Ex-Sonic stars in spotlight now, but OKC better off without them

Sam Presti's deals
What the Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis deals meant bottom-line to the Thunder today:

→General manager Sam Presti traded Allen and the just-drafted Glen "Big Baby” Davis to Boston for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the just-drafted Jeff Green. West and Szczerbiak eventually were traded to Cleveland for Donyell Marshall, Ira Newbie and Adrian Griffin. Presti eventually waived Marshall and Newbie, then included Griffin as a throw-in in the deal that sent Luke Ridnour to Milwaukee for Desmond Mason and Joe Smith.

So in reality, it was Allen and Davis for Green and lots of payroll cap space.

→After the Allen trade, Lewis, who was a free agent, made it clear he had no desire to return to Seattle. Orlando wanted Lewis, and Presti worked out a sign-and-trade deal that sent Lewis to the Magic and gave the Sonics a second-round draft pick and a $9-million trade exemption.

Trade exemptions allow teams to make trades that can circumvent the payroll cap, and Presti used the Magic’s to trade Phoenix that second-round draft pick for veteran Kurt Thomas and the Suns’ first-round picks in the 2008 and 2010 drafts, the first of which was used to take Serge Ibaka, who is not yet ready for the NBA.

Presti traded Thomas to San Antonio for Brent Barry, whom he released; Francisco Elson, who left via free agency after last season; and a 2009 first-round draft pick.