Sonics Likely to Match Wilkins Offer

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Seattle SuperSonics re-signed center Vitaly Potapenko to a two-year contract on Tuesday, and it appears they also have made the decision to match the offer that the Minnesota Timberwolves extended to Damien Wilkins last week.

Though general manager Rick Sund would not comment on the Wilkins decision, sources within the organization indicate the Sonics do not want to lose a player who was a key component in their second-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs last season.

The Sonics have until Thursday to formally make a decision ? and are likely to take that long ? but they seem poised to pay Wilkins the $15 million over five years that the Wolves were willing to pay.

Meanwhile, though the Sonics would not disclose the value of Potapenko?s contract, it is believed to be worth about $6.3 million.

?We like that bulky type of center,? Sund said. ?It was important for us to get somebody with that type of body. And there is a certain comfort zone with Vitaly.?

Potapenko was going to be the team?s starting center last season before he broke a bone in his right hand and missed the first six weeks of the season. When he returned, the Sonics had experienced so much success that Potapenko never got back his starting job.

Now, though, with Jerome James gone to New York and only inexperienced Robert Swift and Johan Petro on the roster, Potapenko will be the undisputed starter when the season opener is played. He will be backed up by Nick Collison, Danny Fortson and Swift.

?We will still do center by committee,? Sund said.</div>

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