If it weren't for UCLA playing in today's men's Final Four, Sonics guard Ray Allen would have had surgery on his injured left ankle this week. Instead, Allen will have the season-ending procedure April 7 because the operating doctor promised his daughter, a Bruins fan, that he'd take her to the event in Atlanta.

"I'm in a holding pattern right now," Allen joked. "When the game [between UCLA and Kansas] was on the other day, you know who I was rooting against."

Dr. Richard Ferkel will perform the surgery to remove the large bone spurs in Allen's left ankle at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Los Angeles. Allen is contemplating also having scar tissue in his right ankle repaired simultaneously because the anesthesia causes nausea.

Rashard Lewis is one of Ray Allen's favorite teammates but the sharpshooter will not pester him about remaining in Seattle.

"He has the chance to do something special in Seattle," Allen said. "But I want Rashard to do what he feels is necessary for himself and his family."

In his first one-on-one meeting with new principal owner Clay Bennett prior to Sunday's game against San Antonio, Sonics coach Bob Hill didn't plead his case. The coach is in the final months of a two-year deal, and vice chairman Lenny Wilkens said a decision regarding Hill's future will be made after the season.

While the Sonics haven't performed well consistently, only point guard Luke Ridnour is not averaging a career best in either points, rebounds, or assists. Hill and his staff have drastically improved five players ? Chris Wilcox, Nick Collison, Earl Watson, Johan Petro and Damien Wilkins, and Allen was averaging a career-best 26.4 points on two bum ankles.

Because of the players' development under strenuous situations and the fact that the Sonics have played 31 games that were decided by six points or less, dropping 19, Hill believes he should return next season.

"I think I've earned the right to coach this team healthy," said Hill. "That's how I feel. Based on the improvement of the players, the development, putting them in a style, getting Ray and Rashard having career years ? I've earned it. That doesn't mean anything, but that's how I feel."

After remaining silent about the incident for nearly three weeks, Sonics forward Danny Fortson finally spoke about the circumstances concerning his two-game suspension and his missed practice March 8 in Boston.

Fortson said before Tuesday's stunning 114-106 Sonics victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves that he was told by assistant coaches Detlef Schrempf and Ralph Lewis that he did not have to attend the workout scheduled for reserves at Suffolk University.

On the morning of the workout, head trainer Mike Shimensky told Fortson he would have to attend the 3 p.m. session.

Fortson told Shimensky he would take a cab the 2-mile distance from the team hotel to the school.

Fortson claimed Tuesday that there were "three different" Suffolk campuses and had no idea which one was correct.

"It would have been nice to know which (campus) it was. There were two assistant coaches who told me I didn't have to go, Ralph Lewis and Detlef Schrempf," he said.

"I just took (the punishment) in the chin. There's a lot of things going on that no one wants to talk about. I don't have no bullets, man. I just want to try to get through the season and hopefully play a couple of games."

Sonics General Manager Rick Sund announced today that guard Ray Allen will miss the remainder of the season with bone spurs in his left ankle. The injury will require Allen to undergo surgery, although a specific date for the procedure has yet to be determined.

?It makes sense for Ray to go forward and have the surgery,? Sund said. ?He?s been playing with pain for some time now, and all parties involved agree that this is what is best for Ray in the long run.?

Sonics vice chairman Lenny Wilkens said Friday the club's brass will meet at season's end to decide the fate of coach Bob Hill and perhaps determine other changes.

"We want to sit down and evaluate everything at the end of the year," he said before the Sonics played the Timberwolves. "We've had a few talks during the year but that's what we said all along, that we would sit down when the season's over, whether it's here or Oklahoma City, and evaluate where we are and what we're going to do."

Gilbert Arenas tried to leave Seattle fans with a souvenir. And "Agent Zero" wasn't talking about yet another game-winning shot.

Arenas crossed over Earl Watson, drove with his left hand, then switched to his right and banked in a short-runner at the buzzer, capping a 42-point performance and giving the Washington Wizards a 108-106 victory over the SuperSonics on Wednesday night.

And as he jogged off the court, Arenas dropped his jersey at the free throw line, hoping a mob of fans would rush the floor trying to snatch the blue uniform.

"Maybe it would be better to do that at home," Arenas said.

Ray Allen's season may be headed for an early conclusion.

Seattle's All-Star guard sat out Wednesday night with continued pain and discomfort from bone spurs in his left ankle, and indicated before the game against Washington that season-ending surgery is becoming more of an option.

The SuperSonics said Allen is day-to-day, and Damien Wilkins started in Allen's place.

Allen has been bothered by the ankle since early February, but missed just one game in the last two months -- when he sat out against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 1 and finally revealed the injury.

Surgery to remove the spurs is the likely solution to Allen's pain, and that may happen before the season ends.

"I think that's the next issue, just talking about that, putting myself in that situation where I have surgery early. Possibly," Allen said before Wednesday's game.

Allen is seeking a second opinion from a specialist at Duke University, referred to him by his agent.

Ray Allen's season may be headed for an early conclusion.

Seattle's All-Star guard sat out Wednesday night with continued pain and discomfort from bone spurs in his left ankle, and indicated before the game against Washington that season-ending surgery is becoming more of an option.

The SuperSonics said Allen is day-to-day, and Damien Wilkins started in Allen's place.

Bob Hill, head coach of the Sonics, is blaming poor execution on the part of his players for many of their frustrating losses.

?Part of our demise is inexperience,? Hill said.