Nunyo Demasio of the Seattle Times reports: With the trading deadline one week from today, the Sonics are faced with a crucial decision that will have a bearing on the club beyond the second half of the season.

Do the Sonics deal Baker, who makes an average of $13.5 million through 2006, primarily for salary-cap flexibility in the future?

Or does Seattle hold on to a rejuvenated Baker and hope that center Calvin Booth returns from a sprained right ankle to bolster the team's frontcourt?

"I won't sit here and lie and say, 'We're not involved in (trade talks) and listening to people,' " Coach Nate McMillan said yesterday. "We have to. It's a business. Every team in the league is doing this. Getting phone calls, making phone calls. A lot of times people say, 'Nothing is going on.' That's not (true).

"(Trade scenarios) are something that management and myself will have to sit down and see if that fits the direction we want to go."

The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are among teams that have expressed an interest in Baker. The Pacers reportedly looked into dealing guard Travis Best and Austin Croshere for Baker. But Seattle asked Indiana to include Jeff Foster ? an excellent rebounder ? and the Pacers declined.