Wilcox Likely Entrenched as Seattle?s Power Forward

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Even if Seattle SuperSonics power forward Nick Collison is able to return from his foot injury at full strength before the end of the season, coach Bob Hill said Chris Wilcox is likely to remain the starter based on his performance the past two games.
?I would say it is pretty safe right now that Chris Wilcox has the starting big-forward position wrapped up,? Hill said. ?That would be my guess, with 46 points and 33 rebounds in two nights against playoff teams.?

Collison has been out since March 5 with a torn left plantar fascia and is expected to miss about two more weeks. When he comes back, with about seven games left, Hill said the combination of Collison?s likely rustiness and Wilcox?s impressive play make it an easy call.

It?s the second time a starter under Hill lost his job because of injury; Center Robert Swift started before breaking his nose Feb. 20 and has not regained the job from Johan Petro.

?We have won six out of our last 10 games, and the guys are playing hard and taking this real serious,? Hill said before the Sonics departed for Denver on Thursday. ?I have an obligation to the other guys to try to continue to win games. My decision-making has to be based on that.

?I?ll monitor Nick when he is on the floor and see how he does. Nick is not going to hurt us in any way, shape or form. He may not help us a whole lot in the first game or two, but he is not going to hurt us. I?ll just have to manage it and the next year see who will win the position in training camp.?

That might be a foregone conclusion depending on what happens this summer. Wilcox is a restricted free agent, meaning the Sonics can offer him anything and can match any offer from another team.</div>

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