The Detroit Pistons have traded forward Ronald Dupree to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for a future second- round draft pick.

Dupree appeared in 47 games last season and averaged 10.0 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds.

"Ronald is a solid defensive player and we wanted to get another big defender at the small forward position," said Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale. "He is a guy that we have looked at in the past and we are glad that we were able to add him to the team."

According to SonicsCentral, the Seattle SuperSonics have chosen point guards Rick Brunson and Mateen Cleaves over guard Alex Scales and forward Noel Felix.

''There certainly seemed to be some uncertainty as to who would wind up making the final cut as both Scales and Felix impressed the coaching staff greatly and survivors Rick Brunson and Mateen Cleaves appear to be somewhat redundant. In particular many fans had hoped that University of Oregon graduate Scales would prove to be a legitimate NBA scorer,'' writes the Sonics-related website.

The moves were later confirmed by the Sonics.

The Sonics requested waivers Thursday on rookie forward Roger Powell, bringing Seattle's roster to 17 players.

Powell played in two exhibition games, scoring 11 points. He did not play in Wednesday night's 99-93 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Powell was an honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference selection his junior and senior seasons at Illinois. The 6-foot-6 Powell averaged 12 points and 5.7 rebounds as a senior.

With the television cameras rolling, Danny Fortson said all the right things yesterday about his return to the basketball court.

The nagging right turf toe still caused him discomfort, but he was managing. The stomach virus that forced him to miss Sunday's game against the Houston Rockets in Laredo, Texas, had passed. He was happy to be playing again and eager to make his preseason debut tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers at KeyArena.

Away from the media horde, the much-maligned Sonics power forward challenged critics. Fortson has been the target of criticism from current and former teammates who have grown tired of his on- and off-the-court antics and believe he had exaggerated the severity of his injury.

"Come to me as a man," Fortson said. "If you have a problem with me, come say something. Don't go to the newspaper like some little girl. That's something my little daughter does. She's a tattletale right now and I'm trying to teach her not to be a tattletale.

"I think somebody on this team might have girlish characteristics that need to be turned into a man. Because if we're going to win, we need warriors. We don't need girls. Girls are for the dance team."

Last week, a Sonics player who requested anonymity told The Seattle Times: "At some point in time, we're going to have to figure out if we're going to have two sets of rules on this team. One for Danny and one for everybody else."

The comment and a remark from ex-Sonic Antonio Daniels irked Fortson, who questioned if the tight-knit Sonics are as close as many believe.

"I pick up the damn paper and I see that and I'm like, which Sonics player [said] that," he said. "I don't care if he's the captain, bench player, high-class, middle-class, lower-class, be a man and quit being a little girl. If you got something to say or if you don't like Danny Fortson, pull Danny Fortson aside and say something.

"They're ain't no two sets of rules for Danny Fortson. Danny Fortson has been fined more than probably anybody in this league."

Quietly within the walls of the Sonics training facility and headquarters, executives and coaching staff are asking themselves if they can afford to throw away $1 million.

Newly signed Rick Brunson represents that $1 million. The nine-year veteran, who played with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, was signed to a one-year deal with the idea that he'd provide limited relief to Luke Ridnour at point guard.

After nearly two weeks of training camp and two preseason games, free-agent guards Alex Scales and Mateen Cleaves have outplayed Brunson, and free-agent forward Noel Felix has shown flashes of brilliance.

Forward Roger Powell, the other free agent in camp, has yet to make much of an impact and appears to have fallen to the back of the pack.

Coach Bob Weiss said it's too early to think about roster cuts and insisted that his decision to play Scales and not Brunson in Friday's 114-113 defeat to Phoenix doesn't mean he's making any definitive statements about the backup point-guard job.

Any number of things could happen to Sonics forward Vladimir Radmanovic this season that might cause him to regret declining a six-year deal and opting for a one-year deal in its? stead.  

"Really, I don't think about any more. I signed a one-year deal" Radmanovic said this week as he began his fifth season with Seattle. "I just have to play. That's about it. My game is going to show what needs to be shown."

The Seattle SuperSonics released guards Tre Simmons and Ezra Williams on Friday, reducing their roster to 18 players.

Both were signed as free agents last week.

Simmons, an all-Pac-10 Conference selection at Washington, averaged 16 points last season as the Huskies earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Seattle SuperSonics General Manager Rick Sund announced today that the Sonics have exercised the fourth-year team option for the 2006-07 season on both forward Nick Collison and guard Luke Ridnour.

?We?re very excited about the futures of both these young men,? said Sund. ?For Nick and Luke, team success has always been their top priority and they continue to use their individual talents to make their teammates better.?

Last season, both players appeared in all 82 games. Collison averaged 5.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and shot 54 percent from the floor. Ridnour averaged 10 points and 5.9 assists. He shot 88 percent from the foul line, good for sixth in the NBA.

Seattle SuperSonics General Manager Rick Sund announced today that Reggie Evans has signed a one-year qualifying offer to remain with the Sonics.

?We?re thrilled to have one of the top rebounders in the NBA back in a Sonics uniform this season,? said Sund. ?Reggie is a tenacious rebounder and he has always found a way to have an impact on the court. He?s like a bulldog around the boards.?

Last season, Evans? third in the NBA, he averaged 4.9 points and a career-high 9.3 rebounds in 79 games. Evans, who was not drafted by an NBA team, signed with Seattle as a free agent on Sept. 30, 2002.

In a related move, the Sonics requested waivers on swingman Omar Thomas (Texas El-Paso).

When he first walked through their doors three years ago, the Sonics had no idea what they had in Reggie Evans, an undrafted rookie free agent out of Iowa. They struggled with quantifying the value of the rugged power forward who was all elbows, floor burns and determination.

He earned a spot on their roster, won a starting job and led Seattle in rebounding two of the past three seasons. Despite his production on the boards, Evans has always felt unappreciated on a team where three-point shooting is a red-hot commodity.

The perceived sleight became exacerbated this summer when he was next to last among the team's nine free agents to receive a contract offer.

"I'm looking at this like, they are going to take care of the people who they feel is important," Evans said several weeks ago. "Everybody else, well, we got to take what's left. Does that make me feel good? No. But that's how it's always been with me and this team."

So when the Sonics report to the Furtado Center this morning for physicals and testing, Evans, a restricted free agent, will stay home.

Technically, he is not a holdout because he does not have a contract with the Sonics.

"This is a situation where we've taken the posture that Reggie is a free agent and he can sign with any team in the league," general manager Rick Sund said. "We would consider bringing him back, but so far, what he's seen from us hasn't been to his liking."