SAN ANTONIO (AP) – The San Antonio Spurs traded center Rasho Nesterovic and cash to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday for forwards Matt Bonner and Eric Williams and a second-round pick in 2009.

The move creates flexibility for the Spurs on their roster and salary cap.

The 30-year-old Nesterovic has $23.5 million and three years left on his contract, while Bonner and Williams are entering the final year of their contracts.

Bonner likely will be part of a new, smaller San Antonio lineup, like the Spurs used in the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. He has the size (6-foot-10) and the 3-point ability to help spread the floor for Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan.

“I think it’s a reaction to some of the teams that maybe we’re going to continue to have to face to get out of the West,” general manager R.C. Buford said, specifically mentioning versatile big men Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas and Boris Diaw of Phoenix. “This kind of gave us the opportunity to add to our team in a couple of different areas.”

Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo is eager to put the 7-foot, 255-pound Nesterovic in the middle alongside two promising young forwards, Chris Bosh and Charlie Villanueva.

“We’re filling a pretty big void in our lineup right now,” Colangelo said. “He’s a smart basketball player who will help address our needs, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. … Offensively we’ve got a guy that’s there to rebound the basketball when a shot goes up.”

Another bonus is that Nesterovic plugs an immediately hole before the draft. The Raptors have the top pick.

“It affects (it) a little bit, not enough to necessarily alter the selection,” Colangelo said. “Obviously, we’ve got many holes to fill on the roster. Anybody we get in the draft is likely to help us more in the long term than the short term.”

Nesterovic signed with San Antonio three summers ago with the unenviable task of replacing David Robinson – numerically, that is, as no one expected him to live up to the Admiral’s standards.

Nesterovic averaged 8.7 points and 7.7 rebounds over 28.7 minutes his first season, then dropped off drastically. He was down to career lows of 4.5 points and 3.9 rebounds this past season, while splitting time with Nazr Mohammed.

Neither center played much in the second-round series against Dallas, which the Spurs lost in seven games.

Mohammed is a free agent, so whether the club tries to re-sign him will be the next indicator. If the Spurs are interested in keeping Mohammed, he might be more willing to listen with Nesterovic out of the way.

Bonner and Williams are also cap luxuries because of their expiring deals. San Antonio could reap the benefits in 2007, or could trade them to teams hoping to open cap room for next summer.

Bonner, coming off his second season out of Florida, averaged 7.5 points and 3.6 rebounds last season. He also made 42 percent of his 3-pointers.

“He just really is one of the better 3-point shooters in the NBA, especially for a guy with size,” Buford said. “We hope he can rebound his position and he’s never been known as a lock-down defender, but we hope Eric can add that component.”

Williams, who turns 34 next month, is an 11-year veteran with career averages of 8.8 points and 3.3 rebounds. He played only 28 games last season and averaged a career-low 3.3 points. The Spurs will be his sixth team, fifth in four seasons. He was acquired by Toronto in the deal that sent Vince Carter to New Jersey.

The Raptors also released center Robert Whaley.

AP-ES-06-21-06 2130EDT