The 1997–98 NBA season was the 30th season for the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association.[1] In the off-season, the Sonics acquired All-Star forward Vin Baker from the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade.[2] The team also re-acquired former Sonics star and sharp shooter Dale Ellis from the Denver Nuggets,[3] and signed free agents Jerome Kersey and Greg Anthony. The Sonics got off to a fast start with a 13–3 record after a 7-game winning streak in November. The team posted an 8-game winning streak between December and January winning 29 of their first 35 games,[4] then later on holding the league's best record before the All-Star break with a 37–10 record, as they finished first place in the Pacific Division tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with a 61–21 record.[5]
Baker and Gary Payton both led the team in scoring with 19.2 points per game each, and were both selected for the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach George Karl coaching the Western Conference.[6] Payton was also named to the All-NBA First Team, and the NBA All-Defensive First Team, as he led the Sonics with 8.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, while Baker also contributed 8.0 rebounds per game, and Detlef Schrempf provided the team with 15.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. In addition, Ellis played a sixth man role, averaging 11.8 points per game off the bench, while shooting .464 in three-point field goal percentage, and Hersey Hawkins contributed 10.5 points and 1.8 steals per game.[7] Payton finished in third place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Baker finished in eighth place. Payton also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and Ellis finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.[8]
In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Sonics struggled as they trailed 2–1 to the 7th-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves,[9] but managed to win the series in five games.[10] However, they would lose in five games to the 3rd-seeded Lakers in the Western Conference Semi-finals after taking Game 1.[11] Following the season, Karl was fired and left to take a coaching job with the Milwaukee Bucks,[12] while long-time Sonics guard Nate McMillan retired after only playing just 18 games this season due to knee surgery.[13] Also following the season, Sam Perkins signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers,[14] while Kersey signed with the San Antonio Spurs, Anthony signed with the Portland Trail Blazers, Jim McIlvaine was traded to the New Jersey Nets,[15] and David Wingate signed with the New York Knicks.