루크 리드나워 소닉스와 계약연장.

10월 말일까지 계약연장에 합의하지 못하면 시즌후 비제한적 FA가 되는 루크였지만, 마지막 날 적절하게 계약에 합의했다.

기간은 3년. 정확은 금액은 나오지 않았는데 대략 20밀쯤 되지 않을까. 03년 드래프티들이 짧게 연장계약하고, 전성기쯤에 다시 한번 대박 계약을 노리는 전략을 루크도 따른 것 같다.

이로서 소닉스는 앞으로 3년간 루크-얼의 조합으로 포인트 가드 자리를 꾸려나게가 되었다.

닉 콜리슨도 걍 계약하지.



밑에 포스트는 루크 재계약에 관련된 로크 아자씨의 글

Today the Seattle SuperSonics extended Luke Ridnour’s contract three years.

Ridnour’s preseason has shown all the signs of returning to his form of two years ago. Under the tutelage of Assistant Coach Gordie Chiesa, Luke looks to have regained his confidence on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Ridnour hit his stride last season under Bob Hill's open-floor system. Ironically, for all the talk of Luke having an off year last season, he was ninth in the NBA in assists. After Hill took over, Ridnour averaged 12.5 points and 7.4 assists per game.

This summer Luke went to Las Vegas to train with the National team. According to people who saw those practices and scrimmages, Luke took a day or two to assimilate, but by the end was competing toe-to-toe with everyone on the roster.

The combination of another year under Hill, the national team experience and the connection with Gordie Chiesa has Luke primed for a strong year.

From a contractual standpoint, this deal secures the Sonics at the point guard position for the next few seasons. The combination of Watson and Ridnour is a very solid 48 minutes at the point guard position.

Finically, when this team hits its apex it will be near the luxury-tax threshold and they have secured their point guard position at a market rate that allows them strong flexibility for their other positions.

Moreover, point guards are hard to find - most of all point guards that are willing to put the team first. In this last off-season the point guards that were signed were Franklin High School’s Jason Terry, Speedy Claxton, Mike James and 36-year-old Sam Cassell. The Sonics signing of Luke today frees the Sonics from entering that overpriced market.

Specifically to Luke’s evolution, he has been unfairly compared to Steve Nash and John Stockton for most of his career. Those are heights that no one can attain, Nash being a two time MVP and Stockton the all-time assist leader in the NBA. Obviously, that doesn’t preclude Luke from success or the team from success. If Luke can increase the accuracy of his jumper and continue to develop his pick-and-roll offensive game he will be in the upper half of offensive point guards.

Defensively, Luke is never going to be a strong powerful point guard, so picks are always going to be an issue for him. The Sonics have altered their defensive structure this season and it will work to Luke’s strength, which is his lateral quickness.

Bottom line on Luke and the Sonics is he has started 159 out of a potential 164 the last two years. Many teams are struggling miserably to find a pass-first, get-his-teammates-involved point guard and the Sonics have one. Luke conducts the offense well and fills a great role on a team with Rashard and Ray.

Furthermore, with his natural progression with time in the league Luke very easily could move into 14 point, 9 assist a night point guard and that is very strong.