Sonics -- Small Forward, Big Opportunity

The Sonics have reinvented themselves by signing several players who are faster and flashier.

But one glitch remains: none of their small-forward parts has a household name.

"There's probably more question marks there than anywhere," Coach Paul Westphal admitted. "It's wide open."

The candidates include Lazaro Borrell, the Cuban defector who doesn't speak English; and Vladimir Stepania, who barely speaks it.

Ruben Patterson - the self-declared "Kobe-Stopper" - talks a big game. But like small forward Rashard Lewis, Patterson hasn't made an NBA name for himself.

So when the Seattle team's training camp opened today, the best-known small forward was 35-year-old Chuck Person. Despite not having a guaranteed contract, the Rifleman will have as good a shot as anyone in settling the small-forward quandary by the season opener Nov. 2.

Patterson has a different opinion.

"I'm going to try to get that job," he said. "It's nothing personal. When we step on that court, I'm going at it."

He'll go at it with Borrell, who is such an intriguing prospect that teammate Brent Barry has dubbed him "the Cuban Sensation." During the Pre-Olympic Tournament of the Americas in Puerto Rico in June, Borrell defected from Cuba before his team played the U.S. national team, which included Gary Payton and Vin Baker.

Borrell has an uncanny feel that needs no translation. But he must learn the intricacies of the NBA game, particularly on defense.

Understanding English would help.

"I'm well aware that there's a huge opportunity," Borrell said through a translator. "I'm going to focus on working really hard."

Person, the Sonics' most accomplished small forward, remains an excellent long-range shooter. He shot 35 percent from three-point range while with the Charlotte Hornets last season. But it remains to be seen if, at his age, he still can defend and rebound with the younger, quicker small forwards.

Why a non-guaranteed contract? "Not making the team hasn't even crossed my mind," Person said.

The Sonics believe Lewis will be an All-Star one day. During the summer league, Lewis continued to show promise with leaping ability and outside shooting. He must improve his toughness, defense and ball-handling to get playing time.

Despite being 7 feet and 236 pounds, Stepania is the most skilled of the small forwards. But the Eastern European's build prevents him from defending quicker small forwards. Because the Western Conference is full of big small forwards, Stepania will get time at the position.

"He has all the tools," Westphal said. "But he's got to have a little restraint. He just can't be some wild guy that makes a bunch of mistakes."

It's difficult to discern that Patterson was an obscure Los Angeles Laker through listening to him.

Any concern about defending top small forwards?

"They put their (drawers) on just like I do," Patterson replied. "I can guard Scottie (Pippen). I can guard the best. When I get in there, I'm going to do what I have to do. I don't care if you're Grant Hill or Scottie Pippen. Nobody scares me."

The 24-year-old claimed to have stopped Kobe Bryant so much during practice last season that teammates nicknamed him "the Kobe-Stopper."

Patterson's wallpaper defense and hard-nosed play should give him more than the six minutes per game that he averaged last season.

"He's by far the best defender," Westphal said. "He reminds me of a young Jerome Kersey. He's not much of a shooter, but he can make a lot of things happen."

If Westphal could combine the skills of his small forwards, he would have a superstar. But his starting small forward almost always will lose the name game this season.

"When you're playing defense and getting easy layups, we don't have to worry about a three," Gary Payton said. "So it doesn't matter."

Barring injuries, the Sonic starters will include Payton at point guard, Baker at power forward and Horace Grant at center. The starting shooting guard probably will be Brent Barry, because Vernon Maxwell's penchant for taking - and making - wild shots makes him more effective as a reserve.

Last season, small forward was the team's most loaded position. But during the offseason, the Sonics traded forwards Don MacLean and Billy Owens and swingman Dale Ellis to land Grant. When Detlef Schrempf left for the Portland Trail Blazers, the surplus turned into a deficit.

But the Sonics believe their not-ready-for-prime-time players will step into the spotlight.

"They are guys who don't really have names. But we think that they might be capable of doing something, and they'll have a chance to show it," Westphal said.

NOTES

Seattle signed 6-8 forward Rickie Winslow to a contract today, bringing the Sonics' preseason roster to 17.

-- Yesterday Seattle signed Steve Scheffler, a former Sonic (1993-97), to a non-guaranteed contract. He isn't expected to make the team.

-- Borrell wore a white T-shirt and jeans while teammates sported new uniforms yesterday on Media Day. Borrell isn't yet officially a Sonic because his former team in Argentina contends he is under contract for one more season.

-- Fans are invited to a free open practice Sunday at KeyArena. Doors open at noon, festivities begin at 1 p.m. and practice is scheduled from 2-4 p.m.

-- The two home exhibition games, Oct. 13 against Houston and Oct. 19 against Portland, will be shown live on KONG-TV. All eight exhibition games will be broadcast by KJR (950 AM).