Gilbert Arenas' experience with Team U.S.A. has left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, particularly about assistant coaches Nate McMillan and Mike D'Antoni.

"I'm going to be the silent assassin this year," he said. "I can't wait to play the Suns and Portland. Against Portland, Nate McMillan, I'm going to try to score 100 in two games and against D'Antoni, I'm going to score 100 in two games. I'm going to try."

With training camp less than two months away, the Washington Wizards have yet to decide where first-round pick Oleksiy Pecherov will play this season.

Team and league sources indicated this week that the Wizards are considering signing Pecherov and bringing him to camp, which will open in the first week of October. The 7-foot Pecherov played in Paris last season but remains under contract to his team in Ukraine. Pecherov holds a buyout option and has indicated that he would sign with the Wizards if they want him to play in the NBA this season.

The Wizards might decide that Oleksiy Pecherov might be better off in Washington even if he's not a part of Coach Eddie Jordan's regular playing rotation because of the mediocre quality of play in the Ukrainian Superleague.

Under NBA rules, the Wizards can pay up to $500,000 of Pecherov's $800,000 buyout. One key issue is that Pecherov's team, BC Kiev of the Ukrainian Superleague, would want Pecherov to play in Ukraine if he does not sign with the Wizards.

The problem, sources say, is that the quality of play in the Ukrainian Superleague is not on par with other top European leagues, so the Wizards might decide that Pecherov would be better off in Washington even if he's not a part of Coach Eddie Jordan's regular playing rotation.

With Wizards star Gilbert Arenas sidelined because of a groin strain, Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich is all but guaranteed to be on the official U.S. roster for the FIBA World Championships, which begin Saturday in Japan.

Team USA still needs to trim one player to get the roster to 12, but it would be a shock if the last cut is anyone besides San Antonio defensive specialist Bruce Bowen.

During a Monday practice, Gilbert Arenas strained his groin and therefore won't play for the United States at the world championships.

"We know Gilbert is really disappointed,'' team managing director Jerry Colangelo said. "He's done a great job. "It's an unfortunate situation, but he is not going to be able to continue on.''

The Washington Wizards are still considering where first-round pick Oleksiy Pecherov will play this season.

The Wizards are considering signing Pecherov to bring him to camp in October, team and league sources indicated to the Washington Post this week.

"We have the option to bring him over here, but the situation with his home team will determine what we do with him," Grunfeld said of Pecherov. "We are very high on him -- he had a very good summer for us. . . . He is going to be a good rebounder in this league, he can make his outside shot and he is a tough guy who is not a afraid to mix it up, so we think he has a good future ahead of him."

Having found a cheaper and more enthusiastic alternative in DeShawn Stevenson, the Washington Wizards said Monday they won't match the New York Knicks' offer sheet for restricted free agent Jared Jeffries, the Associated Press is reporting.

The Wizards had seven days to match the Knicks' five-year, $30 million deal. They spent the week signing Stevenson -- who, like Jeffries, is known for his perimeter defense -- to a contract that will pay him the NBA minimum of $932,000 for the upcoming season.

"Jared's representative made it crystal clear that he preferred being in New York," Wizards president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. "And we feel we have plenty of players who can take up the slack. We have players that want to be here."

Grunfeld said the Wizards will make up for Jeffries' absence with Stevenson and the return of Jarvis Hayes, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. The Wizards have also signed forward Darius Songaila and have high hopes for second-year player Andray Blatche, who played well during summer league games.

"We've added a lot of toughness to this ballclub," Grunfeld said. "Our toughness is going to get better, as well as our competitiveness. We're deep at every position. In all likelihood, this is the team we're going to camp with, and we're very comfortable with it."

"Washington is not going to match and sign him," a source insisted to the New York Post.

If the source proves an accurate confirmation of previous weekend reports, Jared Jeffries' length and defensive abilities will make him a key new addition to the Knicks next season.  

Jeffries is a versatile 6'11" and would play alongside second-year big man Channing Frye and center Eddy Curry to complement the primarily offensive contributions of the Knicks' young frontline.

Washington was concerned that the terms of the Knicks' offer could restrain the team's salary cap flexibility in coming years.  It is believed that the Wizards are averse to exceeding the luxury tax limits.

Jeffries' desire to play in New York, as expressed through his agent after signing the Knicks' offer sheet, may have also influenced the Wizards' decision to let him go.

Another source has revealed that the Washington Wizards will not match the offer sheet for forward Jared Jeffries, allowing him to join the Knicks.

The Washington Times cited two league sources, reiterating the story published by Sports Illustrated yesterday.  The Wizards have until today to decide whether they wanted to match the five year, $30 million offer sheet, and have a press conference planned for later today where they will officially accounce their decision.

With Jeffries' departure, the Wizards will lose their best defender via free agency for the second straight year. The team lost first-team All-NBA defender Larry Hughes, an unrestricted free agent, to Cleveland last summer.

Jeffries last season started all 77 games he played in. The team's most versatile player and a favorite of coach Eddie Jordan's, Jeffries played all five positions at various points in the season.

A source close to Washington Wizards restricted free agent Jared Jeffries said yesterday that the 6-foot-11 forward is preparing to play for the New York Knicks next season. Jeffries, 24, should find out today whether the Wizards will match the five-year, $30 million offer sheet he signed with the Knicks or let him leave.

Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld is expected to make the official announcement during a press conference this morning at Verizon Center. Grunfeld has been silent on Jeffries since receiving the offer sheet last Monday, but it appears unlikely that Jeffries will remain in Washington, where he has averaged 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in four seasons.

According to a league source, the Washington Wizards, who recently signed shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson to a two-year contract, will not match the New York Knicks five-year, $30 million offer sheet extended to restricted free agent forward Jared Jeffries last week. As a result, Jeffries will become property of the Knicks on Monday.

The 6-foot-11 Jeffries averaged 6.1 points per game in 77 games (all starts) with Washington and was considered one of the top remaining free agents on the market.