Through all the boo's and angst that was bestowed upon the Supersonics by their fans, and for all their fraility the past two years the rooster is about to Croo.

     The NBA will hold the draft June 20th or there abouts and the one thing that is obvious to all the GMs and Team Presidents is the coupe that Seattle can come away with this year.  Through trades that were mocked and frowned upon, and players who were sent packing with no rhyme or reason at the time, has now come to pass as a genius move.  This years draft will bare the fruits of those moves like no other in the Sonics history.   This year they no only control the draft but have enough first round picks to put together a very formiable team for years to come.

     With six picks (that's 6!) in the first round out of the first 58 Seattle has a chance to build a winner from a also-ran quicker then any other club.  Besides having two first team All-Rookie players already on the roster in Durant and Green.  With a up and coming point gaurd in Earl Watson, Seattle gets not only the Second Pick, which could end up as either Rose or Beasley, but also the 24th, 32nd, 43rd, 50th and 56th picks.

     With a need at power forward Beasley seems the natual choice here.  The twenty Fourth pick can get them a center to help bring along Sene.  Then it gets interesting for they can then dictate the draft with trades or swaps all to benenfit themselves for this year or even next year if they feel the talent is thin.  Few other teams have this flexiability in this draft.

     The City of Seattle should be crying foul, they have supported this team in thick and thin, that is the true fans, andnow that they are destined to move at a time which will more than likely bring the Sonics back to the forefront of the better teams.

     NBA Draft, I think not, more and more it appeares to be the Seattle Summit.

     When it comes to All-Time lineup for any particular team it give the fams a chance to truely fantasize with the eternal question "If only".  It allows them to cross decades of players and put together a team from anyone who has played for your home team into a All-Time Greatest Line-up.

     It will be interesting to see the various line-ups and I'm sure a few die hard fans can argue each of their teams merits until the "cows come home", "Pigs Fly" or the price of gas falls back to under $2.00.  That being said here are a few lineups the Los Angeles Lakers could throw at you:

FIRST TEAM:

Point Gaurd - Magic Johnson

Shooting Gaurd- Kobe Bryant

Small Foward- Elgin Baylor

Power Foward- Bob McAdoo

Center- Wilt Chamberlain

Sixthman- George Miken

     This lineup would dazzle most All-Time teams, it not only has the scorers but also would be able to distribute the ball around.  With all players being to create their own shots, if needed.  All have numberous triple doubles and Chamberlain once had a Quadriple Double with 12 Blocks!  Miken as the sixth man because in todays game he could play at the 3 thur 5 positions, with the two gaurds we wouldn't need any backup!

SECOND TEAM:

Point Gaurd- Jim Polland

Shooting Gaurd- Jerry West

Small Foward- Vern Mikkelen

Power Foward- Slater Martin

Center- Kareem Adul-Jabbar

Sixthman- Connie Hawkins

     This line-up would be more a half court set all shooters and set shooters.  As quality as this Hall of Fame bunch is they would be in need of stronger rebounding.  Martin and Jabbar would get there share, but Mikkelen, West and Polland would have to crash the boards as well making them susceptible to a fast-breaking team.  Connie Hawkins is sixth man because of his flexibility.  He could spell any of the starters he had excellent ball controll with his hugh hands and distributed the ball quite well throughout his career and was as atheletic a big man as their ever was, think Dr. J mixed with Walt Frazier.

THIRD TEAM-

Point Gaurd- Gail Goodrich

Shooting Gaurd- Clyde Lovellette

Small Foward- James Worthy

Strong Forward- Dennis Rodman

Center- Shaquille O'Niel

Sixthman- Micheal Cooper

     This team would be able to compete with Any all-Time lineup from any team except perhaps thier own listed above.  They would be able to fast break with Worthy on the wing or or power it inside to O'Niel.  They also could spread the defense with Goodrich and Lovellette's shooting.  Bringing in Cooper Would help fill the lanes and there are few finishers as able as Cooper and Worthy on the break.  Far from One dimensional it would cause headaches and few second chance points with Rodman cleaning up the boards.

     So here are just a few the Lakers could put together.  Let's see some of your teams All-time Line up's.  ABA affiliations are exceptable or course as well as teams moves.

     Have it it!!!

     With the NBA wanting to increase the age of a prospective draftee, while not seeming to put a hinderance on his financial future or place a disturbance in the balance of the draft by eliminating possible selections the solution, though a little intricate can be accomplished where it is a win-win-win situation for all.  The third win mentioned includes a third party not always mentioned in regards to this subject, the CBA.

