The Sonics announced today that Robert Swift will undergo surgery to repair a torn right meniscus on Tuesday in California. Dr. Stephen Lombardo will perform the surgery.

The surgery means Swift is out for the rest of the season.

Also, the Sonics plan on waiving Ira Newble and adding Mike Wilks in a 10-day contract to shore-up the point guard position, with Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour on the mend.

Once he clears waivers Newble is essentially a free agent and can be picked up by any team.

Luke Ridnour did not start the second half because of tightness in in right hamstring, and will not return.

Mickael Gelabale started the second half at point guard for Seattle. Expect to see Damien Wilkins or perhaps Adrian Griffin to play some point guard in the second half.

Former Seattle SuperSonics head whistle blower, and current Denver Nuggets coach George Karl is back in town with the Nuggets taking on the Sonics tonight.

During his pre-game talk Karl talked about his time in Seattle, and the possibility that he might coach his last game in KeyArena when Denver returns to Seattle on April 6.

Karl coached in Seattle for six and a half seasons, winning an average of 59 wins a season and winning 384 games, second to only the Chicago Bulls during that span.

“The six years that we had were incredible years,” Karl said. “Even though there were battles and fights, we still won 55 or 60 games every year, and that’s fun to do. I pray for another 55 or 60-win season. That would be great to have that type of winning,even with the moaning and groaning.

“And the fans, what I remember from the building is the day that it was built until I left it was I think sold out almost every night. I don’t know what the record was, but it was a hot building and a loud building, and our guys loved playing here.”

Karl also said he would be interesting in getting involved in local efforts to help keep the team here. “I don’t want to get into a fight with an owner, but I would be heartbroken if the Sonics leave Seattle,” Karl Said.

Listen to the full conversation with Karl here.

Starters for Seattle tonight are Luke Ridnour, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Johan Petro.

Earl Watson is still sick with the flu and not available.

Starters for Denver are Allen Iverson, Anthony Carter, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said it's important that the Sonics do a better job of handling the ball at the guard spot, particularly when Ridnour is out. Mickael Gelabale will again see some time at point guard.

Seattle still is not healthy and only has 11 guys available tonight.

Luke Ridnour will start in place of Earl Watson, who did not make the trip. And Nick Collison will start in place of Chris Wilcox, who is sick but in uniform and will play limited minutes.

So the starting lineup is Ridnour, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Collison and Johan Petro.

Starter for Golden State are Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Chris Webber and All Harrington.

Donyell Marshall is in uniform tonight and could play is coach P.J. Carlesimo needs him.

I caught up with Marshall and talked about the trade that sent him from Cleveland to Seattle. He says he's obviously still adjusting, and not having his family here has been the hard part. Marshall has six kids, including a senior in high school, back in Cleveland, and said he's never been traded to a team this far away from his family.

"It’s always been if we had a day off I could actually go home for that day, or my family could get to me a lot quicker for a couple days," Marshall said. "I think that’s the hardest part for me right now."

Listen to the full conversation with Marshall here.

Carlesimo talked about Luke Ridnour and his situation during the last part of the season. He said he's not concerned about seeing what Ridnour can do because he already knows that Ridnour can play, and what Seattle does with Ridnour after the season is over will be determined by Seattle general manager Sam Presti and Ridnour once the season is over.

"It’s just been a nightmare for him," Carlesimo said about Ridnour having to deal with a rash of injuries earlier this year. "So unlike the other guys, who I just think there’s a lot of ‘question’ out there, he’s already established what he can do in the NBA. For him and for us it would great to see him flourish in the last 30 games and play the game we all know he’s capable of playing, but I’m honestly not all that concerned that much about that. I know what Luke is capable of."

Listen to the full conversation with Carlesimo here.

An interesting story involving the KeyArena lease lawsuit between the City of Seattle and the Sonics from the Associated Press this evening.

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle SuperSonics’ ownership group has already turned over 150,000 e-mails as part of its KeyArena lease dispute with the city. But a federal judge says the team must provide many more.
U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman ruled Monday that as part of the lawsuit’s discovery process, the Sonics’ ownership group must give Seattle’s lawyers copies of e-mails sent from or to all of its eight board members that could potentially be relevant to the case.

Last month, the Sonics produced e-mails from Chairman Clay Bennett and co-owner Aubrey McClendon. The team’s lawyers argued that digging up the e-mails of the other six board members would be too much work and would only turn up redundant information.

The city, which is suing to keep the team from moving to Oklahoma City, disagreed. Trial is set for June.
The judge gave the Sonics 14 days to produce the rest of the e-mails.

With only 10 players available, the Sonics understandably struggled against one of the best teams in the league in the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night.

The team will have its first practice today with new guys Ira Newble, Adrian Griffin and Donyell Marshall, and hopefully iron out a few kinks before traveling to Oakland to take on Golden State on Tuesday.

Here’s an interesting overview of some of the players involved in the KeyArena dispute, and what roles they will play in working to keep the team here.

A story in The Daily Oklahoman says the Ford Center in Oklahoma City has not reserved dates for the Sonics next season. However, arena officials say they could adjust the schedule if the Sonics win the court case in June or reach a buyout with the City of Seattle.

Here’s an excerpt:

A crammed Ford Center schedule, however, doesn't mean the Oklahoma-owned Sonics couldn't play here next season.

If the team wins its federal court case in June or reaches a settlement with the City of Seattle and relocates in time for the 2008-09 season, Ford Center and Oklahoma City officials likely will have to rearrange the arena's schedule much like they did when the Hornets relocated here in September 2005.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it,” said Ford Center general manager Gary Desjardins. "That would be a pleasant problem to have. We were able to do it when the Hornets were here, and that was much more difficult to do because with the Hornets we were much closer to the season.”
Desjardins said he isn't holding dates for the Sonics because he can't turn down business while anticipating a relocation that might not occur.

"We don't know what's going to happen,” Desjardins said. "We still have to conduct business. If the Sonics come, certainly we'll end up having to make some changes. But right now we still have an obligation to book the building and schedule events.

Read the full article here.

