Sonics fire 2 in front office
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER
Sonics general manager Sam Presti is quickly putting an imprint on his new organization, and there was no better example of that than Wednesday when the team confirmed the firings of two key front office members.
Director of basketball operations David Pendergraft and director of college scouting Steve Rosenberry were relieved of their duties as Presti made his most significant moves to date. Presti promised front-office changes and it appears that he wants to structure the Sonics much like the San Antonio Spurs, the team he came from.
He has hired Detroit Pistons director of player personnel Scott Perry to become assistant general manager and main talent evaluator. Perry will join current assistant GM Rich Cho, a salary cap expert and close friend of Presti's.
Perry, 44, has West Coast ties, having served as an assistant coach at Cal in the mid-1990s and playing one season at Oregon before transferring to Wayne State. Detroit president of basketball operations Joe Dumars had apparently been waiting for the Sonics to call on Perry for the GM opening, but the call came from Presti, giving the Sonics two of the league's emerging executives.
Perry was in charge of the Pistons' draft preparations, summer league squads and free-agent visits and could be critical in the Sonics' decisions with the 31st and 35th draft picks. Perry is expected to arrive in Seattle by the end of the week, when his addition will be made official.
The Sonics said they are unsure when they will officially announce the move or the firings of Pendergraft and Rosenberry, but it is a done deal.
These moves yet again illustrate the Sonics' mercurial direction since the regular season ended. Like an episode of "The Sopranos," it seems that no one is safe. Then-team president Lenny Wilkens told reporters on May 29 that Pendergraft and Rosenberry would remain in their positions for the final year of their contract.
But on June 7, the day Presti was officially hired, Wilkens was demoted back to vice chairman and Presti assumed full control of the organization, making the job status of Pendergraft, Rosenberry and the rest of the front office uncertain. But Presti waited nearly two weeks -- and several draft prospect evaluations -- to remove the team's top two scouts.
The club observed four more prospects Wednesday, but besides Presti and Cho, it is uncertain who else watched the workouts. Pendergraft and Rosenberry had uneven track records, especially in recent years.
A main factor in the reassignment of general manager Rick Sund was the drafting of center Mouhamed Sene, who scored a total of 53 points in 28 games his rookie season. But it was Pendergraft and Rosenberry who had a part in selecting Connecticut guard Denham Brown with the 40th pick and he was cut in training camp.
Meanwhile, players such as Cleveland's Daniel Gibson, Utah's Paul Millsap and Dee Brown and Memphis' Alexander Johnson were taken after Brown.
Of the Sonics' 19 draft picks since Pendergraft took over, 10 appeared in uniform for the Sonics while others such as Peter Fehse, David Young, Brown and Josip Sesar never played a game for Seattle.
Of course, Presti also was expected to handpick members of the front office, especially in scouting.
THE COMING DAYS: The club finally announced that potential No. 1 pick Greg Oden will begin three days of workouts Friday in Seattle while Kevin Durant, who is in Seattle and attended the Storm game Wednesday, will return Sunday.
Owner Clay Bennett also is expected to arrive in Seattle later this week as the coaching search intensifies. P.J. Carlesimo spoke with the Sonics on Tuesday and former Sonics assistant Dwane Casey is expected to speak with Presti next. Casey has a home in Seattle and has been an interested candidate since Bob Hill was fired April 25.
Meanwhile, Sonics assistant coach Gordon Chiesa is in Salt Lake City mulling over an offer to join Marc Iavaroni's staff with the Memphis Grizzlies. While Wilkens said weeks ago that the new coach would be allowed to pick his own staff, it's questionable whether the new coach would tap a coach from the former staff.
dang, this guy does not mess aroundBut on June 7, the day Presti was officially hired, Wilkens was demoted back to vice chairman and Presti assumed full control of the organization, making the job status of Pendergraft, Rosenberry and the rest of the front office uncertain. But Presti waited nearly two weeks -- and several draft prospect evaluations -- to remove the team's top two scouts.
Sam learned how to "sweep" in SA.
I might be crazy but I think a lot of the success in SA stems from Pop. That's one thing all of these other franchises don't have.
Pop sets the stage and lets the talent shine, Presti will shine in Seattle or OKC where ever they end up.
Not surprising. In a field like player evaluation, I'd imagine that you'd want people around you who generally value the same things you do. There's always a room for a dissenting voice, but no place for incompetence, if that's what you believe about those who are on your staff. The jury's out on Sene, but the early returns don't look great. In any event, the existing staff appeared to have done a pretty bad job in 2006 with the draft and didn't do much in free agency, so I can see why Presti would be anxious to get them out.
Perhaps he gave them an opportunity to watch some workouts and offer their observations, but found those observations to be useless.
Given Ray Allen's general whininess it'll be interesting to see what Presti does with that situation.
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