Spurs Trade Barry, Elson, and 1st Round Pick to Sonics For C/F Kurt Thomas

Apparently the San Antonio Spurs are not willing to stand by idly while all of their Western Conference competitors make mid-season trades to get stronger. The Spurs dealt backup guard Brent Barry, center Francisco Elson, and a 2009 1st round draft pick to the Seattle Supersonics for center/power forward Kurt Thomas. The Spurs are looking to get bigger and better defensively in the post, where they'll now be facing the upgraded Lakers (Paul Gasol) and Suns (Shaquille O'Neal) regularly, and potentially in the NBA playoffs this season.

This marks the second time Kurt Thomas has been trade since last year, as the Sonics acquired him in what could be the most lopsided and worst trade in NBA history, as the Suns shipped Thomas and 2008 and 2010 1st round draft picks to the Sonics for a conditional 2nd round pick and an $8 million trade exception, merely so they could avoid having to pay the luxury tax. The move was incredibly short sighted by the Phoenix Suns, and was the antithesis of how to operate an NBA or NFL team in the modern salary cap era.

The two moves leave the Sonics absolutely stacked in upcoming NBA drafts, as they will have a whopping 13 draft picks over the next 3 years, including a mind-numbing 6 1st round picks, and 7 2nd round picks. Sonics general manager Sam Presti is quickly making a case for himself as one of the best and craftiest general managers in the NBA. The Sonics already have a strong nucleus of Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, thanks to the 2007 NBA draft, and they will only get better from here on out.

UPDATE 02/22/2008: The Sonics have waived Brent Barry, and he may re-sign with the Spurs after a league mandated 30 day waiting period.