Does anyone even know that I've written a column after a long hiatus? Not that that many knew before. Well here's another that will test your powers of discovery.

I'm sorry to say it, but as our very own Ed McMahon says, not only are we a lottery team WITHOUT Lewis; we're not as good as he thinks we are WITH him. What have we done to move up a couple of slots in the Western Conference pecking order? Essentially we have Anderson instead of Baker, & Forte instead of Watson (I'm not counting Williams or Pot, cuz neither would have/will make much difference this year).

You've still got a bunch of young guys trying to learn how to play with each other who now have to assimilate at least 2-3 new players into a rotation that was never CLOSE to being set last year. As I hinted at before, I'm not so sure that Wally isn't just writing this year off anyway. Like I said in my last column, if the right trade for Gary comes along, we've still got Anderson to run the team & keep things respectable. Then next year, watch out with all that cap space & a prime nucleus of young players.

Trader Wally. God, what a scary thought. DO NOT FOR ONE MINUTE FORGET Sund's year-old comments about the youth movement & how it might take us three years to get where we want to be going. Well, next year will be year three. Imagine adding Kidd &/or Duncan to the fine group of young players we have now minus Payton & Anderson. And there wouldn't be any Lewis situations to worry about. The prime players are pretty much all locked up for a couple more years to make a run at a ring; & those few who aren't would be in NO position to make max contract demands. Throw in the requisite couple of stars like Duncan & Kidd leading us at the two most important positions & you have a REAL winner!

I know it's not going to happen, but I'm always trying to figure out what Wally is trying to do instead of just formulating dream trades like so many others. The reason I say I doubt it will happen is because I think, even given the relationship between Schultz & Kidd, Wally would be in WAY over his head negotiating in this rarified atmosphere. But WAIT! I forgot Magic! Of course, the missing link! Magic buys in & the FA's come rushing to rub elbows with the Hall of Famer. Starbucks opens a record number of new franchises & sales hit all time highs! Schultz walking down the street doing his "raise the roof" imitation becomes so ingrained, people think of it as a tic!

I don't know how I could have missed this before. The ingredients are all there; kind of like a bowl of alphabet soup. All we need do is trust in Wally to spell something out of all the disparate letters/parts. And if we just happen to make the playoffs again this year for the second year in a row, can the guy (Wally) be called anything less than a genius? Imagine, pulling off this three-year plan right under everyone’s noses while staying in the playoff hunt in the process. Sheer brilliance!

I may have to revise my thinking on Wally. Here in Sonicland we don't rebuild, we just reload. Oh ye of little faith. YEAH BABY!

The legendary and infamous David Kronfield has been a SonicsCentral.com columnist since day one. David can be reached at heavyd@sonicscentral.com. All opinions expressed in this column are solely the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of other columnists or the SonicsCentral.com staff.

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