Seattle snares guard Watson in trade deadline deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Point guard Earl Watson is leaving
Denver for his old team Seattle after a four-way trade deadline
deal on Thursday involving the Nuggets, SuperSonics, Portland
Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

The complicated deal is the only one yet to be disclosed on
a relatively quiet trade deadline, though swaps are often
announced later in the day after administrative details are
agreed.

Watson, who was averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 assists for
the Nuggets, will rejoin Seattle which picked him up at number
40 in the 2001 draft.

Denver also sent swingman Bryon Russell and a 2008
second-round pick to the Sonics.

The Nuggets received Sonics rebounding forward Reggie
Evans, Portland’s swingman Ruben Patterson and guard Charles
Smith.

Portland picked up Nuggets guard Voshon Lenard and center
Brian Skinner from Sacramento, who acquired Sonics center
Vitaly Potapenko and Portland guard Sergei Monia in the deal.