The NBA Trades podcast is back. This edition of the show features a conversation with former Seattle Supersonics president of basketball operations/general manager Bob Whitsitt.

We discussed how Bob got his start in sports business as an intern with the Indiana Pacers. He worked his way up to become VP of Marketing for the Kansas City Kings in 1982. After angling for a basketball operations position, he eventually ended up joining the floundering Seattle Supersonics and owner Barry Ackerley.

Bob started his Sonics tenure with six trades in six months. We delved into his process for rebuilding the Supersonics with some key trades and draft decisions. Eventually, we got into the end of the Tom Chambers, Dale Ellis, Xavier McDaniel trio and the new era with Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

We then discussed everything up to the rise of the Supersonics as an NBA power, and his eventual split with the Sonics after issues with Ackerley. Bob also discussed various players including Payton, Kemp, Sam Perkins, Derrick McKey, Detlef Schrempf, Benoit Benjamin, Dale Ellis, etc. We also spoke at length about the risky decision to hire George Karl.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes

Check us out on Stitcher

Image Credit:

Bob Whitsitt: USA Today/Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Shawn Kemp & Gary Payton: Getty Images/Andrew D. Bernstein

George Karl: blog.gtbets.eu

Song Credit: 130Grit Sound Studio/Ridin Round Cover