Seattle only has 10 healthy bodies again tonight. Chris Wilcox and new arrival Donyell Marshall both have the flu and have been sent home, and Damien Wilkins has a sprained right wrist he injured when he fell hard after trying to dunk the ball against Portland on Friday. So Wilkins will be in street clothes.

That means newcomers Ira Newble and Adrian Griffin should see plenty of time tonight, along with Francisco Elson.

Starters for tonight are Earl Watson, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Nick Collison and Johan Petro.

Probable starters for Los Angeles are Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Luke Walton, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol.

Ex-Sonics Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West saw their first time for Cleveland tonight, as the Cavaliers defeated Memphis 109-89. Szczerbiak finished with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and two rebounds in 32 minutes.

West started at point guard and finished 2-of-12 from the floor with five points, six rebounds and three turnovers in 31 minutes.

Szczerbiak had this to say to the media on Saturday

“Delonte and I went through a tough experience. It was definitely a franchise in a different phase,” Szczerbiak told the Akron Beacon Journal. “I am ecstatic to be in a place where the main goal is winning — and winning a champion
ship.”

No news on Robert Swift. He was at KeyArena working out, and there's no word on when he will travel to California for a second opinion.

Listen to Newble talk about the trade here.

Seattle SuperSonics general manager Sam Presti announced through a press release that an MRI on Friday revealed Robert Swift has a torn meniscus in his surgically repaired right knee.

Swift wlll be re-evaluated by Dr. Steve Lombardo in Los Angeles. Lombardo is the same doctor who performed the surgery when Swift tore his ACL in a preseason game in Oct. 2006.

If Swift's injury is confirmed, Swift is likely done for the season. Players can take up to three months to come back from surgery after a meniscus repair.

Robert Swift is out tonight, and possibly for the foreseeable future Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo announced during his pre-game conversation tonight.

Carlesimo said Swift had an MRI this afternoon, which may have shown further damage in his surgically repaired right knee. Carlesimo will meet with Swift before the game, and the Sonics should make an announcement about Swift's status later this evening.

Asked if Swift tore his ACL again, Carlesimo said it's a concern.

Here's Carlesimo talking about the Swift situation.

With Swift out, new arrival Francisco Elson will be on the active list and probably will see some time tonight. Carlesimo said he'll limit the offensive and defensive sets when Elson is on the floor.

Carlesimo also said that even though Elson was not playing a ton of minutes for San Antonio, he keeps himself in good shape and should be ready to play.

Seattle general manager Sam Presti also met with the media today to discuss the recent trades. During the press conference Presti was asked if the Sonics ownership group had requested that he dump salary in order to help save the organization money, with the Sonics currently struggling financially. Here's what Presti said.

"Absolutely not. Clay (Bennett) has been tremendously supportive in our decision making from the basketball side. And I think the best example of that I the Kurt Thomas deal. That’s a deal where we took Kurt into the exception with nothing going out. And that increased our payroll significantly, but we felt that was the right thing to do for our team on the basketball court, and clearly we were able to add some additional assets at the same time."

Listen to the Presti conversation here and here.

Starters are the same for Seattle tonight, with Earl Watson, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Johan Petro getting the nod.

Probable starters for Portland are Steve Blake, Jarrett Jack, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Joel Przybilla.

With only 10 available players, and really nine when Robert Swift went out with a sprained right knee in the first quarter, the Sonics hung tough in a 92-88 loss to Portland. Seattle will get another shot at the Blazers tonight, this time at KeyArena.

A wrap-up of the trade and a little more info on the players headed to Seattle – Ira Newble, Donyell Marshall and Adrian Griffin – can be found here.

The News Tribune columnist John McGrath weighs in on the 11-player, three-team deal that sent Seattle’s Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to Cleveland.

Talking to some of the players about the trade on Thursday, reaction ranged from surprise, to resignation, to this is the reality of the NBA and you just have to deal with it.

Listen to Kevin Durant talk about the recent trades here. Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo discusses the team's moves. And Johan Petro talks about his new role.

ESPN’s John Hollinger rates all of the trades that happened before the February trade deadline. Here’s what he says about Seattle sending Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West to Cleveland:

"It's pretty straightforward on their end. The Sonics exchanged two halfway-decent players who weren't in their plans (Szczerbiak and West) for players who make less money. This year and next year, they'll save a total of about $10 million.
"In the meantime, Seattle GM Sam Presti has another trade exception to play with; the last time he had a big trade exception, he turned it into three first-round draft picks and a half-season of Kurt Thomas. And if he's lucky, a healthy Marshall will shoot the lights out next year and earn him another first-round pick at next year's deadline. Grade: B+"

And on the Kurt Thomas trade to San Antonio.

"If you're keeping score, Sonics GM Sam Presti has now parlayed a single trade exception from the Rashard Lewis sign-and-trade into three first-round picks, with the latest coming from San Antonio in the Thomas deal. Getting the pick in 2009 rather than 2008 might be a shrewd move, too, if you buy that San Antonio's age problems could hit it hard next season; however, the pick is lottery-protected.

"Barry has already been waived and Elson is a buyout candidate, incidentally, so the Sonics could save some money on that end too. Grade: A"

Read the full article here.

Finally, Seattle deputy mayor Tim Ceis was on KJR this week discussing NBA Commissioner David Stern’s latest comments, and essentially said the city has no intentions of accepting a buyout and still plans on moving forward with its lawsuit and forcing the Sonics ownership group to owner the lease. Check it out here.

Also, The Oklahoman columnist Jenni Carlson was on KJR with Elise and Iaon, and says there’s an 80-85 percent chance the Sonics will wind up in Oklahoma City. You can listen to that conversation here.

Robert Swift sprained his surgically repaired right knee in the first quarter and will not return. Swift will be reexamined by Sonics team doctors tomorrow. This could be another setback for Swift, who sat out nearly three months rehabbing his knee and losing weight after attempting to come back too soon after surgery.

The three-team trade between Seattle, Cleveland and Chicago is official, with Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West heading to Cleveland is now official.

The trades give Seattle 16 players, so Brent Barry was waived as part of the deal today. Barry is free to sign with whatever team he wants, but has to wait 30 days if he wants to go back to San Antonio.

