Seattle Surrendered Shooting to Acquire a Younger Power Forward
The Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Wilcox to the Seattle SuperSonics on February 14, 2006, receiving Vladimir Radmanović in return. The two forwards had different profiles. Radmanović could spread the floor with three-point shooting, a skill Los Angeles needed alongside Elton Brand and Chris Kaman. Wilcox was a younger athlete whose rebounding and finishing around the basket could complement Seattle's perimeter scorers. The straight exchange did not include draft picks. It came with the Clippers positioned for their first playoff appearance in several years and the SuperSonics looking for a more dependable frontcourt option.
Radmanović Helped Los Angeles During One Playoff Push
Radmanović played 30 regular-season Clippers games after the swap, starting 11 and logging 885 minutes. He scored 320 points and made 66 three-point field goals, offering bench scoring and floor spacing. The Clippers reached the 2006 Western Conference semifinals, and Radmanović appeared in all 12 postseason games. Those appearances were legitimate short-term value and explain why the Clippers' side should retain a positive grade. However, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer, ending the Clippers return after those months. His later Lakers years cannot be credited to the club that traded for him.
Wilcox Turned Into a Multi-Year Seattle Starter
Wilcox quickly gained a larger role with Seattle than he had held with the Clippers. After the February 2006 exchange he started 23 of 29 SuperSonics games, averaging 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds. He then appeared in all 82 regular-season games in 2006-07 and started 81, averaging 13.5 points and 7.7 rebounds. He added 62 games and 55 starts in 2007-08 with averages of 13.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. Wilcox continued with the franchise after its move to Oklahoma City before leaving for the Knicks. The long run of starts and scoring was a larger, more enduring contribution than a short rental.
An Immediate Clippers Win Became a Long-Term Seattle Gain
The Clippers achieved their near-term objective. Radmanović gave them spacing and was available during a meaningful playoff run, so calling the exchange a one-sided failure would overlook the context of 2006. Seattle, though, received more than a short-term adjustment: Wilcox was a regular starter for two full seasons and remained in the organization through its relocation. The franchise's move to Oklahoma City makes the modern trade ID look unusual, but the acquiring club was the Seattle SuperSonics in February 2006. Judging the two actual receiving-team stints rather than the players' later careers gives Seattle a distinct edge.
Final Verdict
SuperSonics Win. Seattle earns A- because Chris Wilcox became a multi-season starter after arriving in 2006, beginning with 29 games and 408 points that spring and carrying through two productive Sonics seasons. Los Angeles receives B for Vladimir Radmanović's 30 regular-season appearances and 12 playoff games during the Clippers' postseason run. Seattle enjoyed the longer, greater return.