Collison out month with foot injury

Sonics forward Nick Collison's roller-coaster season took another downward turn on Monday. An MRI exam revealed a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot that will require a four-week recovery.

Barring a setback or early return, he'll be available for the April 4 game against Houston and the final 2 ½ weeks of the season.

Without Collison, who has averaged 7 points and 5.5 rebounds in 58 games and 26 starts, the Sonics will likely insert Chris Wilcox at power forward.

Seattle acquired Wilcox Feb. 14 in a trade that sent Vladimir Radmanovic to the Los Angeles Clippers. Wilcox started at Orlando and Miami two weeks ago when Collison returned to Seattle to attend the birth of his first child.

Reserve Mikki Moore is expected to move up in the rotation. Noel Felix, who signed a 10-day contract last week, might also see more time.

Collison suffered the injury in the first quarter of Sunday's 113-81 victory against Utah. He played 12 minutes and finished with five points.

While leaving KeyArena wearing a gray, plastic boot, he said: "Hopefully I won't be out too long."

The injury halts a topsy-turvy second season for Collison, whose NBA career was stalled for a year because of two shoulder surgeries after being drafted No. 12 overall in 2003.

Collison began this season on the sideline, then started 15 consecutive games before returning to the bench. The Radmanovic trade pushed Collison into the starting lineup and gave him a prominent position in coach Bob Hill's system.

"A lot of this season was supposed to be about Nick's development and growth and I think with all of the young kids we've got around here, sometimes we forget that," Hill said weeks ago. "We need to make sure he's comfortable and consistent. ... He can be very good with that mid-range jumper he takes."

The Sonics have just 11 healthy players because reserve Danny Fortson is out indefinitely with a sore left knee. With 13 players on the roster, there's room to add another low-post player, though that seems unlikely.

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com