Ernie Grunfeld, Wizards' President of Basketball Operations, is looking forward to making his second first round selection since he has been with the team.

?We?re looking for the best player, not necessarily a big one," said Grunfeld on Tuesday.  "We have some young big guys.  Oleksiy Pecherov is in here working out right now.  Andray Blatche, who is 6-11, is also a promising player.  I don?t think we?re going to get somebody at 16 that will come in right away and help us, but if there is a good big man available or somebody drops, we?d definitely take a look at it.

?We have had conversations about moving up, we?ve had conversations about moving back, and we?ve had conversations about moving the pick?just like every other team in the league.  But we are comfortable with keeping the pick, and I think we?ll be able to take a solid player with a good future."

Meantime, according to a league source, the Nets and Cavaliers are prepared to offer five-year contracts with a first-year salary of around $4 million to Wizards restricted free agent forward Andray Blatche when the free agency period opens July 1.

Should Blatche sign with another team, the Wizards would have seven days to match the offer and sources indicated yesterday that Ernie Grunfeld plans on keeping Blatche, who is entering his third season with the team.

Susan O'Malley, who became the first female president of an NBA franchise when she was named to head the Washington Bullets in 1991, will step down from her post as president of Washington Sports and Entertainment when her contract expires June 30.

"I have spent several weeks tossing the idea around, so I've been thinking about it," Ms. O'Malley, 45, said yesterday. "I wanted to leave at the right time and I think this is it. I owe an enormous debt to [Wizards owner Abe] Pollin. My goal was to put enough talented people around me in place so when I left they would forget about me within a week."

Contrary to Internet rumors, there have been no discussions between the Washington Wizards and the Los Angeles Lakers about a possible trade involving Gilbert Arenas and Kobe Bryant, according to two league sources with knowledge of the situation.

In the days since Arenas announced he was going to opt out of the final year of his contract next summer, his name has been thrown out as one of the superstars who might be involved in a deal to acquire Bryant, who can veto any trade. Boston's Paul Pierce also has had his name connected with a possible Bryant trade, among others.

"It's ridiculous," a source said. "There have been no talks between the Wizards and the Lakers concerning Gilbert and Kobe. It's amazing. A guy gets on the elevator, hears the elevator operator talking about a trade and the next thing it's all over the Internet."

In the latest installment of his popular blog on NBA.com, Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas comments on his decision to opt out of his contract next summer.

Arenas explained: "It will be a six-year deal instead of a four-year deal and instead of starting at 12.5 or 13 million, I'll be starting at 14 or 15 million and I'll be a max player. This has nothing to do with me leaving or trying to look for other teams. I have to do it: 1. To get more years and 2. To increase my pay."

The Washington Wizards said Sunday that they are not surprised that Gilbert Arenas plans to opt out of his contract after next season and that they are committed to keeping him on the team.

The All-Star guard told The Washington Post and The Washington Times that he will opt out of the six-year, $65 million contract he signed in 2003 and become a free agent.

"As a three-time All-Star and one of the league's best players, we understand why a player of his stature would like to be compensated accordingly," Ernie Grunfeld, the Wizards' president of basketball operations, said in a statement.

"Gilbert has made a significant impact with his exploits on the court and a sincere connection with our fans and our community because of his compassion and generosity. Gilbert has said that his intention is to remain with our organization and we are committed to having him spend his entire career as a Washington Wizard."

Arenas said his motive was strictly business.

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas said last night that he will opt out of his contract after next season and become a free agent.

Arenas, who signed a six-year, $65 million contract in the summer of 2003, said his decision is based on family and business concerns rather than feelings about the direction in which the Wizards are headed as an organization.

"To me, it's just a smarter business decision to play next season, opt out and then be able to sign a long-term deal that is going to keep me in one place," said Arenas, who is recovering from left knee surgery and expects to be at full speed in time for training camp in October. "I'm not looking at anything else. It's just business. If something happens where they don't want me or they're going in a different direction, I can look elsewhere. But my intentions are not to leave."

Arenas also said he does not plan on hiring an agent. He parted ways with agent Dan Fegan last summer.

"I don't need an agent," Arenas said. "I can do all of this research myself."

The Sonics appear close to making a decision on their general manager search and the two finalists are San Antonio vice president Sam Presti and Washington Wizards VP Tommy Sheppard, according to NBA sources.

Presti interviewed directly with Sonics president Lenny Wilkens on Thursday and also spoke by phone to owner Clayton Bennett, who was a part owner of the Spurs until 1997. Presti, according to sources, wowed Wilkens and Bennett and is widely believed to be ready to run his own team, despite being five months shy of his 31st birthday.