Fortson’s force could help Sonics

You look on the Seattle SuperSonics’ practice floor these days and there is one body that is noticeably different, stands out, makes one do a double-take.

It is that of newcomer Danny Fortson, who is a tidal wave of human flesh. It’s not just his size that is noticeable, although his dense biceps and colonnade shoulders certainly bear witness to a thorough regime of weight training.

More than that, however, it seems that whenever Fortson moves, the entire side of the court shifts. The floor seems to tilt. Players bounce off him. He invariably comes up with any missed shot.

In a world of flashy, well-paid scorers, Fortson provides toughness and rebounding. His game is not pretty, but he is unapologetic.

“I can still dominate the glass if I have to,” Fortson said.

With the Sonics last in the league in rebounding last season, he’s just the man they need, right?

Well, things are not that simple, as Fortson has learned in recent years. There is a reason Dallas took the inept Calvin Booth off the Sonics’ hands in exchange for Fortson.

Two years ago, Fortson was coming off a season in which he averaged a double-double in Golden State. Then he got into a disagreement with new coach Eric Musselman, left the team for a brief period and never returned to the floor despite continuing to get paid.

Last season in Dallas, Fortson’s brutish game did not fit in with the high-scoring, up-tempo style – “Dallas is a soft team, and coach (Don) Nelson wants soft players,” Fortson said – and he again found himself on the bench watching a collection of high-priced players. He played in 56 games, averaging 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds.

“I don’t think it is so much me,” Fortson said of his difficulties over the past few seasons. “I think it is more management, owners. As far as me as a player, if you average a double-double, how are you not put in? It’s more the owners and the coaches wanting to go in a different direction. You know how it is.”

Fortson may run into the same thing in Seattle even if the Sonics were so poor in rebounding last year.

With Nick Collison returning from surgery on both shoulders, the team wants to invest time in the 12th pick of the 2003 draft. Reggie Evans has proven his value, and the Sonics may finally want to determine what they are going to do with out-of-position Vladimir Radmanovic.

Sonics coach Nate McMillan is making no promises.

“I’m still looking at him,” McMillan said of the 6-foot-8 Fortson, who is listed at 260 pounds but is well over that.