Sonics Notes

Opponent: Milwaukee Bucks

When: 7 p.m.

Where: KeyArena, Seattle

TV: FSN (cable)

Radio: KJR (950 AM)

Probable starters: For Seattle – forwards Rashard Lewis (6 feet, 10 inches) and Reggie Evans (6-8), center Jerome James (7-1), guards Flip Murray (6-5) and Luke Ridnour (6-2). For Milwaukee – forwards Joe Smith (6-10) and Desmond Mason (6-5), center Dan Gadzuric (6-11), guards Michael Redd (6-6) and Maurice Williams (6-1).

Next game: Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m. Thursday.

Can Bucks keep Redd?

Just as Sonics fans are wondering what the future holds for guard Ray Allen, so Milwaukee fans are waiting to see what happens to guard Michael Redd, another soon-to-be free agent.

Redd, the team’s leading scorer at 22.9 points a game, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Though he says he wants to stay in Milwaukee, no deal has been reached.

“Hopefully we’ll work it out,” Redd told the Milwaukee Sentinel newspaper. “We’ll work it out when the season’s over. We’ll talk and that’ll take care of itself when that time comes. Even though it’s March, we’ve got time still so I can’t focus on it.”

The similarities between Allen and Redd are intriguingly similar, and more so because they used to be Bucks teammates. One reason Milwaukee was willing to trade Allen to Seattle, in fact, was the emergence of Redd.

These days, reporters from newspapers in other cities are asking both players about their upcoming availability. Allen gets questions before almost every game, as does Redd. On Sunday, Denver reporters were asking Redd if he would consider signing with the Nuggets in the offseason.

Joining the conversation, Bucks guard (and former Sonic) Desmond Mason said: “He’s not going anywhere.”

If anything might tempt Redd to leave Milwaukee, it is the team’s slumping fortunes. The Bucks have not had a losing season since 1997-98, but it seems likely this year with the team 27-38, last in the Central Division.

“You want to win,” Redd said. “You’re in this game to win. You’ve seen me for five years now and I’ve never been on a losing team since I’ve been in Milwaukee. It’s not fun (to lose). I mean, you want to win.”

Trivia question: The Bucks have retired the jerseys of three players whose numbers have also been retired by other teams. Who are they?

Bowling for charity: Ray Allen’s second-annual “Kingpin Klassic” bowling tournament will be Saturday at Sun Villa Lanes in Bellevue. The event, which benefits Allen’s Ray of Hope Foundation, is from 6:45-9:30 p.m., and will feature many of the Sonics coaches and players. The public can participate for donations of $1,500 for four-member teams.

For information, contact Matt Wade at 206-227-9387.

Trivia answer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (No. 33), also retired by the L.A. Lakers; Oscar Robertson (No. 1), also retired by the Sacramento Kings (formerly the Cincinnati Royals, where Robertson wore No. 14); and Bob Lanier (No. 16), also retired by the Detroit Pistons.

Rich Myhre, Herald Writer