The Seattle SuperSonics think Sam Perkins is going to help them immediately.
They didn't think center Benoit Benjamin was ever going to help them, and they didn't think they could sign top draft choice Doug Christie.So, on Monday the Sonics shipped the little-used, high-priced Benjamin and the rights to Christie to the Los Angeles Lakers for Perkins.
The 6-foot-9 Perkins, a forward-center, was expected to replace Michael Cage in their starting lineup.
"Acquiring Perkins gives us a player who can score in the low post, can pass the ball and can play great post defense," Sonics president Bob Whitsitt said. "Sam is a two-position player and, most of all, a proven winner. His style of play should fit in with what this team is trying to do."
Karl refused to say whether Perkins would start.
"We'll be patient with Sam and hope he'll be patient with us," Karl said. "We think we are making a trade that makes us a better team that can be more successful."
Perkins said he didn't have any idea he was going to be traded, but said he was happy to be going to be a winning team.
"Well, I'm in shock," he said. "I didn't know that my services were that well thought of."
Perkins said the Sonics have the talent to be NBA contenders.
"They've got what it takes to win," he said. "There's no question the talent is there."
Perkins is averaging 13.7 points and 7.7 rebounds this season. Benjamin was averaging career lows of 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Perkins, 31, is in his ninth pro season. He played six seasons in Dallas and 21/2 with the Lakers, who signed him as an unrestricted free agent in August 1990.
Perkins began this season with a 16.2 scoring average. He has career bests of 45 points and 20 rebounds.
As a North Carolina sophomore, he helped the Tar Heels win the 1982 NCAA championship and also played on the 1984 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team that won a gold medal in Los Angeles. He was the fourth player picked in the 1984 NBA draft.
The Sonics shipped Benjamin back to Los Angeles, where he played 51/2 seasons with the Clippers. Seattle traded for Benjamin Feb. 20, 1991.
"I would like to wish Benoit the best of luck," Whitsitt said. "It's unfortunate that it didn't work out for him in this organization."
The Sonics thought Benjamin was the big man they were missing. But Karl, who replaced the fired K.C. Jones as coach of the Sonics in January 1992, thought otherwise.
Karl wanted a smaller, more mobile, more athletic lineup. The 7-foot, 260-pound Benjamin just slowed the Sonics down.
Karl said making a trade was a difficult part of professional sports.
"It's often a cold business," he said.
All-Star Shawn Kemp and Derrick McKey, both 6-10, are Seattle's other two front-court starters. Cage is 6-9.
Karl virtually ignored Benjamin this season. Benjamin played in just 31 of Seattle's first 50 games, averaging 141/2 minutes. The third overall selection in the 1985 draft started in only six games.
The Sonics said Perkins will join them Thursday for practice in Sacramento, Calif. He will play for the Sonics Friday night against the Kings and Saturday night against Golden State in the Seattle Coliseum.
Perkins will miss Seattle's games tonight in Denver and Wednesday night in Minnesota.
The Sonics begin the second half of their season after the All-Star break with a 33-17 record and in second place in the Pacific Division behind Phoenix (38-10).
The Sonics inherit the six-year, $19.2 million contract Perkins signed with the Lakers in August 1990.
But they rid themselves of Benjamin's huge contract. Benjamin, 28, was earning $3.1 million with the Sonics this season, 23 percent of Seattle's salary cap. After being acquired by Seattle, Benjamin signed a five-year, $18.5 million contract.
Christie, 22, a 6-6 swingman from Pepperdine, was the 17th player chosen in last June's NBA draft. The Sonics knew they weren't going to sign him after his agent, Brad Marshall, turned down their $2.742 million contract offer on Oct. 6.