Sonics make more moves

Published 11:33 pm Thursday, February 21, 2008

Portland, Ore. — Seattle SuperSonics rookie Kevin Durant got his first introduction to business side of the NBA this week.

The Sonics may have to hand out name tags at their next practice, as they received four new players in two separate trades with Seattle general manager Sam Presti diligently working the phones up to Thursday’s trade deadline.

After trading veteran center Kurt Thomas to San Antonio on Wednesday for Francisco Elson, Brent Barry and a 2009 first-round pick, Seattle continued to free up salary cap space by sending forward Wally Szczerbiak and guard Delonte West to Cleveland in a three-team deal that included Chicago.

Seattle received Cleveland forwards Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall, along with swingman Adrian Griffin from Chicago.

The Sonics now have 13 picks in the next three drafts and have acquired three players with contracts expiring after this season.

“I came from high school and college two years ago, where you always had the same people on your team, unless somebody transferred or something like that, but never a move during the season, so that’s something new to me,” Durant said.

“People have been telling me coming into this league, this is a business. And you might not be playing with the same team for you’re whole career. So that’s something you have to get used to.”

The Cavaliers, looking to put together a team around star LeBron James, received Szczerbiak and West, along with Chicago’s Ben Wallace and Joe Smith. Cleveland also received Chicago’s second-round pick in 2009.

Chicago, surprisingly rebuilding after making the playoffs last season, received guard Larry Hughes and Shannon Brown, and forwards Drew Gooden and Cedric Simmons from Cleveland.

Seattle had 16 players after the moves, one more than the league maximum, but parted ways with Barry by waiving the ex-Sonic. Barry is now free to join any team, but cannot return to San Antonio for another 30 days.

The Sonics saved $8 million in salary cap space over the next two years in the deal. Seattle also still holds about a $3 million and $1.8 million trade exceptions.

“We’ve gained some flexibility, which allows our young team to assess and determine what decisions need to be made based on the timeline for the team,” Presti said. “And we feel good about taking another step to solidify our young core, and positioning ourselves to be able to add pieces in the future that will be able to grow with that young core.”

A 14-year veteran and solid shooter, Marshall missed most the first, two months of the season with a right wrist injury and has appeared in only 11 games, averaging 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 14.2 minutes a contest. Newble, in his 8th year, averaged 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest for Cleveland this season.

A nine-year veteran, Griffin averaged 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game for the Bulls.

Marshall makes $5.6 million this year and nearly $6 million next season. Newble earns $3.4 million this season, with his contract ending this year. Griffin will make $1.6 million this season, and $1.7 million next season.

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said Elson is in Seattle, has taken his physical and will join the team today. Griffin, Marshall and Newble are still taking care of personal matters, and should join the team sometime this weekend.

Carlesimo has some knowledge of all the players coming to Seattle, having coached Elson in San Antonio, Marshall in Golden State and Griffin at Seton Hall. Carlesimo also announced games when Newble played for the Spurs.

Carlesimo said the goals remains the same for the Sonics the rest of the season — to win games and continue to improve.

“We’ve got the core group that I think is going to be here, going forward,” Carlesimo said. “And that’s the most important thing. And I think that Sam’s (Presti) done a real good job giving us more flexibility, both with the draft and financially, and also at the end of the year to do some things.”

Still, the Sonics’ locker room had a different vibe with boisterous personalities like Thomas, Szczerbiak and West gone.

“I’m not going to lie, I was surprised,” said Johan Petro, who started in place of Thomas on Thursday, and along young players like Robert Swift and Mickael Gelabale should see more time. “We’ll see what going to happen the second half of the season.

“But we’re definitely going to miss those guys. Wally was talking all of the time. Delonte is crazy and Kurt was always making a joke about something.”