Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune reports: Seattle SuperSonics point guard Gary Payton made his way to the NBA's annual All-Star weekend from Seattle on Thursday for a franchise-record eighth time. His weekend will culminate with the All-Star game Sunday night in First Union Center.

Likewise, Howard Schultz will climb into his private jet and fly to Philadelphia for his second All-Star game as majority owner of the Sonics.

At some point, the two leaders of the organization will cross paths and talk about the season, their families and life in general.

But there is one subject, always looming in the background, that thus far has not been broached by the men. It probably will not be discussed this weekend, though its very nature is more prominent because of the national attention paid to players of Payton's stature. It is a point of, if not contention, then consternation for the 11-year veteran.

The subject is the contract extension that Payton seeks, the one that would allow him to finish his career in a Sonics uniform, the one that will, in all likelihood, be his last and will push his career earnings toward $150 million.

"We haven't spoke (about the contract)," Payton said. "I haven't talked to (Schultz) yet. I don't know if it is going to happen. It might happen. When it happens, if it comes, I got to evaluate a lot of things.

Nobody in the organization is saying when or even if the Sonics will approach Payton with talk about an extension, but at some point the issue is going to come to the fore.

Payton's agent, Aaron Goodwin, has said for the record that if the Sonics allow Payton to go into next season without an extension, Payton will not return when he becomes a free agent in 2003.