“The trade has to be considered a major victory for the Sonics who were on the verge of losing Payton to free agency this summer. (Payton was upset that the club wouldn't give him an extension.) Allen gives the Sonics a young All-Star caliber shooting guard. Now, the Sonics have Allen to form the team's young nucleus with Rashard Lewis and Vladimir Radmanovic.”
Chad Ford, ESPN.com

“(The Sonics) plan had been to rebuild around Rashard Lewis, Vladimir Radmanovic and Mason. Substitute Allen for Mason. Status: Winner.”
- Peter May, ESPN.com

“For Seattle, getting Allen is a solid save for what certainly would have been the Glove's departure via free agency this summer.”
- David Aldridge, ESPN.com

“The opportunity to nab Allen proved too tempting for the Sonics, though. But it seems to be a move that is ripe with pitfalls. Allen has had left knee troubles, and though he seemed to have put the injury behind him in recent weeks, the knee will be prodded before the Sonics make the trade official.”
- Sean Deveney, SportingNews.com

Gary Payton’s 12-plus-year career with the Sonics ended yesterday. Mitchell Layton/NBAE

“The Sonics obviously felt that getting a star like Allen now was better than the risk of losing Payton uncompensated in the offseason, and guessed -- probably correctly -- that they wouldn't be a big draw for marquee free agents this summer.”
- John Hollinger, AlleyOop.com/CNNSI.com

“The Sonics have completely changed their look and unless there are some bigger offseason moves up their sleeves, this is questionable.”
- David DuPree, USA Today

“Yesterday will be one of those days you won't forget. You'll remember it in the heat of every succeeding season. You'll remember it when you're sitting in KeyArena, either wondering how this team got this bad, or applauding because it finally turned itself around.”
- Steve Kelley, Seattle Times

“From my blind-squirrel viewpoint, this acorn: The Sonics didn't necessarily want to trade Payton, but were forced to. Payton's agent Aaron Goodwin told P-I reporter Danny O'Neil that Payton ‘had no intention of staying here’ after becoming a free agent at the end of the season.”
- Jim Moore, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“The most notable exchange of a massive swap meet was stressful for management and reviled by fans, but it was as necessary as a steaming hot shower after a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call. Gary Payton didn't get traded because he was the problem. He got traded because he wasn't the solution.”
- John McGrath, Tacoma News-Tribune

“However, don't discount this possibility: Gary Payton (34) may still be in the league when Ray Allen (27) has retired. Because Payton is different. Special.”
- Dave Boling, Tacoma News-Tribune

“In fact, it isn't a reach to say that Gary Payton was the best baller to ever don a Sonics uniform and now he joins former Seattle sports figures Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson and Alex Rodriguez as superstar athletes to leave the clouds and drizzle of the Emerald City. Talk about raining on the collective head of Seattle area sports fans.”
- Ravi Singh, Hoopsworld.com

GEORGE KARL:

“Seattle's going to love Ray. He's going to come in here and win games for ya. He's a first-class citizen, he's had a good year and he can have some very special years.”

“I said in Milwaukee that Gary Payton in another uniform makes me sad. It makes me pretty happy now.”

“The Desmond Mason piece makes it a special trade for us. If the worst thing that would happen is Gary signing with someone else next summer, we at least have a quality player.”

RICK SUND:

“I don't think that this summer we would have been able to get a player the caliber of Ray Allen. Staying consistent with what we've been saying all along, we're rebuilding and you have to have stars in order to succeed in this league. There's no mistake about it.”

Known for his outside touch, Ray Allen was recently named to the U.S.’s Olympic team. Gary Dineen/NBAE

“I said, ‘Nothing short of Ray Allen,’ who I didn't think they would trade. They said, ‘There's no way you can have him.’ I hung up and thought that was it.”

“To get to the level of elitism where we want to eventually be, you have to have stars. Make no mistake about it. . . . Today, we're very lucky because we ended up trading for a star player.”

FORMER SONICS COACH LENNY WILKENS:

“Gary's just been a great, great player for Seattle. He's brought a lot of memorable moments to them. He's been a professional. He's been unique. They should feel fortunate for the years they've had him. Unfortunately, professional sports is a business, even though sometimes we don't want to realize that.”

NATE MCMILLAN:

“It was a very emotional time for me. I really do think we traded for -- no doubt -- an All-Star. Ray Allen, I have all the respect in the world for. He is a proven All-Star. A guy that fits into the direction the club is thinking of going, which is to rebuild. Build around Ray Allen. He's a 27-year-old All-Star who is starting to go right into the prime of his career and an opportunity to move on to another chapter.”

HOWARD SCHULTZ:

“We traded a 35-year-old superstar for one that's 27 and one of the best young players in the league, who has leadership qualities that I think our young players will respond to. And he will bring a level of professionalism. Although it's a very difficult and emotional decision, we're not winning and we're not selling out. And to embrace the status quo would be to accept it.”

“That's why it's so tough, and why it takes courage to make this kind of decision, one that we think really does pass the litmus test because of who Ray Allen is.”

“This is a transformational event, and one that is difficult for the fans. It is not a personal decision. It is one that is a business decision that we believe is in the best interests of the Seattle SuperSonics.”

“Let me begin by acknowledging with great respect the contributions that Gary has made to the Seattle SuperSonics and to Seattle over his long and illustrious career. He represented on and off the court the symbol of character and work ethic and doing things the right way. I think we had the opportunity to transform the organization and franchise today. It's not often in the NBA that you have the opportunity to trade for a superstar player who is coming into the prime of his career.”

AARON GOODWIN, PAYTON’S AGENT:

“Gary didn't want to talk to the team about it whatsoever. He wanted the season to go by and he wanted to move on. He had no intention of re-signing with Seattle.”