While Seattle SuperSonics coach Nate McMillan said a few days ago that he would like to improve the team's rebounding, general manager Rick Sund said it is not necessarily a foregone conclusion that the Sonics are going to acquire another player via trade or signing a free agent.

While McMillan wants to win now, Sund is keeping in mind the Sonics' long-term objective, which is to be an elite team in the future.

"There are several areas that we will need to improve on in the next 24-to-36 months," said Sund, who met up with the team in Indianapolis after scouting college games. "Whether it is today, or next summer or a year from now, rebounding is one of those areas we want to improve in.

"But I don't think you can put a timetable on it. There is a direction we have said we are trying to go ... and we can go there through the draft, through free agency or through a trade."

One of Sund's hopes is that Calvin Booth returns soon to the team. Booth is a week away from removing a walking boot from his right ankle, and then the Sonics will have a better idea if he will be able to contribute this season.

Falling short - When the Sonics ended the month of December above .500, they set a goal for the month of January to finish it with an 11-4 record.

They are not going to do that, having gone 7-5 so far. But that primarily is because nine of the 15 games are on the road, and many against playoff-caliber teams.

Still, McMillan is pleased with the month so far, particularly since the team is in the thick of the race for one of the final Western Conference playoff spots.

"This month is similar to last year, when we didn't do well," McMillan said. "I think we have done a much better job of getting ready to play, and winning most of our games, especially with so many on the road.

"We're in as good a shape as we can be in by winning road games and beating some of these good teams. We've basically kept ourselves in the race by winning some of these road games. Now we have some home games (coming up) that we must take advantage of."

In the news - A Sports Illustrated reporter has been following the Sonics for the past few days to do a story on the team for the magazine in two weeks.