MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Kevin Durant. Facing the toughest defender each night and defenses geared toward stopping him, along with the uncertainty of where the team will play next season, the 19-year-old rookie still averaged 20 points a contest in his rookie season.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER Robert Swift. The young 7-footer played in only eight games for a total of 99 minutes this season, suffering a setback after returning for major reconstructive knee surgery on his right knee after adding forty pounds of bulk. Swift tore the meniscus in the same knee in February. He's a restricted free agent at the end of the season and needs to get healthy this summer.
FREE AGENT FOCUS Francisco Elson, Robert Swift and Mickael Gelabale's contracts end at the end of the season. Elson is the only unrestricted free agent. Gelabale and Swift are restricted free agents. Adrian Griffin has a partially guaranteed contract for next season.
PLAYER NOTES
--In receiving the Rookie of the Year award on Thursday, Seattle's Kevin Durant remains focused on the future.
"I've worked hard my whole life, and now it's starting to pay off," Durant said. "But I know this is the beginning of things to come -- bigger and better things -- first for my team and for myself. But I've got to continue to work.
"I just want to continue to work hard this summer and next year become a better player to help this team out. I think point plank all we want to do is win. And if we all come back better players we can do that."
Durant finished well ahead of runner-up Al Horford of Atlanta, totaling 90 first-place votes and 545 points overall compared to Horford's 30 first-place votes and 390 total points. Houston's Luis Scola finished third with five first-place votes and 146 points overall. Durant was selected from a panel of 125 writers and broadcasters.
But Durant dealt with people around the league critical of his game all season, and emerged a better player because of it. Some NBA observers, including former NBA All-Star Charles Barkley, lauded Horford over Durant, saying that Durant was a shining star on a bad team who shot too much, didn't rebound enough and took too many bad shots.
However, Durant quieted his critics by playing his best basketball at the end of the year, averaging 23 points and shooting 49 percent from the field in 24 games from March until the end of the season.
He also knocked down two game-winning shots and showed a willingness to take control of the game in final minutes if his team needed him.
By winning the award Durant joins the likes of mentor LeBron James -- who also called to congratulate Durant -- Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird.
"It's just me maybe being defensive about it," Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said about Durant's critics. "But I think how special his year was is really not appreciated by people. He made it, if anything, look easy at times.
"He was so much a different player in March and April than earlier in the year. And particularly when you look at him in the fourth quarter, he showed some things other people don't have. And he's going to continue to show those things going forward."
True to his nature, Durant said he already selected a spot for his shiny new trophy -- but it won't be at home on the mantle.
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Clay Bennett's attorneys apparently are trying to make the case in their legal fight to break a lease at Key Arena that the Sonics' departure from Seattle would have no impact on the city. That the dollars that now go to games at Key Arena would just go to other local entertainment options. This runs TOTALLY counter to every argument the NBA has ever made for building a new arena: that
After a couple of weeks of reading everything I could find about Bennett and the purchase of the Sonics, my conclusion is that Bennett is only a small part of the Sonics impending relocation. I will agree that he intended to move the Sonics to OKC. I believe that he knew all along that Seattle would not build a new arena. That is the city of Seattle,s fault. I feel the city knew that the S
Hey everyone should go vote for Durant in the NBA rookie vote off!! Its down to Durant and Moon:) Durant has 249 points and Moon has 61... Heres the link:
it was reported that if either the Schultz or cities case wins then OKC was going to be looking into filing a lawsuit against the city of Howard for rights to the team because after the board of governors vote and the lease agreement they reach and all the money they have spent into bringing the NBA into there city..I was seriously wondering if that was true or just overhyped speculation because i
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Who will they pick they have second but they could win the lottery I want them to pick Beasley but everyone should want him if they choose him he will have his best friend otherwise Derrick Rose which is probably the one right now
Are there any Sonic fans who have connections with Save Our Sonics who can orchestrate some form of protest at this years NBA Finals regardless of where it is so that SOS T-shirts and banners can be passed out or reach out to the fans of the teams in the Finals and get them to chant "YOU SCREWED SEATTLE!!" to David Stern during the trophy presentation. I'd love to make David Stern's expe
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This whole situation is driving me nuts...Are they coming or aren't they? I do have to say that much of the crap I have read from both sides is rediculous more often than not. Let's summerize what we have learned so far by most people that have posted:
1. Many people from both cities are ignorant and hateful.
2. Many people from both cities assume rather than follow so
Listen folks I think the personal attacks have gotten way out of hand on this board.
Look citizens of OKC most of us arent out here to attack you personally. We are attacking the rich and greedy men like Howard Schultz and Clay Bennett who have brought us to this point. Its understandable to be upset at a man like Bennett who openly lied to the citizens of Seattle about his intent to k
Ok...I know the title is dramatic. Let me debunk some complaints coming from Seattle.
Complaint: Taxpayers shouldn't pay to fix up an arena for a bunch of millionaires.
Answer: Whoever owns the arena should fix it up. The city shouldn't pay to recarpet your dumpy house. The owner shouldn't pay to fix up your sagging arena.
