Nuggets, Raptors Swap Six

Opting for strength and experience over athleticism and potential, the Denver Nuggets acquired center Kevin Willis in a six-player trade with the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

Denver, seeking its first playoff appearance in six seasons, also received centers Aleksandar Radojevic and Garth Joseph and a second-round draft pick in either 2001 or 2002.

Going to the Raptors were shooting guard Tracy Murray and centers Mamadou N’diaye and Keon Clark. N’diaye was Denver’s first-round pick last June, but hasn’t played in an NBA game because of a groin injury.

“The thinking was we really needed a big guy that would be able to back up both Raef [LaFrentz] and Antonio [McDyess] for the rest of the year,” Nugget Coach Dan Issel said. “Willis makes us a better team now, so it was a chance we had to take.

“The guy I really hated to give up was Mamadou. That was a player Toronto insisted had to be in the deal for them to talk to us about Kevin Willis.”

At 38, the 7-foot, 245-pound Willis is 13 years older than the spindly Clark but is a better rebounder and post player who has playoff experience. He is averaging 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 22 minutes this season.

“It will be a good trade for both teams,” Toronto Coach Lenny Wilkens said. “We’re adding a player with Keon who can block shots, rebound, run the floor and defend. It gives us another young guy.”

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The Charlotte, N.C., community marked the one-year anniversary of Bobby Phills’ death by celebrating his life and the legacy the late Charlotte Hornet guard left behind through his scholarship fund.

Phills was killed Jan. 12, 2000, in a car accident after a morning shoot-around.

About 600 people attended Charlotte’s Calvary Church to honor the former Hornet captain. The church was decorated with pictures of Phills during his playing career, and a highlight film was shown.

“If there’s one thing I could tell people it would be to keep working hard and never let anyone deter you from your hopes and dreams,” Phills said in a videotaped interview replayed in the video.

The ceremony started with his widow, Kendall Phills, lighting 10 candles for other athletes who died in 2000, including former Carolina Panther Fred Lane and Malik Sealy of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Kendall Phills closed the ceremony with the video presentation, then announced the creation of the Bobby Phills Sixth Man Award, a $1,000 scholarship that would be awarded in conjunction with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

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Former Atlanta Hawk forward Dominique Wilkins’ No. 21 jersey will be retired tonight during halftime of the team’s game against the Clippers. Wilkins, 40, was a nine-time all-star and is the NBA’s eighth all-time leading scorer with 26,668 points. . . . John Croce, brother of Philadelphia 76er President Pat Croce, resigned as the team’s physical conditioning coach.