OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -Undeterred by a trade that was rescinded because of a failed physical, the Oklahoma City Thunder moved ahead Thursday with deals that brought in guard Thabo Sefolosha from Chicago and forward Malik Rose from the New York Knicks.
The Thunder sent a first-round pick in this June’s draft to the Bulls for Sefolosha, who could fill a hole in Oklahoma City’s backcourt. Chris Wilcox, who was supposed to be included in a trade to the New Orleans Hornets for center Tyson Chandler, instead ended up going to New York in the Rose trade.
Oklahoma City also got cash in both swaps completed at the NBA’s trade deadline.
General manager Sam Presti wasn’t gun shy only one day after he had to pull out of a deal that had energized the team’s fan base.
been trying to be thorough with in our process.
“We have to make the intelligent decisions for our organization, take the information that we have and do what we think is in the best interests of the team. We did not alter our process.”
Sefolosha, a third-year player out of Switzerland, could make more of an immediate impact with the Thunder, who expect starting guard Desmond Mason to miss the rest of the season after having knee surgery. Rookie Kyle Weaver has been starting in Mason’s spot since his injury.
Presti called Sefolosha “another defensive-minded perimeter player that we feel has the opportunity to grow with our organization.”
Sefolosha has averaged five points and about three rebounds in three NBA seasons since being drafted in the first round in 2006. He lost his starting job in Chicago after a slow start to the season and has been playing mostly as a reserve behind Kirk Hinrich.
The Bulls also had a logjam on the wing after acquiring John Salmons from Sacramento in a six-player trade earlier in the week, even after dealing Larry Hughes to the Knicks in a separate trade Thursday.
To make room for Sefolosha, the Thunder waived center Mouhamed Sene, a former 10th overall pick who hadn’t played since November. The Thunder, then playing in Seattle, drafted him three spots ahead of Sefolosha in 2006.
The Bulls will get either San Antonio’s or Phoenix’s old selection, whichever one comes later.
Rose was a member of San Antonio’s NBA championship teams in 1999, 2003 and 2005 and rejoins Presti, who was part of the Spurs’ front office for the last two of those titles. However, he could face an uphill battle for playing time in Oklahoma City, just as he did in New York. He had played in only three games with the Knicks since late December.
Wilcox himself had been relegated to the bench since the Thunder signed restricted free agent Nenad Krstic in late December, playing in only one of the Thunder’s final five games before the All-Star break.
He then was included with Joe Smith and second-round pick DeVon Hardin in the trade with New Orleans that fell apart on Wednesday.
Kevin Durant, the reigning Rookie of the Year, said “it was kind of a shock” to find out Chandler wasn’t going to join the team after all.
“I’d never seen that before. That was something new to me,” Durant said. “I thought he’d be here today, but he wasn’t. That’s a part of this business. I know our organization made a good move for our team down the line.”
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