Top NBA rookie debate is no debate, coach says

To ask P.J. Carlesimo, the Rookie of the Year debate is a media-generated non-story.

"Anybody who thinks there is, is nuts," he said. "It's not even remotely close."

The Sonics coach sees just one serious candidate: Kevin Durant.

"I'm trying to be objective listening to people, but it's silly to even have the conversation," he said. "I'm prejudiced, but it's not even close. No one has done what he's done. No one has even come close to doing what he's doing."

Some NBA observers, including TNT analyst Charles Barkley, have made a case for Atlanta forward Al Horford, and Houston coach Rick Adelman said Rockets forward Luis Scola deserves consideration. Others suggest the ROY winner should be given to someone on a winning team, and the Sonics' 17-54 record hurts Durant's chances.

Carlesimo believes Durant's peers are not rookies, but rather the game's best players.

"The people you compare Kevin to are Kobe [Bryant] and LeBron [James] and people like that," he said. "He's shooting a better percentage right now than LeBron shot or Kobe when they were rookies."

Before Wednesday's 104-99 defeat against Washington, Durant averaged 20.9 points on 52 percent shooting in March.

For the season, he's averaging 19.6 points, which is tops among rookies. Los Angeles Clippers forward Al Thornton is next at 11.7 and Memphis' Juan Carlos Navarro, at 11.1, is third. Horford is averaging 9.7 points and Scola 9.6.

Durant is staying out of the ROY argument. If he had to choose someone other than himself, he'd pick Horford.

"That type of stuff, you can't worry about it," Durant said. "You just got to play the game and let your game talk for you."

Waiting on trial

The Sonics have yet to send renewal packages to season-ticket holders, but Bryan Byrnes, senior vice president of ticketing and sales, said it's not uncommon.

"We will communicate directly with our season-ticket holders regarding their renewal options," he said. "At this time we believe the prudent approach will be to wait until the outcome of the trial before engaging in renewal discussions. The timing will have no impact on their status or seat priority."

The team is being sued by the city of Seattle to play the final two years of its KeyArena lease in Seattle. Sonics chairman Clay Bennett has petitioned the NBA to move to Oklahoma City as soon as next season.

Despite the uncertainty, the Sonics are working with the league and city officials, who manage KeyArena, on a 2008-09 schedule in Seattle.

"Until something changes, we are continuing with our business planning for next season at KeyArena," Byrnes said.

Notes

• Chris Wilcox, who has missed four games because of a right pinkie sprain, visited a hand specialist on Wednesday and will speak with his agent tomorrow before making an announcement on his future. The Sonics forward is considering sitting out the final 11 games.

• Microsoft mogul Steve Ballmer, who is one of four local investors wanting to buy the Sonics and help renovate KeyArena, sat courtside between the Washington Wizards bench and KJR-AM talk show host Mitch Levy.

• Durant and Storm forward Sheryl Swoopes will conduct a basketball clinic after Friday's Charlotte game.

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com

WASHINGTON
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Butler	43:03	8-16	3-4	1-5	9	4	21
Jamison	38:56	6-17	5-5	2-12	4	3	17
Haywood	34:52	6-10	1-1	3-7	1	1	13
Daniels	39:10	2-6	3-3	0-2	2	3	7
Stevenson	28:56	3-11	3-3	1-1	3	4	11
Songaila	20:18	4-5	2-2	1-3	2	2	10
Mason	21:54	8-13	0-0	0-2	1	3	22
McGuire	4:57	0-0	1-2	0-0	0	1	1
Blatche	1:54	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0
Young	6:00	1-3	0-0	0-0	0	0	2
Totals		38-82	18-20	8-32	22	21	104

Percentages: FG .463, FT .900. Three-point goals: 10-28, .357 (Mason 6-9, Butler 2-5, Stevenson 2-7, Daniels 0-1, Young 0-1, Jamison 0-5). Team rebounds: 7. Team turnovers: 9 (16 PTS). Blocked shots: 6 (Haywood 2, Jamison 2, McGuire, Songaila). Turnovers: 9 (Butler 5, Stevenson 2, Haywood, Songaila). Steals: 11 (Jamison 4, Butler 3, Daniels 2, Haywood, McGuire). Technical fouls: Daniels, 8:37 third.

SEATTLE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Green	40:57	4-13	5-6	1-3	2	3	13
Collison	40:32	3-10	3-4	6-21	5	4	9
Petro	18:15	5-6	0-0	2-5	0	4	10
Watson	30:54	4-10	2-2	2-4	6	0	10
Durant	39:01	13-22	5-5	2-7	1	2	32
Elson	16:46	2-4	1-2	0-3	0	1	5
	Wilkins		24:50	5-11	3-4	2-2	3	1	13

Marshall	11:39	1-5	0-0	1-4	0	0	2
Ridnour	17:06	2-4	1-1	0-0	1	1	5
Totals		39-85	20-24	16-49	18	16	99

Percentages: FG .459, FT .833. Three-point goals: 1-9, .111 (Durant 1-2, Green 0-1, Watson 0-1, Wilkins 0-2, Marshall 0-3). Team rebounds: 8. Team turnovers: 13 (20 PTS). Blocked shots: 2 (Green, Marshall). Turnovers: 13 (Watson 3, Collison 2, Durant 2, Green 2, Petro 2, Ridnour, Wilkins). Steals: 6 (Green 2, Durant, Marshall, Petro, Wilkins). Technical fouls: None.

Washington	29	21	18	36 — 104
Seattle	23	33	19	24 — 99

Attendance: 10,497 (17,072). Time: 2:04. Officials: Jim Clark, Jack Nies, Eric Lewis.