The Seattle SuperSonics will wait a few days and prepare for a Monday meeting with Chris Wilcox's representatives that will determine whether contract negotiations with the restricted free agent are going to be long or short, the Seattle Times is reporting.

"Of course, we'd like them to be short and sign him as quickly as we can," Sonics general manager Rick Sund said.

Wilcox claims he wants to remain in Seattle, but the two sides may be far apart on the money.  

According to the Seattle Times, the Sonics' initial offer will be similar to the six-year, $42 million deal they offered Vladimir Radmanovic last year, while Wilcox seeks a deal similar to the six-year, $64 million contract that Philadelphia gave Samuel Dalembert a year ago.

Trade talks between Seattle and Phoenix are apparently ongoing, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

It was previously reported that the clubs were discussing a deal that would send Shawn Marion and possibly Leandro Barbosa to Seattle in exchange for Rashard Lewis and Danny Fortson.  Draft picks would also be involved.

According to sources, Fortson's negative history with the Suns is the primary reason why the deal has hit a snag.

On Monday, Rashard Lewis told Percy Allen that he wants to sign a two-year extension with Seattle this summer and hopes to "put an end to my name always coming up in stuff like this at this time of the year."

He has been mentioned in multiple trade rumors, including one where he would be sent to Phoenix, a trade that has been adamantly denied.

"I've put a lot of thought into it [signing an extension] during the season and now, and I would love to finish my career in Seattle and be on one team my entire career," he said in a phone interview. "I don't know if that will happen. I don't know if I can do that because that rarely happens in the NBA today."

Multiple sources told DraftExpress on Saturday that the Phoenix Suns and Seattle Supersonics are working on a potential blockbuster trade.

The Sonics have implied to numerous people over the past 48 hours that ?something is going to go down,? while another source in Seattle told us that the Supersonics are ?getting very close? to finalizing a trade.

While the exact details of the trade are still unknown, numerous names have been mentioned as key components. The main ones are Shawn Marion and Rashard Lewis, who would be exchanged along with the team?s first round draft choices (#10 for #27). Other pieces that are being discussed include Leandro Barbosa and Danny Fortson.

Seattle is interested in moving Rashard Lewis due to the fact that they believe he will opt out of his contract next summer and end up losing him for nothing. With so many concerns about the future of the franchise in Seattle, the best way to put fans in the seats is certainly to start winning more games, which is the primary motive of this trade.

Phoenix?s motive is to avoid the luxury tax for next season, which they are dangerously close to, and still keep the team as competitive as they are now. The Suns still have to extend Boris Diaw for 5 years and anywhere from 45-55 million dollars, which would put them well above the luxury tax threshold.

With Leandro Barbosa looking for a contract starting in the 7-8 million dollar range, and Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion making max or near max dollars, keeping their core together past next season does not appear to be very likely.

Instead, the Suns can save quite a bit of money in the long term by taking on Rashard Lewis? more affordable deal and securing an immediate contributor (such as Rodney Carney or Ronnie Brewer) on a cheap 4 year rookie contract. Lewis makes over 5 million dollars less than Marion.

Danny Fortson would be used as filler to make the trade work under the cap. He is an ending contract next year and could either give the Suns more toughness, rebounding and depth, be used as trade bait, or bought out of his contract. That depends on whether or not he can resolve his differences with Jerry Colangelo, whom he sued for defamation in 2004 for calling him a ?thug? in the media after breaking Zarko Cabarkapa?s wrist in a game between Dallas and Phoenix.

The Seattle SuperSonics issued a qualifying offer to forward Chris Wilcox Friday, allowing the team to match any offer the athletic forward receives this summer in free agency.  Wilcox is expected to receive a lot of attention from rival teams after a strong showing in his half a season as a Sonic.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a team that could emerge as the Sonics' primary competition is the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Sonics have to decide whether they will pay Wilcox's expected asking price of $8 million to $10 million per season. The 6-foot-10 forward doesn't turn 24 until September and could be one of the team's cornerstones if he re-signs.

Sonics' GM Rick Sund said he would not address the contract extension possibilities of either Luke Ridnour or Nick Collison until September.

Sund wants to determine the future of restricted free agent Chris Wilcox and also see what trades could happen before committing to extending the contracts of Ridnour or Collison.

In a poll of registered voters of Seattle, 78 percent of those polled said they were "more inclined (to) let the Sonics leave Seattle" than to pay for renovation with "use taxes," according to the survey conducted June 1-5 by independent pollster Stuart Elway.

"When you frame it that way, 'Do you want to pay taxes to build an arena or have them leave Seattle?' I think that's a pretty crude way," Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis said. "That much ambiguity isn't going to elicit a very positive response no matter what."

The tough talk from NBA commissioner David Stern appears to have ended on the subject of the Sonics and their bid for a $220 million renovation to KeyArena, according to the Seattle Times.

"I really don't think I can do anything more," he said Friday morning during his annual address to the media at the NBA Finals.

The team's lease expires in 2010 and owners, who claim to have lost nearly $60 million since buying the team in 2001, have explored relocating to Bellevue and Renton. The Sonics are also considering selling to a buyer who would move the team out of the area.

"Yes, it's a stalemate, but they've got four years left [on their lease]," Stern said. "They're going to play out their lease, and hopefully something will happen."

Several NBA sources said this week the Sonics are strongly considering moving their pick and acquiring a veteran player because they are content with their current two-deep roster, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Sonics officials appear convinced that no player they could land at No. 10 could break into their playing rotation.

Club officials are considering moving down in the first round and taking a project who can sharpen his skills in the National Basketball Development League.

"The D-League is going to 12 teams and we can stock it with young players," general manager Rick Sund said this week. "A lot of this (evaluation) becomes more important in developing guys for the future. We are fine with that."

The Seattle SuperSonics today named Gordon Chiesa as an assistant coach on head coach Bob Hill?s staff, Sonics General Manager Rick Sund announced. Chiesa will join Sund and other members of Sonics basketball personnel in Orlando this week for the NBA Pre-Draft Camp.

A veteran of the NBA assistant coaching ranks, Chiesa spent 16 seasons with the Utah Jazz (1989-90 through 2004-05). He served part of last season as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets.

?I wanted a coach with extensive bench experience and Gordon has that,? said Hill. ?After we re-signed Detlef Schrempf, I felt confident with my assistant coaches, then Wally Walker and Rick Sund gave me the opportunity to add one more. He completes a great staff.?