http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/sonics/story/6196839p-5416096c.html Poor guy, missing the whole coming season Swift’s season ends early Torn ACL shelves third-year center; ‘We’ll be OK,’ Hill says FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune Published: October 28th, 2006 01:00 AM JOHN FROSCHAUER/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Seattle’s Robert Swift grabs his knee after falling awkwardly during an exhibition game Wednesday. It turns out that Seattle SuperSonics center Robert Swift did more than just fall awkwardly and tweak his right knee Wednesday night. The third-year player, projected to be the team’s starting center this season, was diagnosed Friday morning with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the entire season. He’ll undergo surgery in a few weeks. Swift had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan taken Thursday afternoon, but team doctors did not have the opportunity to evaluate the pictures until Friday morning, when they returned from the team’s trip to Spokane for its final exhibition game. When they did, they got the worst possible news. Recovery time for this type of injury is eight to nine months. “The good news for Robert is that he is 20 years old ... so that knee is still pretty sturdy in terms of age,” Sonics coach Bob Hill said. “He’ll be back. And we’ll be OK.” Swift was not at the team’s practice facility and was unavailable for comment. Sonics general manager Rick Sund said the team is comfortable with its depth in the frontcourt and won’t immediately look to sign a replacement for Swift. Though his decision is not firm, Hill said he was leaning toward starting rookie Mouhamed Sene in the team’s season opener against Portland on Wednesday, with Johan Petro still coming off the bench. Hill said he liked the way Sene played in the team’s final exhibition victory against Golden State on Thursday, when he had six points, six rebounds and three blocks in 16 minutes. Hill also said he did not want to alter the rotation of his second unit, which has been played well with Petro. “The one thing I know about Mo, when I put him in the game he is going to play really hard,” Hill said. “He will anchor the defense. I am not worried about him. I think he will be better with the starters than with the second unit.” There is not a lengthy NBA history of young players doing well immediately, particularly those as inexperienced as Sene, who has played 19 professional games, all in Belgium. “I think that if you support players and give them an opportunity and teach them, most of the time they will surprise you,” Hill said. “That is really true – most of the time they will surprise you. To me, if we … just tolerate his mistakes and let him grow, that is what we are doing with Mo. In the long run, that will pay dividends for you.” If Sene does not do well, Hill will substitute liberally with Petro and power forward Nick Collison, who has played significant time at center this preseason. Danny Fortson also can play the position. “I like to get on the floor,” Collison said. “Obviously, you don’t want to see anybody get hurt, and having Robert would have definitely helped us. But it will mean more opportunities for others. If we play small, we will be pretty hard to guard.” Said Petro: “I don’t really think about (more playing time). I know I have to help my teammates because it is just me and Mo now. I can’t do a lot of mistakes. It is an opportunity.” Swift had been having an unreliable preseason, during which Hill and several other members of the staff had to verbally chastise Swift for his lack of focus. But his defense was good enough that Hill thought he should play alongside the other starters. He had been averaging three points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 19 minutes a game. But in the first few minutes of Wednesday’s victory over Sacramento, Swift fell awkwardly out of bounds. It did not appear as if he had sustained a serious injury, though he was unable to return. “I don’t know if this will be a setback,” Hill said. “The hardest part is the rehab. It is hard. And it is long. It gets boring and monotonous. Your leg gets sore. There is apathy. So you just have to persevere. If his attitude about the rehab is the same as his attitude after (last) season, he will be fine.” Fortson banned for opener The league has suspended Fortson for one game without pay for a flagrant foul he committed against Ron Artest in an exhibition game this week against Sacramento. After reviewing the game, the league upgraded the flagrant foul to a “penalty two,” meaning Fortson should have been ejected. As a result, Fortson will serve his suspension when the SuperSonics open their season at home Wednesday. Fastbreaks Reserve point guard Earl Watson missed practice to have his two front teeth replaced. It was the second time Watson had lost teeth this year. Near the end of the Sacramento exhibition, he had his first replacement knocked out and another front tooth was cracked. Hill said Watson will begin wearing a mouthpiece. … Guard Kareem Rush practiced Friday, though it was a noncontact practice. Hill said he is likely to keep the roster set at 15 at least through the season opener. Player contracts are not fully guaranteed until Jan. 10.
Thats too bad. He looked like he's been working hard this summer. I thought he could really contribute to the Sonics, but, we'll have to wait til next year
