Expect a shaky season for the Phoenix Suns in 2008-2009, not because of the Shaquille O’Neal trade last spring and not because they’re necessarily waning in talent. Whenever a team losing a coach with such a distinct style as Mike D’Antoni and replace him with a coach with a completely different style, as Terry Porter, the adjustment curve is going to be steep. Yet, in the long haul, it should be for the better.

The Pacific Division promises to be fairly deep next season. The Los Angeles Lakers will be the returning Western Conference champs; the Phoenix Suns look to a new coach for answers; the Golden State Warriors enter the Monta Ellis era; the Los Angeles Clippers lose Elton Brand, but pick up a slew of other great players to make a playoff run; and the Sacramento Kings finally part ways with Ron Artest.

I’m going to step outside of my third-person, journalistic voice for a second to express my personal grief and mourning over the loss of the Seattle Supersonics. Unless you’ve lived under a rock, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the Sonics move to Oklahoma City.  The team announced just yesterday that the new team mascot will be the Thunder, and the new team colors will be blue, red and orange.  

I am a Seattle native and have lived in western Washington State my entire life.  Those who know me know I’ve been a diehard Sonics fan since childhood and seeing them dissipate the way they have leaves me with a sense of bitterness.  

It’s somewhat sickening that the NBA didn’t fight for a franchise of 41 years.  It’s even more disappointing that the league all but through the city under a bus in the process.

The Southeast Division is chock full of teams that have been considered underachievers in the past few seasons—the Washington Wizards can’t seem to progress in the playoffs; the Charlotte Bobcats can’t seem to make adequate steps toward the playoffs; and the Atlanta Hawks don’t seem to know hot to make its deep, talented roster most effective.  Yet, that stigma may soon be a thing of the past.