Clippers Give Up on Benjamin : Pro basketball: A day after he says he will become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, they trade him to Seattle for Polynice and two draft choices.

The Clippers solved their long-pondered Benoit Benjamin problem Wednesday by trading him to the Seattle SuperSonics for backup center Olden Polynice and two first-round draft choices.

The exchange of 7-foot centers was made a day before the NBA trading deadline and a day after Benjamin said he would become an unrestricted free agent after the season. It is not conditional on the Sonics’ signing Benjamin.

Benjamin, 26, is in his sixth NBA season. He was the third player selected in the 1985 NBA draft after playing at Creighton for three years.

He is averaging 14.9 points, 12 rebounds and 2.33 blocked shots in 39 games. He missed 11 games--eight because of oral surgery and three because of a separated shoulder.

Before this year, Benjamin played in 367 NBA games and averaged 13.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots.

Polynice, born the day before Benjamin in 1964, is in his fourth NBA season. He was the eighth overall selection of the 1987 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls, but was traded to Seattle before the 1987-88 season began.

Polynice, who attended Virginia, has played in 48 games as a reserve this season and is averaging 8.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. In his first three NBA seasons, Polynice averaged 3.9 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Benjamin is expected to become the Sonics’ starting center ahead of former teammate Michael Cage, who is 6-9 and has been playing at center, although his natural position is power forward.

As part of the deal, the Clippers receive Seattle’s first-round draft choices this year and in either 1993 or 1994.

“Olden Polynice is a hard-working, enthusiastic player, and we’re looking forward to having him come to the Clippers organization,” Clipper general manager Elgin Baylor said. “Acquiring Polynice and having six first-round draft choices over the next three years gives us more flexibility to improve our team.”

The Clippers were 16-34 before playing the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night. Polynice is expected to join the team in time for their game against San Antonio on Friday night at the Sports Arena.

The draft choices Seattle is trading are the first-round options it got from Phoenix in early December along with Eddie Johnson. That trade sent Xavier McDaniel to Phoenix.

The Sonics last Friday acquired Ricky Pierce, a two-time NBA Sixth Man Award winner, from Milwaukee for Dale Ellis.