---

Los Angeles Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Elgin Baylor announced today that the team has acquired forward Vladimir Radmanovic from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for forward Chris Wilcox.

“Vladimir gives us versatility and he fits very well into our system,” Baylor said. “He’s agile and he runs the floor well. We see him playing multiple positions and his outside shooting will stretch the defense and be a big positive for our inside players.”

Radmanovic, in his fifth NBA season, has career averages of 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. The 6’10” Radmanovic is averaging 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 23.2 minutes per game this season. He set a new career-high with 30 points at New York on January 8, 2006 and is shooting a career-best .887 from the free throw line this season.

Originally selected by Seattle with the 12th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Radmanovic has 11 games of playoff experience and helped lead Seattle to a 50-32 record last season, which was tops in the Northwest Division. Radmanovic was also a member of the 2004 Serbia & Montenegro Olympic Team.

Wilcox averaged 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in three plus seasons with the Clippers after being selected by the team with the eighth overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft. Wilcox is averaging 4.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game this season, after averaging 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2004-05. Wilcox enjoyed his best NBA season in 2003-04, when he averaged career-highs of 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

“In Chris, we get a great rebounder who can run the floor,” said Sonics General Manager Rick Sund. “He has a powerful and quick jump shot and will be a nice complement to our frontcourt as both an additional scoring option and as a defensive presence.”

“With limited minutes, Wilcox has shown he has the ability to be a solid player,” said Sonics Head Coach Bob Hill. “I’m looking forward to him continuing to develop his game here with us and to start learning our system.”

Originally selected by the Clippers with the eighth overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, Wilcox is now in his fourth NBA season.

The former Maryland standout averaged 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in his two years with the Terrapins. Wilcox and his Maryland team reached the NCAA Final Four in his freshman season before he helped the Terrapins to a NCAA Championship a year later. Wilcox earned Third Team All-ACC honors during his sophomore season.

InsideHoops.com Editor Says: My first reaction is that the Sonics win this deal. I like Wilcox and think he can emerge nicely. Radmanovic is going to demand big money as a free agent this summer, so the Clippers will probably have to overpay him or lose him. Wilcox will need a new deal this summer and wants to get paid, too. But I expect he'll ask for less money, while becoming the better player.

True basketball fans read InsideHoops.com every day.