Northwest Sports: In the Morning

Thierry Henry, in NYC for a charity soccer match, says he'd like to play in MLS someday.

Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard is so involved in trade talks that he goes through three cell-phone batteries a day, writes Jason Quick, in a must-read insider profile of the dealingest GM in the NBA as draft day nears. Paul Allen respects Pritchard's instinct for players, saying he has "the Golden Gut." (Pritchard lobbied hard for the Blazers to select Chris Paul in the '05 draft, but he was overruled by the GM at the time, and the Blazers took Martell Webster and Jarrett Jack instead. Whoops!)

That sound you're hearing is the world's tiniest violin, playing just for Miguel Batista, whose return to the starting rotation ended after 8 R in 2.2 IP. After the game he told Geoff Baker Larry Stone: "I have to make sure I get myself healthy before I go out there again, because I'm the only guy trying to pitch through it. Everybody else, every time they feel pain, they go on the DL, or they take a rest, and I haven't." Felix Hernandez is unlikely to make his next start, and Putz probably won't pitch until the All-Star break. Bedard will likely pitch on Sunday, when Felix would've.

Chris Paul to the Clay Bennett-owned Oklahoman on the Sonics situation: "It was on the news the night before last. I think I saw Gary Payton there and stuff like that. Me, I actually kind of hope the Sonics come here because it would give me an opportunity to come back to the city. Hopefully we’ll play them twice a year here in Oklahoma City."

Also in the Clay Bennett-owned Oklahoman, this completely inaccurate headline: No NBA Draft party in Seattle. Actually, Jeff Green is hosting a party at Fox Sports Grill. Ain't freedom of the press great? God, Oklahoma is like a third-world country.

It's the last day of the Sonics' trial, with Nick Licata and Tim Ceis scheduled to testify.

Eight Pac-10 players could go in today's first round, which would demolish the old record of five (ACC, 2005), writes Percy Allen. All the fairweather season-ticket holders who didn't show up for Husky games last year missed a great show.

Ryan Appleby is evidently impressing European scouts in a showcase, writes Bob Condotta.

The Seattle T-Birds released their exhibition schedule, which begins with the Everett Silvertips Preseason Tournament at the Everett Events Center, August 29.