With Kurt Thomas gone, Johan Petro will start tonight against Portland and get a chance to earn more minutes. Expect to see Robert Swift, Damien Wilkins and Mickael Gelabale on the floor more tonight as well.

I talked to Seattle general manager Sam Presti about the trades, and here are a few of his answers.

Q: Did you expect to be this busy before the deadline?

A: I think you can never predict exactly how things might go for you within a trade deadline period. You set out your objectives and you look to meet those if the right opportunities present themselves. It just so happens this particular week we were able to find situations that fit into our strategic planning.

Q: It looks like you saved about $8 million in cap space over the next two seasons. How do the moves help in the continued rebuilding process of this team?

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

Q: Talk a little bit about the guys you picked up today.

A: “We’re pleased to add a veteran presence to our team. Each one of our new additions adds something to our roster and all bring a tremendous level of professionalism.

“Donyell and Ira both come from a team that went to the NBA finals last year. And Adrian comes is a defensive-minded player and someone who will be a positive influence in our locker room.”

I'll have more reaction from Carlesimo and the players later.

It appears Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West got their wish. ESPN is reporting that Szczerbiak and Delonte West are headed to Cleveland in a three-way deal that also involves Chicago.

According to NBA sources, the deal calls for the Cavaliers to receive Ben Wallace, Szczerbiak, West, Chicago's Joe Smith and a future second-round pick from the Bulls.

The Bulls would get Cavaliers forward Drew Gooden and swingman Larry Hughes, along with Cleveland reserves Cedric Simmons and Shannon Brown.

Seattle, which just traded Kurt Thomas a day ago, gets even more cap flexibility by ridding itself of Szczerbiak’s contract, and picks up the expiring contracts of Cleveland's Ira Newble and Chicago's Adrian Griffin as well as Cavs veteran Donyell Marshall.

The three-way deal has reportedly been submitted for league approval, and is currently being reviewed.

After two, injury-plagued seasons Szczerbiak rejuvenated his career in Seattle, averaging 13.1 points as a reserve, but wanted to start and to play for a winner. West has been frustrated with his lack of playing time and his limited role with the Sonics.

The trade deadline came to an end at noon pacific time, and there's still no word from the Sonics on whether or not they've made another deal.

There's rumors swirling through the league that Delonte West and Damien Wilkins could be shipped to Denver, that Wally Szczerbiak is involved in a three-way deal to Cleveland, and that the Phoenix Suns are interested in Brent Barry and Mickael Gelabale.

However, the Arizona Republic is reporting that the Suns are standing pat and did not make another move before the deadline. I'll have more for you later.

Also, here's an interesting comparison between Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and Seattle’s Kevin Durant that finds a lot of common ground, only one is haled as an All-Star and the other by some national analysts as a disappointment.

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo again defended Robert Swift, who was booed by the KeyArena crowd on Tuesday night against Memphis after getting his shot blocked by Memphis center Darko Milicic and struggling through eight minutes.

If you remember, Swift also got booed Nov. 11, the last time he played before sitting out nearly three months to rehab his knee and lose weight. Swift had trouble keeping up with Detroit’s athletic big men.

Now, Swift is trying to get back into game shape, but the KeyArena fans seem to have lost patience with the Swift. Carlesimo thinks it’s unfair.

“I need to educate them on what he’s going through, and we need to be more supportive of him,” Carlesimo said. “It shouldn’t be that it’s easier for him to play on the road than it is at home.

“He’s breaking his ass to get back as quickly as he can,” Carlesimo later went on. “And they’ve got to understand how far he’s come in such a short amount of time.”

Listen to the full conversation with Carlesimo here.

ESPN has an interesting article on Tony Durant, Kevin Durant’s older brother, who is playing at Towson University in the brothers’ home state of Maryland.

Some final thoughts on Kurt Thomas trade, which you can read about here.

I think Seattle did the right thing by moving Thomas on and getting a first rounder in return. Thomas wasn’t going to resign with Seattle at the end of the season because he wants to play for contender.

So now Seattle opens up some minutes for young big men Robert Swift and Johan Petro, and they now have two first round picks each in the next three years, and 13 picks overall in the next three drafts to help put together trades and bring players to help in the team’s rebuilding process.

The Sonics just sent out a press release announcing the trade. Here's a quote from Seattle general manager Sam Presti.

"We feel very good about the trade that brings us the Spurs 2009 first round draft pick, Francisco Elson and Brent Barry," Presti said. "In particular, looking at the first round pick, in combination with our other future picks, we have great flexibility to add to our core or acquire another impact player in the future. At the same time, Kurt is a tremendous person and player, and I appreciate his contributions this season and wish him success."

The trade still has not been confirmed by the Sonics, but Seattle appears to have agreed to trade veteran center Kurt Thomas to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for guard Brent Barry, center Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round draft pick.

Seattle probably had little chance to sign Thomas during the offseason so they decided to trade him now and get something in return. Brent Barry comes back to Seattle, but I'm not sure how happy he'll be joining an already packed position at shooting guard/small forward. Elson hasn't shown much since joining the league five years ago, and give Seattle 15 players, so it will be interesting to see if Seattle keeps 15 players or makes another move before the deadline.

I think overall the trade is good for Seattle because it gives them another first-round draft pick to use in future trades with other teams, or to continue to help rebuild the Sonics.

What are your thoughts on the trade?

ESPN is reporting that Seattle center Kurt Thomas has been traded to San Antonio. I don't have details of the trade right now but I'll make them available here as I learn more.

If Seattle were to make a trade before the deadline Thomas was expected to go because his contract expires at the end of the year and the Sonics need to make room to give Robert Swift and Johan Petro more minutes.

Thomas served the team's needs well this season, working as a mentor for the young bigs and showing the young guys how to compete and how conduct themselves as professional in the NBA. I'm sure he will be missed by the Sonics organization. I'll have more later.

Seattle wakes up in the second half and defeats Memphis for the first time this season, 108-101. Wally Szczerbiak hits 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and Earl Watson has another solid game at point guard, finishing with 26 points and nine assists.

Seattle has now won five of its last eight games, and seems to be focused on winning as many games as they can during the final 30 games of the season.

Delonte West, who started for Kevin Durant (flu) last night, speaks out about his situation in Seattle. He says he’s not happy with his playing time.

