Karl Doesn’t See Way For Sonics To Deal Kemp

Shawn Kemp says he will never, ever play for the Seattle SuperSonics ever again, or something like that.

But Sonics coach George Karl isn’t buying it.

“There’s been a lot of situations where players have said things and then months later have regrouped and moved forward, and that’s my desire right now,” Karl said Tuesday at his first public appearance since Kemp announced two weeks ago on ESPN that he wanted to be traded.

Karl, who had been vacationing in Idaho, is back to help with preparation for the NBA draft next Wednesday, and spoke Tuesday at a press conference in Seattle to plug his celebrity roast.

Karl heard Kemp’s interview, but still hasn’t talked to Kemp himself, and said until he does, he isn’t in favor of trading the Complainin’ Man.

“I don’t think we should throw away the great years that we’ve had, the foundation that we have built - Shawn has been a big force in that,” Karl said. “I just don’t think it is time to change.”

Echoing the words of Sonics president and general manager Wally Walker, Karl says he isn’t in favor of any deal that the team wouldn’t have made before Kemp’s comments.

He said there are “maybe four” players in the league that he would trade Kemp for - he didn’t name them - and said the odds of such a trade working out are unlikely, especially considering the salary cap.

“We have to get better this summer, and trading Shawn Kemp probably doesn’t make us better,” Karl said.

Kemp and his agents have levied some criticism Karl’s way - particularly regarding comments Karl made about Kemp listening to too much advice, and also a thinly veiled reference to Karl now favoring Gary Payton.

But this is one war of words Karl isn’t willing to enter without talking to Kemp first.

“I’m not going to deny that his commentary is disappointing,” Karl said. “But analyzing how he did it, why he did it, that’s too much judgment of him.

“…I still want to hear it man-to-man and across my desk. (But) I’m not going to be trying to call him every day. Everyone around this camp and he knows I want to talk to him, and when that happens, it will happen.”