course, it just sets up Ray Allen for a trade anyway, and I'd gladly take him over Steve (again, depending on his health, which is always a question mark). I just wouldn't make it a straight-up trade. Maybe involve Washington (the Sonics wanted Kwame Brown last summer but Washington pulled out; maybe they'd think differently if they received hometown hero Steve Francis?)
I always live in fear of signing a shooter to a max contract, especially if that player is coming off an injury which cost them almost one third a season. Did I mention that RA is almost 30? Raven
I completely agree. Allen makes sense on paper, but if McMillan is saying this stuff JVG would crucify Allen I'm thinking. I maintain that we should keep Stevie Franchise and hope that this series will be the a coming out party for Steve's style for the next seven years.
Allen's shot selection has always been suspect. The guy is a tremendous person and a great player but he has never been a defensive stopper, is small for the two and is regularly injured. If it was for Mobley or someone else, fine, but for Francis? Pass.
Please.... anytime an article is posted, please post the link to it. Thank you. From the article it looks like Allen is as good as gone.
I don't think a Francis for Allen trade would be good for the Rockets. I would prefer an All Star PF for Francis, and bring in young "solid" playmaker with a consistent mid-range jumper. He doesn't need to be a top tier player.
It sure sounds like they want him gone, but it's a hell of a way to get "fair value" in a trade... talking about his play in such a critical way. I don't get it.
Ray Allen is a super stud and perfect for Yao. Nate McMillan is an imbecile infatuated with himself, much like JVG. That team needed to run, and McGrumpy couldn't ever buy in. They weren't a defensive team. The personnel was there to score, score score. That's good for a rebuilding team. Trying to make them grinders was a hopeless waste of time. Remember they started the season in Japan with a 130+ game? Remember Rashard scored fifty? Sund need to axe McMillan. Yeah, they need a power forward too, and dumping those centers would be good. Coaches need to use the players they got. Mc Millan should get the axe. JVG should get the axe. They were both horrible underachievers. Defense only sucks.
