Who are these guys? Is that Calvin Booth starting at center? Maybe Jerome James' big body to counter the Sugar Shaq? No, it's Antonio Harvey! Are you kidding me? Guess Nate figured there was no chance for this one so he might as well give everyone a look,right? Wrong! Of course, there was Gary Payton having his usual superb game, but who are these other guys? There's Vin Baker with his 27 points & 9 boards making ol' Heavy eat so much crow, it took me back to my days at the Royal Fork.Good Lord, how many ways can you be wrong? Let's see ... I predicted the Lakers would pretty much blow us out, winning by double digits; & even if we somehow did play them tough, we'd still lose. Coming off a loss to Sacramento, I really thought this was a gimmee. WRONG! I also said after having a couple of shots swatted back in his face, that Vin would be hanging outside shooting jumpers. WRONG! While he did throw in a couple from long range, Vin got most of his points inside. I also figured that he wouldn't play much defense along with everyone else down low. WRONG! There was Art Long nearly having his head handed to him by the Diesel but playing tough defense even despite giving up nearly 100 pounds. And Vin was in there scrapping as well, taking his life in his own hands -- quite a reversal from his alter-ego, Grandfather Time in the Nutcracker. Yes indeed, who are these guys? There was Watson challenging Shaq to arch one high off the glass & swishing a desperation three. Gary even tried to lob him one to slam down. Speaking of which, when was the last time you saw Vin make a tip jam? I'm more used to seeing plays from him like in the first half when he couldn't elevate enough to jam a lob; had to bring it down & go back up for the layin.

Yes, this game had a bit of everything -- except Barry. We got the Bare Bones tonight, but even he was in there at the end as a stabilizing force when we couldn't afford to make any mistakes down the stretch. But what I really want to talk about is Lewis & Radman. There's been a lot of talk in Sonics boards of late that Lewis' game is off; that he's not likely to improve much; that he doesn't have much going for himself besides a feathery outside shot; & that as a free agent next year, we might be better off trading him -- or, worse still, even letting him go. While some of this talk has predictably come from the juvenile deliquents that freqent these boards instead of learning to spell their names correctly, a surprising number of these posts have come from long time Sonics watchers with sterling reputations for accurate observations. I'm sorry,but this is one time I've got to thoroughly disagree. Now the guy may disappear tomorrow, but tonight I saw a guy fighting for rebounds on both ends of the court, taking it to the hole, posting guys up, even playing some tough "D" -- all in addition to that usually reliable outside jumper. And in his sidekick Radman, I also saw the developing all-around game that everyone's been talking about. Yeah, he rushed a couple of ill advised passes, but he was all over the place -- the closest thing to the Sky Pilot this year's team can offer. He shows a nice outside shot like Rashard, rebounds well, passes, is starting to play defense under some control; but still plays with the energy that this team has sorely needed. Not the reckless abandon he demonstrated in the beginning of the season that caused some of us to question whether or not he might have been a wasted draft choice; but rather a controlled exuberance that the team found contagious tonight.

These two guys are the future of the Sonics in my opinion. Radman is only 20 & Lewis is but 22. If ever there were two guys to tie up in the long term contracts that Wally seems to favor; if ever there were two future stars to build a team around, in my opinion it is these two. Gary's not going to go quietly. He'll give every last ounce of energy for his team. But when he can no longer get it done, a developing Earl Watson, also only 22, should be far more than an adequate replacement. I don't know if he's the second coming of Jason Kidd as has been suggested, but he will do his best to make people forget Gary when the time comes. And I think he'll succeed as well as anyone could be expected to. I haven't even mentioned the injured Desmond Mason, the old man of the group at 24. Some think HE may develop into the best of the lot. We still have a big hole in the middle, but that's been a Sonic shortcoming for so many years most of us have learned to live with it. And with the four players I mentioned as the future foundation, perhaps a role player at the #5 position is all we can realistically expect to afford.

Before I bring this consumate love affair with the future to a fitting conclusion, I have to interject a note of reality & bring some of you crashing down -- on me if nothing else. Vin still has to go. No matter how well he continues to play, someone needs to be traded, for reasons of salary, if nothing else. And both in age & style of play, Vin is the guy that fits least well the image of the team I envision. Some guys make everyone around them better players. I'm sorry, but to me Vin is just not that kind of player. Vin may be very very good when he's on, but you can't have everything. And if you had to choose a guy to go, my choice would be him. Cummon now, did you really think ol' Heavy was going to do a complete about-face & stray totally away from controversy? Vin may not be the square peg in the round hole that I've painted him to be; but he's the only logical choice for someone that has to go. Barry, Drob, Booth, James, & perhaps even Long will be good role players or throw-ins on the future trades of Williams & Baker. But the four guys I mentioned should be the nucleus of a great, long running Sonic team of the future. Hopefully, we'll be able to say "I remember that Laker game that started it all," if we can just get by the Clippers tomorrow & not have to say with different meaning,WHO ARE THESE GUYS?

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