SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings, unable to come to terms with top draft choice Billy Owens, traded the rights to the former Syracuse standout to the Golden State Warriors Friday night for Mitch Richmond, Les Jepsen and a second-round pick in 1995.
A Golden State spokesman said Owens has not yet agreed to a contract with the Warriors. Owens, who passed up his senior season in college, reportedly was seeking a pact that pays $2.77 million a season.
The third pick in last June's NBA Draft behind Larry Johnson and Kenny Anderson, the 6-foot-9 Owens averaged 23.3 points and 11.6 rebounds last season. The Big East Player of the Year was projected to play off-guard with the Kings.
Richmond, a 6-5 guard entering his fourth NBA season, averaged 23.9 points (10th in the NBA) and 5.9 rebounds (fourth among guards) last year. He combined with Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway to form 'Run TMC' -- a trio that averaged 72.5 of the Warriors' 116.6 points a game last year.
The former Kansas State star, also an excellent defender, was named Rookie of the Year in 1988-89 when he averaged 22 points. He averaged 22.1 points in his second season.
'The decision to trade Mitch Richmond was the toughest I ever had to make,' said Golden State Coach Don Nelson. 'Mitch has been much more than just a great basketball player with the Warriors; he's been a member of our family.
'(Management) agreed it would be very difficult to break up Run TMC. However, we feel Owens will allow us to become a bigger, more balanaced and better rebounding team.'
Only Sacramento and Charlotte had a worse rebounding percentage than Golden State in 1990-91. In the Western Conference semifinals last year, Richmond at times guarded Lakers' 7-foot center Vlade Divac.
Richmond, 26, was in Denver preparing for Golden State's season opener when he was told about the trade. He returned to the Bay Area and was expected to be available for the Kings' game at Golden State Saturday night.
Jepsen, a 7-footer, was a rookie last year and appeared in 21 games, averaging 1.3 points. The 28th pick in the 1990 draft, Jepsen is on the injured list with tonsilitis and will remain there with the Kings. He is not eligible to play until Nov. 11.
In other moves, Sacramento waived rookie forward Paris McCurdy and renounced its rights to guard Vinny Del Negro.