Another national take on the Sonics situation in Seattle and NBA commissioner David Stern’s comments during All-Star weekend.

Berry Tramel of The Daily Oklahoman attempts to rally folks in his city to vote for the March 4 initiative to make the Ford Center NBA ready.

And a couple of Daily Oklahoman staff members already have the Sonics packed on trucks and headed out of Seattle. And they’ve got a new nickname, too – the Thunderbirds. Check it out here.

Kevin Durant will miss tonight's game, as Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said he'll put the rookie on the inactive list with flu-like symptoms.

Delonte West will get a rare start in Durant's place. So the starting lineup will be Earl Watson, Delonte West, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Kurt Thomas.

Carlesimo said he went with West to help the Sonics defend against the Grizzlies' quick backcourt. The Sonics have lost to Memphis three times this season, having trouble stopping guards like Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry and Juan Carlos Navarro from penetrating to the basket.

Probable starters for Memphis are Conley, Rudy Gay, Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick and Darko Milicic.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard’s Superman dunk is something to see -- again and again. He played it up to the crowd in New Orleans, but watching it in slow motion really gives you a better appreciation of the athleticism it took to pull it off. Check the video out here.

Another group has joined www.march4vote.org in a campaign against the March 4 initiative to fund building improvements for the Oklahoma City's Ford Center to attract an NBA franchise. Called Maps For Millionaires, the group is against giving public funding for the Sonics.

There’s also an interesting survey commissioned by KFOR-TV, a TV station in Oklahoma city. The poll showed that only 47 percent would vote for the initiative, while 48 would vote against and 5 percent were undecided. The survey was completed in late January, so a lot could change by March 4, and I would think the initiative would pass regardless because all of the other public projects have been successful.

Finally, the Jason Kidd trade was completed today, and he’s officially with the Dallas Mavericks.

In case you hadn’t heard, David Stern made some pretty strong comments regarding the Sonics. It looks like the Sonics are pretty much headed out of here and all that’s left is for the city and the Sonics to negotiate a price, although the city remains adamant they want the team to play out the final two years of the contract.

Folks in the press row have been sending along their condolences to myself and Seattle P-I reporter Gary Washburn, as the grim reality approaches that this could very well be the team’s last year in Seattle.

Hopefully you watched more than I did, but the dunk contest was one of the most entertaining in years, with Orlando’s Dwight Howard winning it all.

Howard was the most creative, donning a superman cape and taking off from just in front of the free throw line on two feet and basically throwing the ball through the hoop. He also bounced the ball off the back side of the
backboard from out-of-bounds and jumped from underneath the backboard to throw one down. Howard’s other creative dunk included tapping the ball off the backboard with one hand while in the air and then reaching back with his other hand and dunking it.

Sonics Fans United’s airplane banner flew overhead today, starting about 12:30, but I don’t know if too many folks noticed.

Lenny Wilkins also was in town, serving as an honorary captain of one of the teams in the D-League All-Star game. Wilkins says he does some speaking engagements for NBA, along with a couple coaching clinics. He declined to comment about the Sonics situation in Seattle. If you remember Wilkins was removed from his post as Sonics vice president after only a few months on the job.

A long day in the Big Easy finished with an entertaining but ragged game in the Rookie Challenge, with the sophomores winning 136-109.

Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson led his team to the victory with a game-high 33 points, all from beyond the arc as Gibson made a game-record 11 3-pointers.

Seattle Rookie Kevin Durant finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Teammate Jeff Green totaled nine points and four rebounds.

But more important than the game, for Durant and Green it was about rubbing elbows with current All-Stars like LeBron James and Kevin Garnett, and meeting celebrities like Chris Tucker, Eva Longoria, Ludacris and Neo.

"It’s a crazy environment down here during this All-Star weekend," Durant said before the Rookie team’s morning practice. "But I’m glad to be a part of it. It’s fun, especially with Jeff (Green) being down here with me."

Green was pleased to just see Longoria.
"That’s all I needed to see," Green said with a coy smile. "Tony Parker’s a lucky man."

Both said they like the opportunity to come back, and plan on working hard over the summer to make sure that happens.

"Most definitely," Green said. "I’ve already made plans to try and come back next year. It’s a great weekend to come together with all of the All-Stars and seeing the behind-the-scenes things. It’s a great opportunity to see what hard work can do for you. Being here, trying to come back next year is great opportunity for me."

After a slow start on Thursday downtown New Orleans is packed today, although it's been raining, keeping folks indoors.

The arena was a little over half full, with middle school kids who received free tickets for good grades filling most of the lower bowl, and a few scattered fans sitting in the bleeders. Store owners and taxi drivers seemed ready for a rush of people to come through, and are a little disappointed so far with the crowds.

Seattle's Luke Ridnour has had a good game distributing the ball with six assists in the first half. Seattle trails 49-47 at halftime, and is playing OK.

Seattle's pushing the ball well (14 fastbreak points) but needs to get to the free throw line more (2-of-4 from the line).

Seattle will need to speed up the tempo and get to the free throw line if it wants to win this game.

Everyone is healthy and ready to go for Seattle. Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo said he'll go with the same starters with Earl Watson, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Kurt Thomas starting for Seattle.

Probable starters for Utah are Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur.

Utah is 17-3 with Kyle Korver, a 6-7 shooter it acquired from Philadelphia, in the lineup.

“They’ve been playing great since the new year," Seattle's Kurt Thomas said about Utah. "(Deron) Williams, (Carlos) Boozer, (Andrei) Kirilenko, (Kyle) Korver and you can’t forget about (Mehmet) Okur. They’re a talented team. They have a great coach, so we’re going to have our hands full.”

Mickael Gelabale was recalled from his stint playing for the D-League Idaho Stampede and will be in uniform tonight.

Gelabale averaged 17.8 points and 4.3 rebounds a contest in six games for the Stampede.

"He’s still young, and he needs to be more aggressive," Carlesimo said about Gelabale's play for the Stampede. "He took over some games in the second half, or like for a quarter or something like that. But he’s good enough to dominate the game right from the beginning to the end, and that’s not an easy thing to do.
"But he showed for quarters or for halves just how much better he was.”

