Sonics send Allen, 35th pick to Boston for Green, two others

SEATTLE -- Kevin Durant is headed to Seattle, and Ray Allen is headed to Boston.

New Sonics general manager Sam Presti pulled off a stunning set of moves during the early stages of Thursday night's NBA Draft, sending Allen and the 35th overall pick in the second round to Boston for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the No. 5 pick. Boston selected Georgetown forward Jeff Green for Seattle with the fifth pick. Seattle will also receive a future second-round pick from the Celtics.

It was a shocking move, sending Seattle's most popular player, leading scorer and seven-time All-Star back to the Northeast where he was a college star at Connecticut.

"We are thrilled to have Kevin. But at the same time, to make the decision to move a player -- and a person -- like Ray Allen was tremendously difficult," Presti said. "Boston really pursued this. What started as a smaller conversation became fulfilled. Their pursuit was impeccable."

Seattle took another forward, Purdue's Carl Landry, with the first pick of the second round, but traded him to Houston for cash and a future second-round pick. The Sonics will also get a future second-round pick from Boston in the Allen trade.

The easy part for Presti on Thursday was selecting Durant -- the Texas star and the Associated Press College Player of the Year -- with the No. 2 pick after Portland took Ohio State center Greg Oden first overall.

Seattle sends Ray Allen to Boston just an hour before the draft starts. (Getty Images)

When the trade was announced minutes before the Sonics chose Durant, almost everyone in the crowd of about 2,000 season-ticket holders and invitees at a draft party at Seattle Center booed, hissed and pointed their thumbs down. Many were wearing gold Allen jerseys with his No. 34.

Those same fans cheered moments later as Durant's selection was announced and green and gold streamers flew.

"I want to personally compliment Ray Allen; Ray Allen the person and Ray Allen the outstanding, professional player," said team chairman Clay Bennett. "We appreciate the career of Ray Allen in this market. And we wish him the very best."

Allen was the face of the Sonics, and easily their most popular player. But for all of his offensive prowess, Allen was a defensive liability, and since arriving on June 7, Presti has preached defense.

Allen averaged a career-high 26.4 points last season, including a career-best 54 against Utah in January. But his season was shortened by injuries. He went to the bench for good in late March and played just 55 games.

Allen had surgery on April 7 to remove bone spurs from both his ankles. Earlier this month, he said his recovery is on schedule.

"You're always listening when you come into a situation like this. You don't wake up one day and look to move a player like a Ray Allen," Presti said. "Someone has to come get them and Boston did that here."