In case you're wondering, no, I didn't flip out when Seattle took Robert Swift with the 12th pick.

OK, I did at first, but then I realized how good the Sonics brass has been with its decisions since Rick Sund took over a few years ago, and, well, I should probably trust that this decision was smart, also..... even though another tall, lanky 7-footer is the last thing I wanted us to add.

You could do a lot worse with the 12th pick of a weak draft -- like, you could probably be a complete sucker and grab Sebastian Telfair with the 13th pick when he probably would've been on the board in the 20's -- but realistically, when's the last time a center taken with a lottery pick outside of the top 8-10 (hell, the top 5) became a big-time star? And when's the last time the Sonics have developed a center who became a big-time star?

Now imagine he's white (A Time To Kill reference).

That was a real question, by the way, so feel free to do the research for me. I really can't think of one other than Jermaine O'Neal, but he doesn't count. I'm almost positive that if it was as cool back then as it is now to draft high school players, Jermaine O'Neal would've been a top 5-10 pick.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas. There's another one, but he's just above average to good, at best. And as Puff Daddy would say, I'm not looking for good, I'm looking for greatness.

(That Puff Daddy. What a jackass.)

I heard a report on Sportscenter that the Sonics received calls from five teams interested in trading for Swift and that the Celtics and Jazz were trying hard to trade up for a higher pick because they liked Swift, also. That's a pretty dang good sign.

OK, so I've decided I'm happy with Rob Swift.

RUSS GRASNIK WILL NOW TAKE OVER FOR ME TO DISCUSS THE 2ND ROUND

nbadraft.net's NBA player comparison for Andre Emmett, whom the Sonics drafted with the 36th overall pick:

Terry Teagle.

Yes!!

Well, it doesn't matter, because we traded Emmett to the Grizzlies for a future 2nd-round pick and cash.

Ugh.

Is there anything worse than hearing your team traded a player for a future 2nd-rounder.... AND CASH? That's a slap in the face. It's like saying, hey, I'd like to give you this player for free, but since that'll probably trigger suspicion among the other teams in the league, why don't you just give me a future 2nd-rounder and cash in return and we'll call it even Steven?

Ugh.

I really think Emmett can turn out to be a steal. He shot 53% from the field last season at Texas Tech. He attacks the basket, averaging nearly a free throw for every two field goal attempts. He's a good ballhandler, with a turnover rate of 9.6. And he's big enough to hold his own on defense against other NBA 2-guards (6'5", 216).

Jerry-freaking-West, ladies and gentlemen.

Draft analysts are the kings of clutter. Players aren't fast, they "have excellent speed". Players aren't big or tall, they "have good size". Players don't have long arms, they have "great length in their arms". Players don't have great potential, they have "tremendous upside potential".

Who uses these terms? Have you ever told anyone a player has excellent speed? Or good size? Or, "Man, that kid has great length in his arms!"

Try using those terms in a sentence right now and see how weird it feels.

Now imagine you're white.