By John N. Mitchell
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Washington Wizards restricted free agent Etan Thomas will visit the Milwaukee Bucks today and could be offered a contract that, according to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Wizards would be unwilling to match. Thomas is one of three restricted free agents ? Chris Mihm (Boston) and Stromile Swift (Memphis) are the others ? the Bucks are considering to help bolster their front line.

If the Bucks offer Thomas a contract it likely would be for the full mid-level exception, approximately $38 million over six years. Because of the Larry Bird exception ? the NBA allows teams to exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents, up to the player's maximum salary ? the Wizards could match or exceed any contract offer Thomas gets, but that is unlikely.

If Thomas receives an offer sheet from the Bucks he can sign it Wednesday, the first day teams are allowed to begin signing free agents. At that point the Wizards will have 15 days to decide whether to match the offer.
   
The source said the Wizards and Thomas' representatives have had preliminary discussions concerning a deal in the neighborhood of $16 million over the next four seasons. However, according to the source, that number falls short of what Milwaukee is considering offering.
   
At the draft last month, Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said the team will "make our best attempt to keep Etan. He had a good year and I'm sure teams took notice of what he did."

According to the source, Thomas also has been contacted by Boston, Philadelphia and Denver, and has not ruled out visits to those teams.

"I would love to stay in a Wizards uniform but this is a business," Thomas told The Washington Times in a phone interview yesterday. "They are handling it as a business and I have to also. It's hard because I really like it here. I love the coaching staff; we have a young team that will continue to grow. I love the political energy.

"But I have to look at all of my options and, honestly, I have some appealing ones. But if you look at the situation, this is all in the Wizards' hands. They can bring me back if they want to."

Last season Thomas made $3.043 million with the Wizards and if they don't re-sign him the team could have $8 million to $9 million to pursue free agents the rest of the summer.