Old Boys Club no longer, the Seattle Supersonics dipped into the same kind of talent pool that produced baseball general managers such as Boston’s Theo Esptein. It takes new ideas to win in today’s sports world, and there’s no better way to get new ideas than by going out and getting a younger, sexier general manager to make your ex- jealous.

For Seattle, 30 year old Sam Presti is that newer, sexier GM that will supposedly help the Sonics rebuild into an NBA caliber team. Parts of me wonder if this is in response to the Sonics pulling the 2nd pick in this year’s draft out of their asses because previously the ownership did absolutely nothing that suggested that they were committed to winning basketball games. Its been said before, and it will be said again, but its just too damn obvious that Sonics owner Clay Bennett was trying to pull off the real-life version of Major League; tank the season so he can move the team. Because honestly, he’s put up the front that he wants to stay in Seattle, but who’s going to finance a last place team?

Once a $250-per-month intern with the San Antonio Spurs, Presti can hopefully bring over some of the intelligent thought behind the flash-less Spurs who win through team efforts, superb scouting, and the capability of intelligent thought: all things the Sonics have lacked in recent years. Maybe they have a home in Seattle after all?

In the end, even if it doesn’t give hope to the city of Seattle that they might keep their team, it gives hope to geeks like me around the world who know that intellectual skills, and not necessarily the basketball pedigree, is the new way of the pro sports GM.

• Sonics dip into San Antonio’s proven system, make Presti new GM (AP)
• Stern wants Sonics to stay in Seattle (AP)