The Sacramento Kings traded Chris Webber to the Philadelphia 76ers late Wednesday night, parting ways with the cornerstone of

their renaissance in a six-player deal that dramatically reshaped

both teams.

The Sixers acquired Webber, one of the NBA's elite power

forwards and a five-time All-Star, along with reserve forwards Matt Barnes and Michael Bradley. Philadelphia sent forwards Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas and

Corliss Williamson to the Kings, who

finally divested themselves of Webber's mammoth contract and

larger-than-life personality after years of speculation.

Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations,

acquired Webber from Washington before the 1999 season in a deal

that transformed Sacramento into a contender. The Kings then

re-signed Webber to a seven-year deal worth approximately $127

million in 2001.

"Trading Chris has been one of the most difficult and emotional

decisions I have been involved in," Petrie said late Wednesday

night. "He has been an instrumental force in ushering in and

maintaining an exciting period of basketball in Sacramento. I can't

thank him enough for his efforts as a King. When we talked, he was

incredibly professional in every way.

"We all wish him the best. The memories remain the property of

the Kings."

Webber, the No. 1 overall pick in 1993 following a stellar

career at Michigan, has played exceptionally well for the Kings in

recent weeks, averaging 21.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists

per game -- though he isn't the athlete he was before undergoing

serious knee surgery following the 2003 playoffs.

While the Kings fundamentally changed their core, Philadelphia

added a charismatic superstar to complement Allen Iverson in what

should be one of the NBA's most potent duos.

"They're going to probably win the Atlantic now," Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James said of the Sixers. The Webber trade is "going to make them one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference. I know Iverson is very happy about it. I'm going to call him and tell him he got an early Christmas present."

Webber could play Saturday against the Kings in Philadelphia.

"The message that we're sending is that we went out and got a

player who's averaging 21 and 10 to go along with our young

players," Sixers president Billy King said.

After scoring 30 points in the Kings' 114-104 win over Atlanta

on Tuesday night, Webber acknowledged the annual uncertainty over

his future with a shrug -- but the forward, who has three years and

$62 million left on his contract, clearly didn't believe he was

about to be traded.

"It's something I live with," Webber said. "It gets very old,

but there's nothing you can do about it. If I believe everything I

read and everything I hear, I'd be on an emotional roller

coaster."

Though both Webber and Peja Stojakovic denied rumors of a rift, Stojakovic demanded a trade from the Kings last summer for unclear reasons. Sacramento was rumored to be discussing a trade with the Lakers involving Stojakovic, who will be a free agent after next season -- though Petrie denied it.

Stojakovic was the NBA's second-leading scorer last season, but

hasn't been the same player since Webber returned from surgery last

season, looking tentative and deferring to Webber. Mike Bibby and

Brad Miller also tend to allow Webber to dictate the pace of the

Kings' offense, sometimes inhibiting Sacramento's up-tempo style.

King was looking to make a deal to improve the Sixers'

frontcourt as they make their playoff push. The Sixers are 26-27

and just a half-game behind Boston for first place in the Atlantic

Division.

King said Iverson was "ecstatic" about the deal. The Sixers'

next game is Thursday night in New York -- the annual rumored

destination for Webber, who was coveted by Knicks president Isiah

Thomas.

"I think the way we play, it allows some of our younger guys to

develop even more because you've got a big guy now that can really

make passes and shoot the jump shot," King said.

The Kings have the NBA's seventh-best record at 34-20, and the

deal is a risky move by Petrie, who had never made a significant

in-season trade before this season. He has made two in recent

weeks: The Kings acquired Cuttino Mobley from Orlando for Doug

Christie last month.



The Kings were in Dallas on Wednesday night preparing for a game against the Mavericks -- the first in a six-game road trip, their

longest of the season.

King insisted he wouldn't part with any of his prized nucleus of

young players to make a deal and he didn't have to.

Williamson, a first-round draft pick by the Kings in 1995,

played five years in Sacramento before being traded to Toronto for

Christie following the 1999-00 season. The Sixth Man of the Year in

2001-02 with the Pistons, Williamson is averaging 10.8 points and

3.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game this season.

Thomas, a sixth-year pro with a solid outside game, is averaging

11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds this season, while Skinner will be

playing for his fifth team in seven seasons. Clearly, the Sixers

didn't give up much to get Webber: Thomas had fallen out of favor

with first-year Sixers coach Jim O'Brien, while Skinner was a

free-agent bust.

Thomas has five years and $39 million left on his contract, but

Skinner is in the final guaranteed year of his deal, and Williamson

has two years left. All three still might be on the move if Petrie

has additional deals in mind before the trading deadline on

Thursday.

"The addition of Corliss, Kenny and Brian gives us additional

flexibility and versatility on our front line," Petrie said.

"They are all quality players who we feel will make significant

contributions to our team. We look forward to incorporating them

into our style of play."

Barnes, a Sacramento native, has been a seldom-used reserve for

the Kings this season, though he took Peja Stojakovic's spot in the

starting lineup recently. Bradley was acquired earlier in the

season in Sacramento's deal for Mobley, but hasn't played much.

The 76ers will play in Sacramento on March 28.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.