By Rich Myhre
Herald Writer
SEATTLE – In the weeks before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Seattle SuperSonics had dozens of conversations with rival teams regarding prospective deals. Those talks involved virtually every Sonics player.
In the end, though, Seattle general manager Rick Sund decided none of the proposals was impressive enough to upset “the direction we’re going with our young players.”
Which means the Sonics expect to play out the remaining two months of their schedule and a possible postseason appearance with the same squad that takes a 28-26 record into tonight’s meeting with Atlanta at KeyArena.
“When the season started, I thought we could emphasize youth and still try to compete to make the playoffs,” Sund said. “I think we’re still trying to do that. We have a ways to go, but we said from the beginning that if we were in the playoff hunt it would probably go right down to the wire. And that’s pretty much where it is.”
Still, the Sonics listened to several offers and even made a few of their own. Sund’s stance – unchanged since he was hired last summer – is that every player on the roster, including eight-time All-Star Gary Payton, is subject to trade.
“If the right thing had come along, we would have done it,” he said. “And we tried to pursue some things, but nothing materialized.”
While Payton drew his share of feelers, much of the outside interest was directed at up-and-coming Sonics stars Rashard Lewis, who is 22, and 24-year-old Desmond Mason.
“People like our young players,” Sund said. “But for us to do a trade for one of them, it would have had to be something that would knock our socks off. We don’t want to just play musical chairs with our young players.”
“A lot of people like Rashard and Desmond,” added Seattle coach Nate McMillan. “I’d say those names came up more than any names. Rashard, right now, would be a hot guy for any team. He’s young enough, he’s shown potential of being good and his salary is not ridiculous right now. And Mason, you can see the potential in him. So of course, (other teams) are coming after our thoroughbreds.”
Another player who drew some attention, which should increase next summer and in the years to come if his game continues to blossom, is 21-year-old Vladimir Radmanovic, the native Yugoslavian who was the team’s top draft pick in 2001.
Sund wouldn’t comment on specific trade talks, but the Sonics are known to have inquired about disgruntled Golden State center Marc Jackson, who on Wednesday night included Seattle among the teams he would approve for a trade. The Sonics tried to sign the 6-foot-10 Jackson last summer, but he ended up accepting a six-year, $24 million offer sheet (he was a restricted free agent) with Houston, which was then matched by the Warriors, his 2000-01 team.
Also, the Sonics were unable to deal backup guard Shammond Williams, who was given minutes in a stretch of games last month as a showcase opportunity, but is now languishing on Seattle’s bench.
“Nothing made sense to us, so why do something foolish?” McMillan asked. “I know a lot of people want to see change, but this is the team I have to coach. And I like some of the things we’re doing, though there are some areas that we have to improve. But we’ve made some strides in the right direction.”
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