Gelabale said he was happy to get the playing time for Idaho, but wants the opportunity to do the same thing for Seattle.

"I feel good (about my performance)," Gelabale said. "I want to come here and try to make the same plays that I did down there. So we’ll see."

In other NBA news, Dallas swingman Devean George is blocking the team’s effort to secure New Jersey's Jason Kidd in a trade with the Nets that was already agreed on in principle. George apparently told the Mavericks he wouldn't consent to being included in the deal, which is his right based on a rare provision in his one-year contract. Read about it here.

Ex-Sonic Ray Allen was added to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, and will replace Washington’s Caron Butler, who will miss the game with a left hip flexor. It’s Allen’s eighth All-Star appearance.

ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting that Dallas and New Jersey have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Jason Kidd and Malik Allen to Dallas. The Nets would receive 24-year-old point guard Devin Harris, veteran swingman Jerry Stackhouse, the expiring contracts of center DeSagana Diop and swingman Devean George and guard Maurice Ager.

Kidd has been a part of trade speculation for a couple weeks, and wanted out of New Jersey. It appears he got his wish.

If completed, this huge trade follows big deals by Phoenix and the Lakers as the Western Conference heavyweights get ready to battle it out come April.

Although it seems unlikely that Seattle will be involved in a deal before the Feb. 21 trade deadline, my story today talks about two potential players who other teams would covet: Wally Szczerbiak and Kurt Thomas. Both have played well in Seattle this season, but their departures could free up time for the team's other players to get a look.

I'll be in New Orleans covering the All-Star festivities, including the Rookie Challenge that Seattle's Kevin Durant and Jeff Green are playing in.

The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon says that changing the All-Star game and pitting the U.S. vs. the World would add a competitive edge to the game and make it more watchable for viewers. Wilbon is board with the highlight reel dunks and wants to see the best players in the world get after it.

This Salt Lake Tribune article talks about the history of the rivalry between the Utah Jazz in Seattle, and that this might be the last trip for the Jazz playing at KeyArena. Utah plays the Sonics at KeyArena tonight.

They are still located in Seattle, but as Oklahoma City gains momentum in its quest to land an NBA franchise, The Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel contemplates what name will go in front of the Sonics if the team moves there.

Tramel suggests the Oklahoma City Sonics because voters there would have to approve a $121 million arena upgrade to the Ford Center to lure an NBA team.

Reporters from this same paper attended the Dallas game when Seattle was on the road in Texas a few weeks ago, asking Sonics to introduce themselves to Oklahomans in a "Get to know your new SuperSonics" feature. Most players refused to answer questions for that particular feature.

In today’s story I posed this question: Does Johan Petro have a future as Seattle’s starting center?

Just going on a small sampling from Petro’s last 10 games, he makes a case for getting more time at the center spot, averaging eight points, five rebounds and 1.5 blocks a contest, playing about 16 minutes a game.

Petro has provided a nice defensive presence inside for Seattle. He still is not as capable a defensive rebounder as veteran Kurt Thomas, but could be stronger with the ball inside. But in the battle of young centers, including Robert Swift and Mouhamed Sene, Petro seems to have moved out front.

What are your thoughts? Do you think Petro can man the middle for Seattle? Or do you want to see how Swift and Sene play the rest of the season before making a decision?

Mickael Gelabale scored 24 points, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor in his last game with the Idaho Stampede. I’m hoping Gelabale is at practice today so we get a chance to talk to him about his experience in the D-League.

Here’s Gelabale’s final stats in Idaho.

The Sonics went for a little over an hour today, working through a controlled scrimmage most of the practice.

Robert Swift seemed to move well while playing with the reserves during the scrimmage, banking in a half-hook off the block and draining a couple free throws.

Delonte West did not practice because of a knee injury.

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said Mickael Gelabale will be back Tuesday after playing six games with the Idaho Stampede, the team's D-League affiliate. Gelabale played well for the Stampede, averaging 16.6 points and four rebounds a contest. Carlesimo said he'll work Gelabale into the rotation when he returns. The reason Seattle sent Gelabale down was that he wasn't getting regular playing time with the Sonics.

Kevin Durant was on Jim Rome is Burning today. Check him out here.

Frank Hughes is back talking Sonics - at least for a day. Hughes has an interesting take on Seattle rookie Kevin Durant and how his first year rates alongside other superstars' rookie seasons over the years. Here’s an excerpt"

"The Sonics were prepared to live with the bad moments, and there have been many. In a season that will challenge the worst record in franchise history, Seattle has already suffered losing streaks of eight and 14 games.

"Lost in the losing, though, is an undeniable fact that calls into question Durant’s coronation. Never has a superstar-in-the-making suffered losing at such an alarming rate, and never has a player of Durant’s caliber seen his team regress in the fashion that the Sonics have. This season flies in the face of conventional thinking that adding superstar talent makes a team better.

A search of players who have entered the league since Larry Bird and Magic Johnson joined in 1979 – what should be considered the start of contemporary NBA basketball – proves this point. Rookie superstars made their teams better; sometimes marginally and sometimes dramatically."

Take a look at the full article and let me know what you think.

A story from Sunday’s Daily Oklahoman reports on the planned remodel of the city’s Ford Center, discussing whether the $121 in improvements will draw other events besides the NBA.

You might have listened to it Friday, but former Sonics assistant Dwane Casey was on KJR talking Sonics. You can listen to that interview here.

Phoenix is shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. So how are the Suns up 53-49 at the half?

Free throws, baby. The Suns are 14-of-14 from the line, while Seattle is 4-of-7 from the line. Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said it's important that his team get to the line if it wants a win tonight. Well, the Sonics need to take Carlesimo's advice, put their heads down and start driving to the basket.

Chris Wilcox is having another strong game, with 14 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Kevin Durant is struggling from the floor, shooting 1-of-7 from the field and finishing with only two points in the first half.

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said he will go with the same starters tonight - that means Earl Watson, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Chris Wilcox and Kurt Thomas.

Shaquille O'Neal is not in the house tonight. He went back to Miami to take care of personal business there before returning to Phoenix.

