Coincidentally, Kemp's only absence this season is today, right when the Lakers are playing the Clippers. The SuperSonics have three days off, so Kemp went out and got arrested for drunk driving, bailed out, and got the benefit of 100 hours of community service, paid the fine, and the court agreed to postpone execution. But the league still banned Kemp for one game due to public pressure.
Additionally, the SuperSonics' frontcourt playmaker Schramm is also dealing with injuries. Though he is recovering well, the SuperSonics don't have performance pressure; with a 56-24 record, they are 12 wins ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves with 44 wins and 6 wins behind the Lakers with 62. There's nothing much to strive for, so they decided to let Schramm, the 34-year-old veteran, rest until the end of the regular season.
