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.