Suns trade Kurt Thomas to Seattle

[Glenn]

Wow.

I know they wanted to clear payroll, but this seems really steep.

Could this be a precursor to a KG deal?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2943588

Suns gain $8M trade exception by trading Thomas
Associated Press

Updated: July 20, 2007, 3:05 PM ET

SEATTLE -- The Seattle SuperSonics on Friday acquired veteran forward Kurt Thomas and the Phoenix Suns' first-round draft choices in 2008 and 2010, in exchange for a conditional second round draft choice.

Seattle also used its $9 million trade exception with Phoenix to complete the deal. The Sonics gained the exception from Orlando earlier this month when they completed a sign-and-trade deal that sent Rashard Lewis to the Magic.

Thomas, who turns 35 in October, averaged a career-low 4.6 points per game in 67 games last season while averaging just 18 minutes per night. But he does provide the veteran presence Seattle was seeking to tutor Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, the second and fifth overall selections in last month's draft. The Sonics, who finished 31-51 last season, traded leading scorer Ray Allen to Boston last month. Then Lewis, their second-leading scorer, joined Orlando.

Thomas also comes at the limited cost the rebuilding Sonics were seeking. He has just one season left on a contract that is due to pay him $8.1 million next season.

The deal provides some salary cap relief for Phoenix, which had the NBA's fourth-highest payroll last season at $76.4 million.

[Vinny]

Wow. That's some deal for Seattle. Kurt's in the last year of his deal, too, I think.

[Glenn]

Stating the obvious here, but this makes the Rashard Lewis deal a little more palatable for the Sonics.

[Vinny]

Are they just setting Steve Kerr up to fail here?

[Zip Goshboots]

I think I might be able to score four points a game for 8 Mill.

[BIG BEN'S FRO]

Man that is a ridiculously good deal for the sonics. No doubt the picks are lotto protected, but who cares. Phenomenal rebuilding effort for the Sonics. Not to mention that Seattle will still have Kurt Thomas's salary to move at the deadline if they wanted to. Hell they could get another first rounder.

[Joe Asberry]

Presti made some really nice moves for the Sonics, he's rebuilding them on the fly...impressive for a 30 year old GM rookie, he sure learned some things at San Antonio

[micknugget]

The Seattle GM should get GM of the Year for that and his draft day moves. Yet another thing to make Detroit and Joe Dumars look cheap and less than inpressive.

[Hermy]

Boy guys, it's amazing that 28 other GMs just wern't as smart as every message board poster in the world, isn't it?

[Uncle Mxy]

Grant Hill must be feeling real confident about being backup PF.