[1] Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff was replaced by his former assistant K. C. Jones, and went on to occupy the desk of vice-president of Basketball Operations for Seattle,[2] resigning months later to accept a job as General Manager of the Denver Nuggets.
2 pick, which was used to select future All-Star point guard Gary Payton out of Oregon State in the 1990 NBA draft.
[4][5][6] Substantial changes were made on the roster, first by trading Sonics referent Xavier McDaniel to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Eddie Johnson during the first months of competition.
[7][8][9][10] Following the All-Star break, the team traded Dale Ellis, whose off-the-court problems were the focus of much unwanted attention,[11][12] to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Ricky Pierce,[13][14][15][16] and sent center Olden Polynice to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Benoit Benjamin.
[17][18][19] The Sonics held a 22–23 record at the All-Star break,[20] and would finish with a 41–41 record like the previous season, this time being able to reach the playoffs as the #8 seed in the Western Conference, where they lost in the Western Conference First Round to the top-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in five games.