And with Shawn Marion now gone, Phoenix most likely will start Boris Diaw in his place. That gives the Suns a starting five of Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Grant Hill, Diaw and Amare Stoudemire.

Carlesimo said it's important that the Sonics shoot more free throw than the Suns because Phoenix shoots so many 3-pointers and gets so many easy buckets in transition.

That was not the case in Seattle's last game against the Suns on Jan. 3. Phoenix went 24-of-35, while Seattle went 14-of-18.

Wonder why Kevin Durant is only averaging 4.2 rebounds a contest? Part of the reason might be his responsibility to get back defensively and protect the basket in transition, Durant said. In Seattle's defensive scheme, the point guard, shooting guard and small forward are responsible for protecting the basket, so Durant can't crash the boards offensively, he said.

I also saw Tom Chambers in the press lounge just now. He's a little gray around the edges but still looks like he can play. Chambers is a pregame and postgame analyst for the Suns.

Here’s a little more information on Sonics Fan United, the group that paid to have an airplane banner that will say: "Stop Clay - Sonics must stay !"

The group was started in part by Jeremy Ward, a 37-year old fan of the Sonics who came up with the idea on this message board on SonicsCentral.com.

Ward said within two hours of proposing the idea to fly the banner, $700 had been pledged, and within a day it was up to $1,000. The group now has raised $1,800, more than enough to pay for the banner, and is looking at doing other things locally to keep the issue prominent in the news.

Ward estimated that about 40 people have donated from $10 to $200.

“We really want to try to get that message out there that we are going to make some noise here because we do care,” Ward said. “And we think it’s important to keep eyeballs on this issue and to keep people aware of it.”

Ward said the spark that got the group’s attention was Dallas owner Mark Cuban’s comments he made to Sonics beat reporters, including The News Tribune, that played nationally. Cuban questioned whether Seattle even wants the team to stay.

"People were angry about that," Ward said. "Just that fact that he literally said we don’t care enough really got people riled."

Ward also was involved in getting an airplane banner that said "Go Sonics, Fire Wally Walker" to fly over KeyArena on Jan. 26, 2006.

After flying the banner during the All-Star break in New Orleans, Ward said another thing the group may do is fly a flag at the top of the Space Needle. Ward said the group has contacted folks at the Space Needle and is working on getting it done.

"We feel really empowered," Ward said. "It’s like people feel kind of helpless when someone comes out of town and wants to take our team away. Obviously we don’t have the ability to be involved in this monetarily."

However, it’s Ward’s hope that if his group stays involved and shows people care about keeping the team in Seattle, then perhaps local political and business leaders will become more involved.

"This team is a 41-year legacy and a big part of our culture, despite what (Seattle city council member) Nick Licata said," Ward added. "And we need to fight for it."

For more information on the group you can send an email to sonicsfansunited@yahoo.com

There have been some individuals speak out against the financing initiative to remodel the Ford Center, which Oklahoma City residents will have a chance to vote on March 4. But this is the first formal opposition I've heard about.
Here's the press release, and I'll have more on this later on today.

Oklahoma Announces Opposition to Ford Center Remodel

Website Launched to Object the $121M Plan

OKLAHOMA CITY – February 8, 2008 – Citizens concerned over the $121M public funding plan to remodel the Ford Center Arena may now access www.march4vote.org to obtain information regarding the special election on March 4, 2008. Residents decided to launch the website in order to present an organized opposition to the plan.

I just received this press release tonight and will try to get more information about how this came together tomorrow. But I wanted to let you know what's happening. Here's the release.

We Seattle Supersonics fans have united to keep our team in the Seattle area. We will be flying an airplane banner around the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during All Star weekend on Saturday, February 16, between 12:30pm and 1:30pm. This effort was funded 100% by fan donations.

The banner will say "Stop Clay - Sonics Must Stay!". The reference is to Clay Bennett, who has filed a relocation request to move the Supersonics to Oklahoma City. We are sending a message that Seattle Supersonics fans are willing to do what it takes to keep our team in Seattle!

TV camera people: Get out there and get some footage! We think this will be a great talking piece for sports media during the All Star Weekend. Enjoy the All Star Weekend, everyone!

Talking points:
1. We as Seattle Supersonics fans are offended by the coverage of the national press and the comments about how we "don't care" enough about our team. We deeply care about our team, and this airplane banner is designed in part to show that fervent support.

2. We would like to send a message to all NBA fans that just as this horrifying spectacle of losing our team is unfolding in Seattle, so could it happen to any other NBA team. We are calling out to all NBA fans: Please take action in support of the Supersonics staying in the Seattle area, for if this move goes through, your team could be the next one to move. We believe that if the NBA is successful in moving one team from a major media market, it will be that much easier for them to move successful teams in the future. Help us stop this development before it gets any stronger!

3. We as Seattle Supersonics fans strongly urge NBA owners and the Relocation Committee to vote against and take actions against the proposed move of our team. We want you particularly to know that Seattle fans LOVE the Supersonics and will take action to prove it. Please keep that in mind as you make decisions regarding the Supersonics and the proposed move.

4. We as Seattle Supersonics fans ask that political, business and regional leaders of Seattle and Washington State take good note of how strongly we support the Supersonics. Whoever steps forward to save our team will be nothing short of a hero to us. We believe that all of the possible actions toward saving our team have not been fully explored. Please take action now to keep our team in the Seattle area.

5. We as Seattle Supersonics fans support the NBA keeping all existing teams where they are currently located. Our support for the Seattle Supersonics, and actions related to keeping our team here, should not be misconstrued in any way to mean that we want any other fans to lose their beloved NBA teams. In particular, we have nothing but respect for New Orleans, their devoted fans, and their region. Likewise with Oklahoma City and the NBA fans there. We feel that we are all part of the community of NBA fans, and we need to stick together in solidarity.

6. The group “Save Our Sonics” is completely un-involved in this action, and was never involved at any level. Regardless, we strongly support everything Save Our Sonics does.

In addressing the media for the first time as a member of the Phoenix Suns, Shaquille O'Neal ruled the room for a half hour this morning. But what did you expect from the 35-year-old, 7-foot-1 center?