THE SOLUTION

     First the NBA should (with it's revenues from it's vast marketing and television contracts) form a alliance with the CBA and the NBA's Developmental League making them a virtual MINOR LEAGUE to the NBA which it currently tries to be.  This would allow a Team through restructuring of the current players agreement (Benefits will be stated below for the players union) through their union, to be sent for further development if necessary, to any club (Govern though the CBA) to rehab or develop further the skills needed to be productive in the NBA.  The NBA would also give an additional roster spot or two for draftees, only with defined allotments (for time a person can be sent down, and total amount of times a player can be sent down thoughout  any season with a maximum of a two year window). 

     This would give the NBA teams flexibility with their rosters and add insurance in the case of an injury to a draftee.  It also allows the CBA a financial windfall to help stabilize their league and would increase attendance whenever high draft picks are intergraded within, improving their leagues skill level and interest in it as well.

     Second the NBA would have to stucture a first signing formula that would be beneficial to both the teams and the players without causing the PLAYERS UNION to balk.  This would also place flexibility in the Salary Cap within the league and for teams.

     A workable example is as follows:

     First year signings would be for no shorter than four  years, and no longer than six.  This would ensure a player who if he doesn't work out some years of financial security to either return to college or to persue another way of live. 

     Upon signing, what ever the amount the following structure of the contract would be as follows: 

     The amount of the contract would be split in half with the first half being paid out as follows: 

     The NBA would structure a four year payment increments for the amount of the halved contract total with increases from the first to the secord and so on until the end of the fourth year.  Signing bonuses would be paid in full in his first year in addition to the halved contract amount.  Not only would this process insure financial security for the player for a minimum of four years regardless it he is cut or faced with a injury, it also relaxes any animousity  vertern players sometimes have with draftees who make more than they do or as much without ever dribbling a ball on the court yet.

     The remaining Half of the contract would be spilt again (making it quarters from the original contract and would be paid out as follows:

     One quarter would be place upon signing in a type of Taxfree IRA account for the player, this would insure some financial freedom for the player after the initial four years of the contract and assist in his future career or retirement.  This could only assist the PLAYERS UNION in the future as toward the possible assistance these players may need.

      The remaining quarter would be paid out in equal amounts in in the second thru four year of the contract.

     On a six year contract the original halved amount would follow the four year structure with the remaining two years paid in a 40/60 spilt in years five and six.

     After the fourth year any contract could be renegotiated where as the balance of any remaining year beyond the initial four would be paid in full upon the signing of a new contract.

EXAMPLE: 6 year 20 million Dollars, with a 2 millon signing bonus

First year say  $800,000.00 plus the 2,000,000.00 bonus total $2,800,000.00

Second year   $1,200,000.00 plus $1,000,000.00 (Balance of fourht Quarter of contract divided thoughout the second to sixth years) total $2,200,000.00

Third year        $1,600,000.00 plus $1,000,000.00 total $2,600,000.00

Fourth year      $2,000,000.00 plus $1,000,000.00 total $3,000,000.00

Fifth year          $2,160,000.00 (40% of the balance of the remainder of the initial halved contract) plus $1,000,000.00 total  $3,160,000.00

Sixth year         $3,240,000.00 (60% of the balance of the remainder of the initial halved contract) plus $1,000,000.00 total $4,240,000.00

     With the player also having a intrest incurring taxfree IRA started in his first year of $5,000,000.00 at say 13% annual rate would give him 5,650,000,00 toward his retirement or change in career collateral, after 6 years.

     This would give the NBA team flexibility with there roster without hindering themselves if a draftee is injured or needs further development.  When a team feels a draftee needs to develop or keep sharp his skills he can then be sent to the CBA/Developmental league to insure himself getting playing time.  It would help ease the Existing Salary Cap and allow for the existing 30 day signings, while a player is either recovering from a injury or "Sent down" (Draftees only) to get playing time or enhance his skills. 

     This would allow the existing age limit to continue and assist both the player, the NBA, and the CBA to thrive, without player development or financial concerns playing a part in the draft equation.

     A byproduct of this may probably actually keep student atheletes in school longer if they feel that they would more then likely be playing in the CBA then on the bench in the NBA, hence the player would rather hone his skills at their repective Universities.  Of course where financial straights prevail to some students with talent this would be beneficail to ensure financial securety for them regaurdless where they play.