Originally published June 26, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified June 26, 2007 at 11:30 AM

Sonics | Coaching search nearly finished?

Now that visits with Ohio State center Greg Oden and Texas forward Kevin Durant are complete, the Sonics have a few days to resume their...

By Percy Allen

Seattle Times staff reporter

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KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Sam Presti

Talk about the team in the Sonics forum

Now that visits with Ohio State center Greg Oden and Texas forward Kevin Durant are complete, the Sonics have a few days to resume their coaching search before Thursday's NBA draft.

General manager Sam Presti, who is spearheading the search, gave an update on the process to owner Clay Bennett, who flew into town to meet Oden and Durant.

The Sonics were expected to begin a second batch of interviews Monday with the intent on finalizing the proceedings in the next day or so.

It's possible, however, that Seattle will wait until after the draft before naming a coach, according to a team source who expects a decision before the Sonics begin summer-league play in Las Vegas next Friday.

San Antonio assistant P.J. Carlesimo and former Minnesota coach Dwane Casey interviewed with Presti last week and they're believed to be the front-runners. Sacramento assistant Scott Brooks was also interviewed, while former Indiana coach Rick Carlisle is no longer in contention, said a source with knowledge of the situation.

Notes

• With an abundance of point guards, centers and two high second-round picks, the Sonics are believed to be fielding trade offers to acquire another lottery pick in Thursday's draft. Seattle will not deal the second overall choice, but the team has plenty of negotiating pieces in guards Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson, centers Robert Swift, Johan Petro and Mouhamed Sene and the Nos. 31 and 35 picks.

• The Sonics had Rice guard Morris Almond, George Washington guard Carl Elliott and Alabama-Birmingham forward Wen Mukubu in for workouts Sunday. On Saturday, the team auditioned a quartet of guards: Gonzaga's Derek Raivio, Marist's Jared Jordan, Nevada's Ramon Sessions and Hofstra's Loren Stokes.