O'Neal said he's pleased to be in Phoenix, and ready to prove skeptics wrong who believe he can't mesh into the Suns' up-tempo style wrong.

"I look forward to making people eat their words, I really do," O'Neal said.

O'Neal says he will do his best to fit into a team he believes could have already competed for an NBA championship without him, but if O'Neal is healthy could be one of the favorites to win the title.

O'Neal will not play against Seattle on Friday. He'll practice a couple times with Phoenix before making his debut, hopefully before the All-Star break, O'Neal said.

"The first thing that it takes to win a championship is belief – that you believe that you can get it done," O'Neal said. "If there’s ever a doubt that you can’t do it, you will never win. But now I think the guys really, really believe that we have a shot."

After the morning press conference with O'Neal, the Sonics held a light practice in the afternoon. Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West did not practice, and Kurt Thomas saw limited action when Seattle went 5-on-0.

However, all should be available for action for Seattle's game against Phoenix on Saturday.

The game had the kind of feel where you thought it might be a special night for Earl Watson.

Watson said after the game that he felt sick this morning, but obviously the he shook that off and played his best game of the season, and perhaps his career.

Watson has been shooting better and with more confidence the last month or so compared to the beginning of the year. That continued against Sacramento, as he finished 9-of-12 from the floor, and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

But what stood out was his command of the offense, getting guys in the right spots offensively. And then defensively he played up top on Seattle's effective zone defense.

Watson also finished with two steals, and four turnovers that can be overlooked considering the rest of his numbers.

"He was unbelievable," Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "He distributed the ball. He rebounded. He defended really well and he made big shots."

Seattle earned its first road victory in 15 tries, and the Sonics fourth win in five games.

Seattle point guard Earl Watson has played perhaps his best half of the season, as Seattle trails by a point at halftime, 49-48.

Watson finished with 13 points, six assists and six rebounds and just one turnover in the opening half, and could be on his way to a triple-double if he gets enough minutes in the second half.

After a so-so start Seattle played better defensive in the second half and did a better job of attacking the basket.

Along with Watson, Chris Wilcox finished with 10 points.

Ron Artest leads Sacramento with 17 points, and Seattle native Spencer Hawes had a nice run in the first half, scoring six straight points for the Kings to open the second quarter.

It's the third straight game between these two teams that's been close. If the Sonics continue to push the ball and attack they've got a shot to get a rare road win, which would break the Sonics current, 14-game losing streak on the road

Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said all 12 players are active and available to go tonight, which means players with nagging injuries like Kurt Thomas (scratched right eye), Luke Ridnour (sprained right ankle), Wally Szczerbiak (sprained right ankle), Jeff Green (sprained left ankle).

Jeff Green returns to the starting lineup, which means Damien Wilkins will go back to the bench.

Seattle's starters are Earl Watson, Kevin Durant, Green, Chris Wilcox and Kurt Thomas.

Sacramento's Brad Miller will not play tonight after receiving nine stitches in right index finger after apparently cutting it while washing dished on Super Bowl Sunday.

It is expected that John Salmons will start in Miller's absence and Sacramento will move ex-Sonic Mikki Moore to center.

Probable starters for Sacramento are Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Salmons, Ron Artest and Moore.

Most people are still talking about the Shaq trade to Phoenix and how it will shake up the Western Conference heavyweights at top.

Both Carlesimo and Thomas, who played for Phoenix last season, weighed in on the trade.

Said Carlesimo: "Time will tell. We’ll find out in April, May and June whether it’s a good move. I don’t think we’ll get a handle on it for a while. It’s going to take him and them awhile to adjust. I think certainly they are looking postseason as much as they are looking regular season, so I think the jury is going to be out."

The absence of Kurt Thomas from Phoenix had a lot to do with Phoenix making the move, some say, because the Suns' lacked a physical, defensive presence inside.

Said Thomas: "As long as he’s out there on the floor he’s going to always demand a double team. And with those shooters around him he’s definitely a great addition."

It's official, according to the Arizona Republic - Shaq is now a Phoenix Sun. They'll hold a press conference this evening to formally announce his signing.

Shaquille O’Neal should be in Phoenix by now, and pending passing a physical this afternoon, Phoenix and Miami will submit the trade by the end of the day and Shaq will become a member of the Phoenix Suns, the Arizona Republic reports.

Shaq reportedly talked to several Phoenix players Tuesday night, including Steve Nash, telling Nash he will not let him down.

The deal would send O’Neal to the Suns in exchange for All-Star forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks.

ESPN’s David Thorpe, who writes a weekly column rating this year’s NBA rookies, discusses “chuckers” among the rookie class this week and rates Seattle’s Kevin Durant among the top of the list. Here’s an excerpt.

I would love to see Kevin Durant make a decision, maybe even for just one week, to simply stop shooting perimeter jump shots (unless forced to by the shot clock). Contrary to conventional wisdom (and his own memory), he is not a good shooter. Any study of his statistics suggests that he'll miss about two-thirds of his outside shots. Do I think he'll ultimately be a great shooter? Yes. But for now, focusing only on hard drives, paint jumpers and post-ups would be a better method to help the Sonics win games; they currently are the least efficient offensive team in the NBA.

Contestants for the 3-point contest during the All-Star game were announced today, and the list does not include a member of Sonics.

Toronto’s Jason Kapono will defend his title against Kobe Bryant (Lakers), Nash (Suns), Peja Stojokovic (Hornets), Daniel Gibson (Cavaliers) and Richard Hamilton (Pistons). Dale Ellis is the only Sonic to win the event in 1989.

It appears Shaquille O'Neal will be with the Phoenix Suns according to this report. Making things more interesting is Seattle faces Phoenix on Friday. Will Shaq be in uniform by this time?

Phoenix must have felt compelled to make a move with the Lakers picking up Pau Gasol last week. But how will Shaq fit in with the Suns' run-and-gun style, and is do-everything player Shawn Marion too much to give up? We'll see.

An interesting article from The Oklahoman, where Sonics chairman Clay Bennett talks about his frustrations in dealing with the Sonics since purchasing the franchise in July 2006. Here’s an excerpt:

While reflecting on his decision to join the NBA world in front of a crowd of about 100 at Oklahoma City University last Thursday, Bennett sounded like an owner split between bliss and buyer's remorse. He sounded like his heart could pump on either side depending on which day you catch him.

