For Sonics' West, clouds are clearing

It's no secret the Sonics' point guards don't like coach P.J. Carlesimo's lineup evaluation period.

Delonte West, sitting on the bench waiting for his prickly plantar fasciitis to heal in his right foot, didn't get any more comfortable watching teammates Earl Watson and Luke Ridnour shine, at times, in the position.

"It's not like you've got a vet and you're bringing in a rookie and there's a pecking order," said West, who'll play off the bench again tonight when the Sonics (9-21) host Philadelphia. "You have three quality guards that have all started and proven their worth in this league. It being my contract year, I had a lot on my mind that I had to just put aside and play."

West, who was acquired in the draft-day trade of Ray Allen in June, started 125 games in three seasons with Boston. He was expected to be a key contributor for Seattle after a short evaluation process during training camp, but injuries kept him out of the rotation.

He missed nine games this month because of plantar fasciitis, but after playing two minutes against Portland last week, West has averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 assists in his past two games.

West said it was a talk with Carlesimo two days before Seattle's 104-96 loss to Boston on Thursday that helped clear his mind.

Now, he's the spry guard the Sonics wanted, picking off passes for fast-break dunks and making flashy but smart passes for key baskets. West has played particularly well with Wally Szczerbiak, as the duo has led second-quarter rallies to keep the Sonics competitive.

"We had a sit down to get things out on the table," said West, who is averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 assists this season. "The point guard is an extension of the coach on the floor, so I needed a little more clarity of what he needed me to do and how he wanted me to run the team for him."

The evaluation process was also discussed, and after the conversation, West said he decided to put the business aspect aside. He's in the final season of his contract, making $1.8 million this season with a qualifying offer of $2.7 million for next year.

Ridnour's and Watson's contracts extend through 2010.

"All of our point guards have strengths," Sonics general manager Sam Presti said recently. "Earl has done a nice job, as health to the other guys is sporadic. He competes, and he's professional. Delonte and Luke are great competitors through this, too, and their professionalism is a huge asset."

The change in West since training camp isn't lost on Carlesimo either.

"We still need to push the break more consistently," he said. "But the most encouraging thing right now is that [West] has been able to play two games in a row without any problems. Clearly he understands [the system] better."

Injury update

Sonics forward Chris Wilcox had a magnetic resonance imaging exam Sunday; it showed no structural damage in his sprained left knee. He was injured in the third quarter of Saturday's win against Minnesota.

Wilcox is questionable to play tonight. If he's unable to play, Nick Collison will start.

Rookie Kevin Durant, the team's leading scorer (19.7) shot baskets at Sunday's practice with his sprained left index finger in a splint and the hand encased in a padded glove. Multiple joints are affected in the sprain, according to Carlesimo.

Durant suffered the injury with nine seconds remaining in the opening quarter on Saturday, and his status will likely be a game-time decision. He'll have another X-ray today. Carlesimo was uncertain who would replace Durant in the lineup, but he was leaning toward Damien Wilkins.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com