Sonics -- Hawkins And Cotton Traded For Brent Barry -- Deal With Chicago Also Nets `Cap' Space

In their biggest move of the offseason, the Sonics have acquired Brent Barry in an effort to satisfy their need for a younger, more athletic shooting guard while netting additional salary cap space.

The trade, announced this afternoon, sent guards Hersey Hawkins and James Cotton to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Barry.

Barry, 27, played at Oregon State, the alma mater of Gary Payton, with whom he'll team in the Sonic starting backcourt.

The 6-feet-6, 195-pound son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, he made his first big splash by winning the NBA's Slam Dunk championship during the 1996 All-Star Weekend in San Antonio.

Barry continued his high visibility by signing a six-year, $27 million free-agent contract that ostensibly made him the heir to Michael Jordan in Chicago.

Barry's acquisition will allow the Sonics to use veteran Vernon Maxwell, their biggest free-agent signing this offseason, as a third guard, splitting time off the bench between the point and shooting guard.

It also will allow the Sonics to make yet another acquisition, via free agency.

Barry is scheduled to make $3.9 million this coming season. Hawkins will make $4 million and Cotton will make $460,000.

The deal nets the Sonics about $500,000, putting them $1.7 million to $1.9 million under the salary cap.

Such a figure will allow them to outbid teams that can only offer veterans the $1 million minimum. It also will put them in the running against teams offering the $2 million exception.

In Barry, Maxwell and second-year forward Ruben Patterson, the Sonics have added players who can exploit NBA rule changes that will be generous to players who can attack the basket off the dribble. Those three, plus Horace Grant, also will upgrade the energy level of the team.

Barry originally was the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft by Denver, but was dealt to the Clippers in a draft-day deal for Randy Woods and the rights to Antonio McDyess. He was traded by the Clippers because of his impending free agency to Miami in 1998 for Isaac Austin, Charles Smith and a first-round pick.

Hawkins, who will turn 33 next month, presumably can finish out his NBA career in his hometown of Chicago. He was acquired by Seattle from Charlotte, along with David Wingate, in a 1995 deal that sent Kendall Gill to the Hornets. Hawkins' four-year tenure in Seattle has seen a steady decline in offensive production, down to 10.3 points a game last year.

Cotton, 23, had an unfulfilled, two-year stay in Seattle. He played in only 19 games after being acquired from Denver in an exchange of draft picks that sent Bobby Jackson to the Nuggets.