Nick Collison’s 12-foot jump shot from the baseline was short, hitting the rim and rebounding back to him.

One step closer to the basket, the Seattle forward tried again. Short, again. Another step closer, Collison shot a third time. This time it was good.

Take two at Collison’s rookie season began one small step at a time Monday at the team’s practice facility, as the 6-foot-10 forward out of Kansas University participated in the first day of the summer training camp.

It was Collison’s first full practice since October. He is returning after two shoulder surgeries unplugged his first NBA season before it began.

“My legs aren’t there yet,” Collison said. “A little heavy-legged, but that will come with conditioning.”

The temptation will be to scrutinize Collison’s performance this week, and at the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league, where the Sonics begin play Friday.

The Sonics were the only Western Conference team without a player averaging seven rebounds last season. The most important question for the team entering this season is whether Collison can fill that frontcourt void.

Collison played five-on-five basketball Monday for the first time in nine months. He will practice once per day all week and will be limited to 20 minutes per game the first three games of the summer league.

“I’m not expecting too much,” Collison said. “I realize that my minutes might be low, and I might come out, play terrible the first few games. I think I’ve taken the attitude that it’s pretty much the first time I’m playing at all, period, and it’s a competitive situation.

6Sports video: Collison returning to full speed

“I know I might not play my best, but I’m going to go out and try and see what I can do.”

Robert Swift was the Sonics’ first-round draft pick last month, but Collison will be the team’s most important rookie. Coach Nate McMillan was asked after the draft whether he was comfortable coming back with the same team next season.

“But it won’t be the same team,” McMillan said, “because we’ll have Nick Collison.”