On Monday night, Rashard Lewis confirmed that he has no intentions of signing a two-year, $25 million contract extension that the Sonics offered last week.

He stopped short of saying he will opt out of his contract this summer, which would mean forfeiting the final two years and $21 million. Still, Lewis admitted he's giving serious consideration to becoming an unrestricted free agent for the first time.

"It would be a freedom that I've never had before so, yeah, I'm thinking about it," he said. "You don't have many chances in your career to test the market and see what you're worth."

When told only two teams ? Orlando and Charlotte ? are going to be under the salary cap next season, Lewis said: "That's not what my agent is telling me. There might be more teams than that."

"Obviously there was an offer, but it would be not smart to sign a two-year extension when you can wait until the end of the year and get a three-year extension," he said. "Why do it right now? ... It would be better to do a three-year extension than a two-year extension. More security. More years."

Spencer Haywood was finally recognized by the SuperSonics on Monday night for his accomplishments on the floor and his fight in the courts, 32 years after he last played in Seattle.

And yet, there was sadness accompanying Haywood's honor.

Haywood's No. 24 was retired at halftime of Monday's game between Seattle and Portland. And while Haywood was proud about the moment finally arriving, there was sorrow too, following the last week's death of Dennis Johnson, who also wore No. 24 in his time with the Sonics.

"For me it's a high, and then it's a little bit of a low because I know DJ would have loved to have been here," Haywood said before the game. "He's here in all of our hearts."

Former NBA players remembered Dennis Johnson for his athletic ability and his infectious smile Sunday during a memorial service where there was far more laughter than tears.

"In my lifetime I have never met such a dynamic person," former Celtics teammate Cedric Maxwell told the crowd of nearly 200 people gathered in the David Chapel Baptist Church. "He was one of the greatest players of all time."

Johnson, who was part of three championship teams with Boston and Seattle, died Thursday after collapsing following practice with the Austin Toros, the Development League team he coached. He was 52.

It seems likely that Rashard Lewis will not accept the extension and will choose to opt out of his contract on July 1 and become an unrestricted free agent, according to Lewis? new agent, Tony Dutt.

?We?ll make a decision soon but we are leaning toward opting out,? said Dutt, whom Lewis hired over the All-Star break after parting ways with Kevin Poston.

Sonics general manager Rick Sund declined to address Lewis?s contract, saying, ?I told Rashard from the beginning I would not discuss any negotiations I have had with him or his representatives.?

The Seattle SuperSonics have recalled center Mouhamed Sene from the Idaho Stampede.

Sene will join the team tomorrow in San Antonio.

Sonics' spokesman Tom Savage confirmed Thursday night that the club will not file paperwork to move to a different city with the NBA by the March 1st deadline.

Owner Clay Bennett has said that if state lawmakers do not agree to help fund a $500 million new arena in the south Seattle suburb of Renton, he would relocate the team, possibly to Oklahoma City, where he is a prominent businessman.

But it won't happen until the 2008-09 season at the earliest.

"They have no intention on filing," Savage said.

Bennett told The Oklahoman newspaper in Oklahoma City earlier Thursday that his focus is on getting a deal done in Washington state.

"We intend to be successful in Washington. I still think we've got a lot of life left in this deal," Bennett told the newspaper.

Dennis Johnson, former guard for the Seattle SuperSonics and Boston Celtics, has passed away.  Johnson reportedly collapsed during practice on Thursday.

Johnson was a five-time All-Star and the MVP of the 1979 Finals.  He won one title with the Sonics and two with Boston.

"Whether he was leading his teams to NBA championships or teaching young men the meaning of professionalism, Dennis Johnson?s contributions to the game went far beyond the basketball court," said David Stern in a statement released to RealGM and other media outlets.

"Dennis was a man of extraordinary  character  with a tremendous passion for the game and his loss will be felt throughout the basketball community. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I extend my deepest sympathy to his wife Donna, his children Dwayne, Denise and Daniel, and their entire family."

Johnson was briefly the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2002 and had been the head coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League.

?Speaking for our entire organization, I want to say how saddened we are to hear this shocking news," said Elgin Baylor, VP of Basketball Operations for the Clippers.  

"Dennis was a joy to be around and a terrific person.  He will truly be missed by the many people whose lives he touched.  Our deepest sympathies go out to his family.?

There are rumors that Nate Robinson and Channing Frye could be dealt to the Sonics in exchange for Rashard Lewis.

Frye was the subject of many trade rumors last season and again is unlikely to be dealt.

Sonics forward Rashard Lewis fired agent Kevin Poston recently and hired Houston-based agents Tony Dutt and Colin Bryant.

Lewis has the choice of opting out of his contract -- which has two years and $21 million remaining -- and becoming a free agent this summer. Or he could accept a potential two-year, $25 million extension that would keep him under contract until 2011.

The Atlanta Hawks have called Seattle GM Rick Sund, according to a source, seeking to obtain point guard Luke Ridnour.

Ridnour has been in and out of the Sonics' starting line-up all season long.