Trading away Allen hurts, but it was right move

Some exuberant Sonics fans arrived at a draft party Thursday wearing makeshift Kevin Durant jerseys. They used their No. 34 Ray Allen replicas to make them. They wrote "Durant" on a piece of paper and placed it over Allen's name and taped "5" over the "4" on Allen's number.

Durant, No. 35. They were pumped. Sacrifice the old star for a new one.

Those fans looked goofy upon entering Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center. About an hour later, however, their jerseys became eerily prophetic symbols.

Forty-three seconds before Durant was drafted, ESPN announced the shocker: Ray Allen to Boston for rebuilding.

The crowd booed. And 43 seconds later, they cheered even louder.

It was yet another conflicting day for the Sonics, who just don't believe in maximizing good publicity anymore.

Forget the high-scoring possibilities of a lineup featuring Allen, Durant and Rashard Lewis. The Sonics, who have endured losing seasons four of the past five years, will rebuild instead.

Initial reaction: This is the cruelest and most unfair decision the Sonics' new ownership has made. From the standpoint of saving the Sonics from relocation, chairman Clay Bennett and his group have chosen the worst possible time to start over. They just yanked away the one hope, no matter how pie in the sky, optimistic Sonics fans clenched tightly — an 11th-hour franchise rescue spurred by a winning 2007-08 season.

"It finally looks like we're going to turn things around, and by the time we do it, the Sonics might be gone," said fan Andy Citron, 36, of Seattle. "I hope this draft is going to generate enough excitement."

Before the draft, Citron said he would be excited "as long as we get Durant and don't trade Ray Allen."

I looked at Citron after the trade announcement, and he grimaced and shook his head.

How much more controversy can Sonics fans handle?

Take your emotions out of this decision, however. Judge the Sonics purely from a basketball perspective. They've built losing teams four of the past five years. The Allen/Lewis combo scores plenty, but you can't put together well-rounded and consistently successful teams with them. And now you want to add Durant, another perimeter-oriented scorer, to this flawed group and simply tweak it?

It can't work.

The Sonics made the right basketball decision. And yet they wronged the public, again.

Sam Presti was hired as Seattle's general manager because he was the most innovative young mind available. He just drafted Durant, who will in time become the NBA's most versatile star, and now he wants to put versatile pieces around him. It makes sense to rebuild the team now, while growing pains are inevitable, instead of later. If Presti does it the right way, the team will grow with Durant, and the Sonics will avoid having a frustrated star who can't win big.

In a vacuum, Presti made a wonderful trade. Besides Wally Szczerbiak, the Sonics received two nice pieces for Allen in Delonte West, a sweet-shooting combo guard, and Jeff Green, the No. 5 pick in this draft and a player who can play three or four positions.

Green is also a willing defensive player. He could turn into the ideal Robin to Durant's Batman.

At the pre-draft party, not all fans were against the deal.

"We need a new beginning," said Brandon Bettes, 21, of Woodinville. "With the arena situation, we need to rebuild this team."

The problem is that rebuilding will take at least two years. The only hope is the Sonics can be intriguing enough to excite fans while they grow. But how exciting can a 35-win team be?

Of course, the offseason is just beginning — Lewis' free agency is next — and Presti deserves the opportunity to finish all his moves before he's scrutinized severely.

If Presti's first moves are any indication, this offseason will be wild and controversial and revolutionary. The Sonics, like any smart franchise in need of repair, are thinking long term.

It's just that, even while doing the right thing, the Sonics continue to tear up a basketball community.

The fans came for a party. They left with a dilemma.

Just another conflicting day for the Sonics.

"I want Durant to keep the team in Seattle," Citron said. "That's why I'm here. I don't know if that can happen, but I hope so."

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For more columns and the Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports