OFFER SHEET, TRE SIMMONS AND DALE DAVIS

The offer sheet we told you about arrived today and is exactly as anticipated. The Sonics now have 7 days to decide whether or not to match the offer sheet.
The part of this equation that is unclear is that Wilkins wants to be in Minnesota not in Seattle. Would he have signed the offer sheet if he thought Seattle was going to match? His agent, Mark Bartelstein is one of the best in the business.
We now know why Wilkins turned down the offer from Nate and the Blazers.

In other news I talked with Tre Simmons today and he expects to sign with the Sonics in the next few days. If Wilkins leaves for Minnesota then Simmons would be a nice fit for the Sonics. He can shoot and is a surprisingly good defender.
This is a good example of how I feel Wilkins is replaceable. However, the Sonics management talks about Wilkins size, his defensive capabilities and his ability to drive to the basket as things that separate him at this position.
Bottom line if I am the Sonics unless you are certain that Wilkins is going to be able to be a back-up 2 and 3 and give you 18 to 25 minutes a night then I would let him go to Minnesota. He is a replaceable piece.

The decision on Dale Davis should happen today. Davis is deciding between Seattle and Detroit. Detroit falls out of the picture if Michael Finley goes to Detroit, but the word around the league is that Finley to Miami is a done deal.

DALE DAVIS A SONIC OR A PISTON

A quick update on Dale Davis. I just spoke with his agent Chubby Wells and he expects a decision to be made either tonight (Thursday) or more likely tomorrow. Things can change but as of right now the decision is between Seattle and Detroit.
Rick Sund and Wells plan to speak in the next few hours.

SONICS EXPECT WILKINS TO GET OFFER SHEET AND SONICS MAY LURE DALE DAVIS TO SEATTLE

Here is the latest on the Supersonics.
Expectations are the in the next day or two you will see a 5 year 14.6 million dollar offer sheet from the Minnesota Timberwolves to Damien Wilkins. According to numerous reports the Wolves have already used 2.5 million of their mid-level exception to sign Eddie Griffin leaving just 2.5 million to start to offer for Wilkins.
There is a little game of cat and mouse going on here as the Wolves have delayed announcing the Griffin because it allows the Sonics to know what they are going to offer Wilkins in an offer sheet. Remember the Sonics have to use their mid-level to re-sign Wilkins.
Wilkins and his agent Mark Bartelstein have told the Sonics that Wilkins would rather not return to Seattle because he doesn’t want to be behind Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis for the length on the contract. The Wolves have told Wilkins he would start.
The Sonics have the deal done for Vitaly Potapenko and he is going through physicals and all of that before it is announced.
However, the Sonics are not done on the center front. DeSanga Diop is out of the picture as he is expected to sign with Dallas, but the Sonics are still in strong conversations with Dale Davis and his agent Chubby Wells.
Detroit is hot after Davis as well but they may have to use their entire mid-level to sign newly release Michael Finley. Finley to Detroit would be good for the Sonics quest after Dale Davis.
The update on Finley is Detroit, Phoenix, San Antonio and the Heat are all hot after him.
The Sonics have their entire mid-level to use for both Wilkins and Davis and may end up with both of them.
One other note I am hearing around the league that the Spurs are trying to move Brent Barry only after one year with the team.

Locked on the NFL Audio

Sports Radio 950 KJR's David Locke caught up with Seahawks legends Steve Largent and Curt Warner after the Rumble at the Ridge golf tournament and talked everything from golf to politics. David also talked a little football in the extended conversation at TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge with the Ring of Honor members.

Locked on Sports: Bavasi teetering on tightrope

Locked on Sports: Bavasi teetering on tightrope: "When the Mariners lose their 90th game this season, they will become the first franchise to follow back-to-back 90-win seasons with back-to-back 90-loss seasons since Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's in 1916.

Outgoing GM Pat Gillick said someone else needed to take a 'kick at the cat.' Bavasi has kicked the bucket."

FELIX THE GREAT

Felix Hernandez was simply awesome last night. The Royals are awful but everything about last night was real.
Here is how real. One of my best friends is playing with the Royals and I went to lunch with him today. I asked him what the guys were saying. He told me that he asked one of the guys in the clubhouse, a guy who has played around 8 years in the bigs both in the AL and the NL, what he thought of Felix and after a pause he called him the best right hander he has ever faced. The best right hander he has ever faced. That is insane.
He is that good. A few things that jumped out a me really watching him last night.
First, his back side. He is girth is impressive. Furthermore, he really uses it. He gets down and drive and his hips explode to the mound. That is a lot of his power and you would hope that would keep his arm healthy.
He is down in the strike zone. I mean he may have come about the belt once or twice in the game. I was talking to a former big leager today who was explaining to me that on a hard thrower you have to focus on the top of the ball because it will rise up at contact. But Felix is already bringing the ball on a downward plane so that you have no choice but to hit the top of the ball, which is why he is not allowing extra base hits and why he is not allowing fly balls.
Gil Meche still hasn’t figured how to get on a downward plane the way the 19 year old Felix has.
Another item that jumped out was his command of both sides of the plate. Most young pitchers are able to take one side of the plate and they live on it. More often then not for a right hand pitcher it is the outside to a right hander hitter and the inside corner to a left hander. Felix is commanding both sides of the plate no matter if the hitter is left handed or right handed.
Finally it a post game interview with the Torrealba, Torreabla was asked about a 3-2 pitch and what he decided to throw and Felix told him put down whatever you think is right and I will throw it. That is tremendous confidence.
The dude is real. This beyond hope. The are more steps to be taken but this guy is the unattainable #1 starter that every franchises dreams of.

RADMANOVIC NEGOTATIONS UPDATE

Vlady’s side and the Sonics talked yesterday. They are still at a point were they agree to disagree. The Sonics have upped their offer to 6 year 42 million with incentives and the Vlady wants $50 million guarantee. At this point Radmanovic camp is waiting out an offer from some other team. If that doesn’t happen, which seems unlikely, they can sign the 1-year $3.2 million tender before October 1st.
Radmanovic’s camp still believes that the free agent market is robust and they are better off becoming an unrestricted free agent next season. Their belief is that they will be able to get substantially more in the opening market next year then the $42 million dollar offer the Sonics are offering.
The Sonics are standing pat.

Locked on the NFL Audio

David Locke of Sports Radio 950 KJR talked with Seahawk linebacker Jamie Sharper about the veteran's transition into the Seattle defense. Locke and Sharper discuss the championship attitude that helped Sharper to a Super Bowl title with the Baltimore Ravens and how that can be applied to a new team in his ninth NFL season.

Locked on the NFL Audio

Sports Radio 950, KJR's David Locke spoke with new Seahawk defensive tackle Chuck Darby about working his way from the Tampa Bay practice squad in his rookie season to earning a likely starting spot on the Seahawks line, all while fighting off the label as an "under-sized" player.