Sonics Likely To Stand Pat In Nba Draft Draft Pick Isn’t What Seattle Needs To Solidify Its Team

Wally Walker has thought about trying to improve the Seattle SuperSonics’ position in the NBA draft. He doesn’t see any advantage to it.

“Anything is possible, but it’s more likely we’ll use our pick than anything else,” the team general manager said Tuesday.

The Sonics have the 26th pick in the draft’s first round next Wednesday. Then in the second round, they’ll have the 54th overall selection.

That means no chance to draft North Carolina’s Jerry Stackhouse or Rasheed Wallace, Maryland’s Joe Smith or Alabama’s Antonio McDyess, generally recognized to be the top four players.

But Walker is uncertain how much a McDyess, a Smith, a Wallace or a Stackhouse could help the Sonics right away.

The team has averaged 60 victories in the past two seasons, only to lose to Denver last year and the Los Angeles Lakers this year in the opening round of the playoffs. Walker and coach George Karl are attempting to figure out what Seattle needs to change its playoff fortunes.

The key may be a trade or trades, it may be the signing of a free agent or free agents, but it won’t be a first-round draft pick.

Somewhere down the line, the player the Sonics get at No. 26 may help them. The club isn’t counting on getting much help from him next season.

“We’re optimistic,” Walker said. “We think we have a chance of drafting a guy who can play some next year and who will be a good NBA player in the future.”

Don’t expect a major trade or trades. Without mentioning names, Walker hinted that AllStars Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf are untouchables in any possible trade before next season.

“We’ve got a good nucleus and we recognize that,” he said. “I think our nucleus is very solid and it’s unlikely we’ll do anything with that.”

The Sonics’ second playoff collapse led to speculation that Karl might be fired, but owner Barry Ackerley decided to keep Karl for at least the final year of his contract.

With Karl’s return, the speculation in Seattle has been that Kendall Gill, the team’s shooting guard, won’t be back because Gill and Karl feuded constantly last season.

Gill might be returning, too.

“Kendall still has a chance to be an outstanding NBA player,” Walker said. “Despite all that’s gone on, we think he has a chance to succeed here. We’ll look and we’ll listen. But there’s certainly a reasonable possibility he’ll be back.”

Moving back to Seattle from Tacoma next season to play in the new Key Arena, the rebuilt Seattle Coliseum, the Sonics are under pressure to shed their lackluster playoff image.

Kemp, Payton and Schrempf can do what Hakeem Olajuwon has done in Houston the past two seasons, Walker said.

“We’re not too far away.”