▁NBA ▁season ▁was ▁the ▁ 3 1 st ▁season ▁for ▁the ▁Seattle ▁Super S on ics ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association . ▁During ▁the ▁off season , ▁the ▁Son ics ▁signed ▁free ▁agents ▁Billy ▁O w ens ▁and ▁Don ▁Mac Le an ▁while ▁re - sign ing ▁Old en ▁Pol yn ice . ▁After ▁a ▁four - month ▁lock out ▁w ip ed ▁out ▁half ▁the ▁season , ▁the ▁Son ics ▁got ▁off ▁to ▁a ▁strong ▁start ▁under ▁new ▁head ▁coach ▁Paul ▁West phal ▁winning ▁their ▁first ▁six ▁games . ▁However , ▁they ▁soon ▁fell ▁apart ▁losing ▁nine ▁of ▁their ▁next ▁tw el ves ▁games ▁as ▁Vin ▁Baker ▁played ▁just ▁ 3 4 ▁games ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁kne e ▁injury . ▁From ▁there , ▁the ▁Son ics ▁would ▁play ▁around ▁. 5 0 0 ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁finishing ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Division ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 5 – 2 5 ▁record , ▁losing ▁a ▁tie - bre aker ▁for ▁the ▁# 8 ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Conference ▁to ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Tim ber wol ves , ▁and ▁missing ▁the ▁play offs ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁nine ▁years . ▁Following ▁the ▁season , ▁Det lef ▁Sch re mp f ▁signed ▁as ▁a ▁free ▁agent ▁with ▁the ▁Port land ▁Tra il ▁Bla z ers , ▁Her sey ▁Haw kins ▁was ▁trad ed ▁to ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Bull s , ▁Pol yn ice ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Ut ah ▁Jazz , ▁and ▁O w ens ▁and ▁Mac Le an ▁were ▁both ▁trad ed ▁along