Sonics
Sonics drafting for now or later?

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter

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Surrounded by family members inside an elegant Issaquah home, a particularly curious Sonics admirer will plop down on the sofa in front of his television set and chart with keen interest the movements of his favorite NBA team during the draft this afternoon.

It does not matter that All-Star guard Ray Allen is currently the subject of trade rumors — the latest involving Orlando and Houston in a three-way transaction that would deliver Steve Francis — or that he's been linked to a half-dozen draft-day deals.

For now, he is a Sonic and that's all he is concerning himself with.

"Up to this point, I've never really watched a draft with a lot of interest because most of the teams I played on, the position that we're picking, it didn't really make that big of a difference," he said. "Last year was different because we thought we had a good team and, at the 12 and 14 (picks), we'll get something to move in the right direction.

"Now there's some two-guards out there who can help us. There's a vast majority of players that we can pick, and now is the time as an organization that we'll send a message of what we're going to do with who we pick."

Before working out at the Furtado Center yesterday, Allen chose his words carefully during a 10-minute interview. He made sure to point out that he has recently returned from a vacation and had not spoken with front-office executives about draft prospects.

Early in the conversation he said: "I don't read too much into it (the draft) because not a lot of guys picked at the 12 spot will play next year." Minutes later he made it clear that he does not have the patience to endure a rebuilding process.

When asked if he would want to play alongside a rookie who played in high school last season, Allen said: "In the perfect world, I would want to take somebody who can contribute immediately. At this stage in my career I don't want to watch somebody take a couple of years to develop before they can help us."

The Sonics have not indicated what they'll do with the No. 12 overall pick or their two selections (35th and 41st) in the second round.
 
During a media session three days ago, David Pendergraft, the team's director of player personnel, indicated that if the Sonics were to select a player who might help them immediately then they would have a handful of players to choose from.

The list includes Nevada guard Kirk Snyder, Stanford forward Josh Childress and centers Rafael Araujo from BYU and David Harrison from Colorado because they were productive college players who are projected as late lottery picks.

If the Sonics opt for a preps-to-pros prospect, the likely candidates are Josh Smith from Oak Hill (Va.) Academy and Al Jefferson of Prentiss (Miss.) High.

"Choosing where we're at, you have to ask yourself, do you help your coach or do you help your organization?" Pendergraft said. "Not all of the time are they one and the same."

Told of Pendergraft's comment, coach Nate McMillan, who is in the final year of a four-year contract and has been instructed to end a two-year playoff drought, agreed.

"I'm sure there's going to be some conversation (today) and I'm going to make sure my point is heard," McMillan said. "Now whether that makes a difference, I don't know. But I'm sure my voice will be heard. ... Now, Wally (president Wally Walker) talked about the playoffs last week, so I think that would answer where we're going."

Still, no one would say with any amount of conviction that the Sonics are going to keep their first-round pick. And last night league sources said Seattle was close to dealing its first pick to Utah for two of the Jazz's three first-round picks (Nos. 14, 16, 21).

Allen, who has a year remaining on his contract, said he expects to sit down with general manager Rick Sund in July to begin contract-extension talks.

"Once this draft is over, we'll get at it," he said. "It's got to be a mutual commitment. I've told them I want to be here and I want to hear the same thing from them. You hear some of these rumors, and you just don't know what they're thinking."

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