Sonics Notebook | Hawes "living a dream" in return to KeyArena

Spencer Hawes spun around quickly and pointed to an usher standing in front of the Section 115-114 tunnel at KeyArena.

"I've been sitting right in front of that usher my entire life," he said. "This [KeyArena] was my first taste of the NBA. I'm like a kid living a dream."

Hawes, a 7-foot center, made his KeyArena pro debut Sunday with his Sacramento Kings. It was the second time Hawes has played at the facility just a stroll down the hill from his parents' Queen Anne home.

In his 2006 appearance at the Key as a junior at Seattle Prep, Hawes scored 21 points and had 10 rebounds in helping the Panthers defeat Rainier Beach in the King Classic. Hawes played for one season at Washington and became the 10th overall pick in the 2007 draft.

Hawes' progression has been slower than Kings coach Reggie Theus anticipated.

Theus wanted to play Hawes heavy minutes, but he couldn't after the rookie underwent left knee surgery and missed training camp and the first four games of the season. Hawes has averaged 2.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 8.1 minutes.

"He doesn't have the luxury of being with a team that can wait when he's in the game," Theus said. "Usually I'm trying to find minutes with Spence. If things don't go right, a bad five-minute stretch for us could be devastating. [But] where he's got to make his biggest improvement is on the defensive end. The defensive end will get him more minutes. And he's got to get a little stronger."

Hawes is the odd man out with a rotation that includes veterans Brad Miller and Mikki Moore. Miller has been injury-plagued in the past, but he is averaging 14.1 points and 9.1 rebounds.

"I'm working on his face-up game," Hawes said, referring to what he's learning from Miller. "It was tough not being there for training camp, you can't get that experience. Now I just have to do it in the games."

Face-to-face time

Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo has held 15-minute meetings with players the past week to discuss frustrations and expectations. Damien Wilkins spoke with Carlesimo, and Wilkins said the two are "on the same page."

Carlesimo would not discuss the meetings, which he called a private matter.

"He looks at me as one of the leaders on this team," said Wilkins, who has been displeased since being stripped of his starting spot Dec. 29. "He definitely doesn't want to see me down on myself or down on anything that's going on around here."

Notes

• Kevin Durant (bruised right thigh) and Nick Collison (bruised right knee) played Sunday after they missed practice on Saturday.

• C Johan Petro turned 22 on Sunday.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com