Zydrunas Ilgauskas has spoken publicly for the first time since Wednesday's trade from the Cavaliers to the Wizards.

"Right now I'm a Wizard,'' he said. "I think eventually they'll let me go, but that's just my guess. They haven't told me anything yet. First I've got to go to Washington, and hopefully after a couple of days they'll let me go home."

Ilgauskas found it hard to watch Cleveland play the Nuggets on television from home on Thursday evening.

"This is my team,'' he said. "I'm going to be mad, but not so mad that I wouldn't come back. I understand it's a business. This is my home. No matter what happens in the future, that will never change.''

Ilgauskas was assigned No. 17 with Washington since No. 11 is retired in honor of Elvin Hayes.