Notebook: Chemistry no answer for Wiz

The banter flows inside the visiting locker room at KeyArena as if the Washington Wizards have known each other for years and belies the uneasy chemistry they exhibit when they take the court.

They're playfully arguing about which is the better movie: "Coming to America" or "Friday." Antonio Daniels and Jared Jeffries are huge fans of the Eddie Murphy classic, while Gilbert Arenas lobbies for the Ice Cube and Chris Tucker flick.

"I've never been around a team that gets along as well as we do off the court, but you don't see that carry over into games," Arenas said. "Usually when you don't have that good chemistry on the court, you don't have it off the court, too. But not here.

"We really get along, but it's like when we're out there, we don't know each other."

Daniels, who played two years in Seattle before signing a five-year, $29 million contract last summer, is admittedly part of the problem for a team that started 5-1 but was 9-14 after Monday's loss.

"It's just the fact that ... we have to find our rhythm again," Daniels said. "It's a new offense for me. The Princeton offense. You have to find where you can be successful individually without being selfish."

Daniels has yo-yoed in and out of the lineup. The point guard started his ninth game on Monday largely because Jarvis Hayes has a right patella fracture that will keep him out of the lineup indefinitely.

Adjusting to Washington's system has been difficult for Daniels, who is averaging 4.7 points — almost seven fewer than last season.

"It took me almost a year to find out what I can do to be good here," he said. "It's a process and it doesn't happen over night."

Daniels was supposed to assume the position vacated by Larry Hughes, who signed as a free agent with Cleveland in the offseason. However, Daniels has most often come off the bench, and his minutes have varied.

Sonics coach Bob Weiss speculated that a chronic knee injury may be affecting Daniels.

"I don't know for certain, but it's a possibility," Weiss said. "I heard that he's just lost his confidence."

No deals, Vlade says

Forward Vladimir Radmanovic will not ask to be traded and will block any proposed deals Seattle tries to make, he says.

Before Monday night's game, he said he wants to play out the season with the Sonics and then become a free agent. Radmanovic turned down a reported six-year, $42 million deal before the season and instead signed a one-year agreement.

"I came to that decision a long time ago," he said. "I thought the situation was going to be a little different here [in terms of playing time], but you've got to make the best out of it."

By remaining with Seattle and becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, Radmanovic could make more on the open market.

Notes

• Ray Allen entered Monday's game needing four three-pointers to pass Glen Rice for third place on the NBA's all-time list. He hit two. The NBA's all-time three-point leaders: Reggie Miller, 2,560; Dale Ellis, 1,719; Glen Rice, 1,559; Allen 1,558.

• Monday's game began a brutal stretch for the Sonics in which nine of their next 10 opponents advanced to the playoffs last season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.