"The question I get asked a lot, well two questions, and the first is ‘What were you thinking?'” Bennet told The Oklahoman. "And the second question is 'why did you (buy the team?)' I think a lot about that because this work has consumed my life with all the travel and the effort.

"I love the work, but with the travel (I) miss my family and there's a lot of other things I could be doing.”

Another story points out that Oklahoma City officials are working with Boston-based Game Plan LLC, a major sports consultant, to help get ready for an NBA franchise to relocate to their city.

The Sonics trail 56-49 at halftime.

Most notably, Seattle is getting owned on the glass. Rebounding had been one of Seattle's strengths during the team's three-game winning streak. But the Bulls have a 27-17 advantage on the boards, including 14 offensive rebounds.

Joe Smith leads Chicago with 14 points. Smith and Ben Wallace have seven rebounds each.

Wally Szczerbiak leads Seattle with 14 points. Kevin Durant has 11 points, and is shooting 5-of-9 from the floor.

The building is pretty empty, which is expected on a Monday night. There might be 10,000 people here, but more likely around 8,000.

With Chicago playing Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon at the guard spots, Kevin Durant, at 6-foot-9, is guarding 6-foot-3 Gordon. Durant is having trouble keeping up with the speedy Gordon.

Seattle's down 23-14 with a about two minutes left in the first quarter. The Sonics definitely lack energy early on.

Seattle head coach P.J. Carlesimo was surprised to hear during his pre-game talk that Texas Tech coach Bob Knight had abruptly resigned on Monday.

Carlesimo credits Knight for much of his growth as a coach. Carlesimo first met Knight through Jack Gallagher, his high school coach in Scranton, Penn., at a summer basketball camp in the Pocono Mountains when Knight coached at Army. The two later become friends, and Carlesimo considers the hard-nosed Knight his mentor.

Carlesimo still has a dog-eared coaching pamphlet on defense from Knight’s camps.

"He's one of the best teachers of basketball who's ever coached," Carlesimo said. "People can talk about all of the other stuff. But if you want to analyze a practice and games and watch a team play and how they were taught to play basketball, there’s been very few that are even in the same group as him.

"He’s just an unbelievable teacher and an extremely interesting man. ... That’s not good for basketball. Other people will have a different opinion, but to me when you lose one of the best coaches and best teachers in the game, it’s not good for basketball."

Chicago interim head coach Jim Boylan coached against Knight while he worked as an assistant for Jud Heathcote at Michigan State from 1986 to 1989.

"He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time, not just in basketball, but in sports in general," Boylan said.

Boylan said later: "He’s a lightening rod. You either love him or hate him."

The Texas Tech program will be turned over to Knight’s son, Pat Knight, who was named head coach-designate in 2005.

Seattle’s Wally Szczerbiak will play tonight after a two-game absence. But Jeff Green will miss his second straight game, with his left ankle still sore.
Damien Wilkins will start again.

Also, Robert Swift might see his first action since November. Carlesimo has been leery of playing Swift without watching him scrimmage during practice, but Swift is itching to play and Carlesimo might sneak him in if the time is right.

Seattle native Jamal Crawford is playing well in his only game back home, finishing with 14 points in the first half as New York leads 38-34.

Both teams are playing a lot of zone defensively right now, and neither team is shooting very well. New York is shooting 14-of-38 from the floor (36.8 percent), while Seattle is shooting 16-of-41 from the field (39 percent).

Seattle rookie Kevin Durant has struggled offensively, going 3-of-10 from the floor.

Seattle holds a 28-19 rebounding advantage, but hasn't looked to push the ball on the break, with just two fastbreak points.

With New York's Eddy Curry out, Seattle needs to drive to the basket and look to get inside more and stop relying on scoring from the perimeter.

Seattle rookie Jeff Green will sit out tonight with a sprained left ankle. Damien Wilkins will start in Green's place.

Wally Szczerbiak is a go tonight, along with Kurt Thomas and Nick Collison.

Two Seattle natives also return home with Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson back in town.

The Knicks are 0-4 on their trip out West, and looking to go home with a win.

Robert Swift also is suited up tonight, but Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo said Swift will not play until he gets a few practices in.

Robinson and Crawford are both starting for New York tonight. Eddy Curry is out for New York. David Lee will start at center.

In a season short on wins I thought it would be nice to go down memory lane. And what better way to do that than to watch Shawn Kemp do what he did best -- dunk on guys' heads that were not smart enough to get out of the way. Enjoy.

Seattle’s Kevin Durant earned the Western Conference player of the month for a third straight month. Toronto’s Jamario Moon won it in the Eastern Conference.

The Sonics again practiced light today, with Wally Szczerbiak (sprained right ankle), Nick Collison (right calf strain), Kurt Thomas (left quad strain) and Jeff Green (sprained left ankle) all missing practice with various injuries. All four are game-time decisions for Saturday’s game against the Knicks, although Collison and Thomas are more likely to play.

Robert Swift practiced with the team again today and looks closer to returning to play in a game. Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo would like to see Swift scrimmage in practice before he puts him in a game, so expect Swift to travel with the team on Seattle’s two-game road trip to Sacramento and Phoenix next week. He might see some time on the trip if he gets through practice OK.

The big story of the day is the Los Angeles Lakers made a trade that basically puts them in the title hunt, securing 7-footer Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies and sending center Kwame Brown, rookie guard Javaris Crittenton and first round picks in 2008 and 2010 to Memphis.

It was an active day for the Grizzlies, who also traded Stromile Swift to the New Jersey Nets for Jason Collins.

A pretty funny moment during Seattle's second straight win, a 101-95 victory over Cleveland Thursday night.

Cleveland's Donyell Marshall, who hadn't played since Nov. 2, tried to check in the game in the first half, but has he pulled his warm-up shirt off his jersey came off too and he walked on the floor with just a blue tank top on.

A ball boy fished his jersey out of the warm up, but the Cavaliers received a delay of game while Marshall waited. The Cleveland bench, including a injured LeBron James, laughed it up on the sidelines. Check it out below.