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InsideHoops.com NBA News

The Phoenix Suns announced today that forward/centers Keon Clark and Ben Handlogten have been acquired from the Utah Jazz in exchange for forward Tom Gugliotta, two conditional first-round draft picks, a 2005 second-round draft pick and an undisclosed sum of cash.

Phoenix will give up the least favorable of its two first-round picks in the 2004 NBA Draft, either its own or New York's selection, which was acquired from the Knicks in a trade on Jan. 5. The second conditional first-round pick was also acquired from New York and is protected through 2010.

“This deal was clearly driven by the luxury tax. The end result puts us comfortably under the expected tax threshold,” said Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “We want to thank Tom for his valuable contributions to this organization and the community. He truly is one of the league’s better people.”

Gugliotta, who had the longest tenure of any current Sun after signing with the club on January 24, 1999, will play for his fifth team in 12 NBA seasons (Washington, Golden State, Minnesota, Phoenix). In 30 games with Phoenix in 2003-04, Gugliotta was averaging 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes.

The 34-year-old averaged 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in 97 games with Phoenix prior to undergoing reconstructive left knee surgery on March 17, 2000. Thereafter, he averaged 5.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 158 games after the injury. In five-plus seasons with Phoenix, Gugliotta averaged 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 255 games (228 starts).

Clark, in his sixth season, has missed most of the 2003-04 season after having surgery to remove a bone spur on his right ankle on Nov. 24 and has averaged 2.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games. The 6-11, 221-pound forward/center has career averages of 8.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.62 blocks in 22.6 minutes in 353 games. He is currently unable to play skilled basketball with no expected return date.

The 28-year-old was acquired by Utah from Sacramento on August 5, 2003 along with two second-round draft picks. Clark has played for Denver, Toronto, Sacramento and Utah after Orlando originally selected him in the first round (13th overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft. He posted career-best totals of 11.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in 81 games for the Raptors in 2001-02.

Handlogten, a 30-year-old NBA rookie, averaged 4.0 points and 3.2 rebounds in 17 games this season prior to suffering a torn left ACL against Toronto on Dec. 26. The 6-10, 245-pound forward/center had surgery on Jan. 7 and is expected to be out for the season.

This is the first trade between the two organizations since Jan. 12, 1979 when Phoenix acquired Len “Truck” Robinson from the New Orleans Jazz for Ron Lee, Marty Byrnes, two first-round draft picks and cash.

In a related roster move, Suns forward/center Maciej Lampe was placed on the injured list with shin splints.