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(7:00 p.m., FSN, )

Since the Sonics last played at KeyArena, they have completed three trades and changed over more than a quarter of their roster. Forward Chris Wilcox, acquired on Feb. 14, has already played five games in the Green and Gold (averaging 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game), while Mike Wilks made his Sonics debut Saturday in Miami. Both will make their home debuts tomorrow, and backup guard Earl Watson will play the first game of his second stint in Seattle. With center Robert Swift potentially returning after missing last week's four games with a broken nose, the Sonics could have their new rotation intact and ready to go. As a result, there was an upbeat attitude at The Furtado Center as the Sonics practiced Monday.

"I feel like I'm a little rusty, so I'm excited about the opportunity to get more fluent within the game and getting back on point." Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty

"Tomorrow night's our first game with this group, and I think we're all anxious," said Coach Bob Hill.

"It seemed like people were in it a lot more," added forward Nick Collison, who missed the last two games because of the birth of his first child. "The new guys are trying to learn plays. It's a little rough around the edges today, but the effort seemed a little better."

Watson, for his part, was excited to get some work in after playing just six game minutes over the last 12 days because the All-Star break was followed by last Thursday's trade that brought him back to Seattle, where he played as a rookie in 2001-02.

"I've been in Seattle for four days, just sitting," Watson said. "This was my first time practicing and really having some type of interaction with other players. I feel like I'm a little rusty, so I'm excited about the opportunity to get more fluent within the game and getting back on point."

Hill is equally excited to get Watson into the lineup after watching his first day of practice.

"Earl's pretty good," Hill said. "I was pretty impressed with him today; he's very, very quick and fast and can really guard the ball. We've gone from basically no backup point guards to two of them."

By adding Watson, Wilcox and Wilks, Hill believes the Sonics have improved their defense, a sore spot throughout this season. Watson is regarded as one of the league's best defensive point guards, while Wilcox has given the Sonics more athleticism to match up with opposing power forwards.

"If you want to play really good defense, you have to get some defensive-minded guys," Hill said, comparing the Sonics moves to when his Indiana team added tough defenders Antonio and Dale Davis during the early 1990s. "Once you build your team through your offense, then you need to start adding defensive components to it, and that's what we did there. I don't think there's any question that Chris Wilcox and Earl and Mike appreciate and like playing defense."

Tomorrow's game will provide the first look at Hill's new rotation in the backcourt, which will have Watson backing up starters Luke Ridnour and Ray Allen, spending time at both guard positions.

"I know tomorrow I'm going to try to play a three-guard rotation with Luke, Ray and Earl," he said. "I told Mike Wilks I wish he hadn't played so well in Miami because now I'm going to want to put him in."

Wilks, who scored 12 points in his Sonics debut, slots in as the fourth man in the backcourt and can be expected to see spot minutes.

Up front, the rotation will be determined in large part by the availability of Swift. Hill had hoped the Sonics starting center would be able to practice today before making his return to game action, but Swift's protective facemask is not yet ready, forcing him to sit out. Swift's facemask will be ready for tomorrow's game, but Hill is still uncertain whether Swift will play.

Despite Wilcox posting 34 points and 13 rebounds in two starts over the weekend, Hill plans to bring him off the bench behind Collison. At the same time, Hill downplayed the distinction between the two roles.

"Right now, Nick's the starting big forward," he said. "I like those two because they're different. They're not the same; they're different. Chris brings thing that Nick doesn't and vice versa. I don't really care [who starts]."

When the Sonics broke out into perimeter and post players for skills work at the end of practice, Hill took Wilcox aside to work with him on post moves. It's a process Hill intends to continue for the near future.

"We're going to start working really hard on developing a low-post game," Hill explained, "because looking at him, he's so athletic and so quick that he should be better in the low post than he is."