Sonics trade for Fortson

SEATTLE, July 27 (UPI) -- Seattle SuperSonics General Manager Rick Sund says the Danny Fortson-Calvin Booth trade was a good deal for both sides.

The Sonics got Fortson, a forward considered one of the NBA's top rebounders, for Booth, a center, in a swap with the Dallas Mavericks Monday.

"Dallas has been looking to add somebody that can shoot the ball from the center position, and we said at the end of the season last year we were going to try and strengthen our interior defense and rebounding," Sund said.

Fortson will join his fifth team in eight NBA seasons.

The 6-8, 265-pounder was a first-round pick by Milwaukee in 1997 out of Cincinnati. He averaged 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 56 games last season, and has averaged 8.9 points and eight rebounds in his career.

Booth, a former Maverick, averaged 4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.42 blocks in 71 games for the Sonics last season.

The 7-1, 240-pounder, a first-round pick by Washington in 1999, has career averages of 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.37 blocks in 199 NBA games.