The newest player on the Milwaukee Bucks roster, All-Star Gary Payton had his new team foaming at the mouth in his season debut, Payton instrumental in the clutch as the Bucks beat the Portland Trail Blazers by three on the road.

Payton teamed with fellow point guard Sam Cassell in a fourth quarter rally which saw the duo outscore the Blazers 18-5 over the final seven minutes to take the win.  Payton set up three baskets, drilled a clutch 3-pointer and smothered Derek Anderson's shot in the final seconds during the stretch and finished with 22 points and 9 assists in his 1,000th NBA game, which ironically was his first outside of a Sonics jersey.

While Payton was wowing the Bucks on the court, his off-the-court comments may have the team a little worried. According to a story in the Seattle Times Payton never asked to be dealt and seemed ambivalent about the trade.  "It's not a life sentence. It's 2? months,? said Payton.  ?That's it."

When asked if he planned to re-sign with Milwaukee, Payton was noncommittal.

"I don't know. We're going to get through this season, get into the summer and see what happens," he said. "That's all I can say on that."

Should Payton leave as a free agent the Bucks will have lost their All-Star, leader and Olympian for a 2 ? player rental, leaving them without a true franchise player and further behind the pack than their current seventh seeding the East.  Last season the Bucks were expected to come out of the East but failed to make the playoffs, and this season again they have performed below expectations.

Both Payton and teammate Desmond Mason, who was also traded to Milwaukee in the deal, felt they were betrayed by their former team.  Mason believed his future was secure in Seattle after performing strongly and being regarded as a future building block for the franchise.  As recently as a week ago, Mason was told he was part of the nucleus for the future, according to Seattle Post-Intelligencer writer Danny O?Neil, and the message the emphasized at various times by general manager Rick Sund, president Wally Walker and owner Howard Schultz.  Now Mason is in Milwaukee as a member of the Bucks.

"They told me a lot of things," Mason said. "Rick, Howard, Wally told me a lot of things. Just from the standpoint of what the future was going to be like. Who they wanted here, and what they wanted to happen with the franchise, the direction they were going, and I was really looking forward to it."

Payton also had some choice words for the Supersonics organization before his new team played the Blazers in Portland, attacking Sonics owner Howard Schultz and Sonics President Wally Walker as though they were opposition point guards.

After the trade Schultz questioned the Sonics? lack of leadership in the locker room, clearly talking about Payton.  Not surprisingly Payton was quick to respond.

"Howard talks and I really don't think he knows what he's talking about," Payton said. "He just talks. That's all he does. He's an owner and he just talks. I've been a leader for 13 years and he just took over the team two years ago and now he thinks he knows everything about basketball, and I really don't think he knows anything about basketball."

Payton also added that he wanted to play in the Bucks? game against Seattle to say thank you to the fans, but was told he was not allowed.

"I just can't wait to get back to Seattle and play," he said. "I bet (not playing) was part of the deal they made because they didn't want me playing. But I'm not gone. They think I'm dead or something, but I'm not. I've got to go back to Seattle and it's going to be something for them to pay for. Everything comes back around and I'll know, when I see them, I'll be ready for them."

So you wanted a blockbuster at the trade deadline? You got it.

The Seattle Sonics and Milwaukee Bucks have hooked up on a collective haymaker. The Sonics have traded Gary Payton, a.k.a. Mister Sonic, along with Desmond Mason to Milwaukee for Ray Allen, Ronald Murray and Kevin Ollie. On the side, Seattle traded disgruntled backup guard Kenny Anderson to New Orleans for Elden Campbell.

The trade ended Payton's career in Seattle after 12? seasons and reunited him with coach George Karl. His first game with the Bucks will be Friday night against, of all teams, the Sonics.

Milwaukee plays at Seattle on Friday night on ESPN, but Sonics general manager Rick Sund said that neither Payton nor the four others in the trade would play.

The Associated Press reports: On Thursday, the first four players were selected for the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.

 Ray Allen, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, and Tracy McGrady were those first four and USA Basketball said Kobe Bryant could be added to the team at a later date once a contractual issue is cleared up.

Bryant is "very interested'' in playing on the team, the national team organizing committee said. The committee added that he has been asked to play on the team but has yet to sign the organization's standard player contract.

"USA Basketball remains hopeful that he will be added to the roster at a future date,'' the statement said.

Before the team goes to the Olympics, they will have to play in the Americas zone qualifying tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will take place from Aug. 20-31.

If the Americans finish among the top three at the qualifier, they will earn a trip to Athens for the 2004 Olympics.