09-19-2004, 07:16 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Kwisatz Haderach
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Coatesville, PA
Age: 25
Posts: 24,078
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First Nocioni.. and now the Sixers lose out on Kutulay..
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For a team that won only 37 games last year, the Sonics have been quiet in the offseason.
That could change slightly this week.
The Sonics are expected to offer a two-year contract to Turkish swingman Ibrahim Kutluay, who made 12 of 23 three-pointers and scored 19 and 26 points in Turkey's two pre-Olympic games against the United States.
"It's not official, but it's close," Sonics general manager Rick Sund said yesterday. "(Coach) Nate McMillan really wants to get another shooter. He called me and said, 'What about this kid?' "
Kutluay, who turned 30 in July, will arrive in Seattle today and take a physical, probably tomorrow, before signing what is said to be a two-year contract worth $3.36 million.
"He's one of the five best shooters in Europe," said one NBA coach, who asked not to be identified. "But defense? I think he can spell the first four letters."
Nicknamed "Ibo," the 6-foot-6 Kutluay joins his Turkish national teammates, Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu and Utah's Mehmet Okur, in the NBA.
"When I play good in those games I think why not try to go over there," Kutluay said yesterday from his mobile phone in Turkey. "I had offers before, but I had a good contract in Europe and I never took the offers seriously.
"But when Seattle made me an offer, Ray Allen is my idol and it will be a dream come true to play with him. I like Seattle. I like the way they play and I like the coach. Of course this is the highlight of my career. I did so many things for the Turkish people and now, after my career in Europe, I'm excited to play in the NBA. This is a big decision for me."
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It's one thing if we lost out on one of these good International players and they stayed to play professionally over in Europe. But this is the second guy we couldn't get a contract with who ended up in the NBA.
It's a shame, I was really hoping that we could've gotten his shooting on this team. Oh well.. back to the drawing board. 
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Who cares about a championship drought?:
My teams will never win a championship anyway, so why don't you discuss everything else at my forum? Good idea, right? Yeah, I thought so. It's called.. Booing Santa Claus. See you there.
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Originally Posted by Henry Rollins
“The average is the borderline that keeps mere men in their place. Those who step over the line are heroes by the very act. Go.”
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