"Our priority was to get bigger and stronger," said Wally Walker, the Sonics' president and general manager.

"We don't view this as anything but stable," said Wally Walker, the Sonics' president and chief executive.

The Sonics' president, Wally Walker, dismissed talk by players of confusion about their roles.

Wally Walker, the Sonics' president and general manager, said yesterday that the deal was "dead."

"I think we were overly optimistic," the SuperSonics' president, Wally Walker, said last night.

"We value him so highly, it's hard for me to envision we could get back what he means to us," said Wally Walker, Seattle's general manager.

"There's a lot more sophistication leaguewide," Wally Walker, president of the Sonics, said.

"He has picked some outstanding players in the second round," said Wally Walker, the Seattle Sonics general manager.

Wally Walker says about Schultz, "He's coming in with fresh eyes and kind of a fan's, sometimes a kid's, perspective of how it should work."

Wally Walker, the Sonics' president, refused to discuss the possible trade when reached last night by telephone.