Frank Hughes of the News Tribune reports that the Sonics are shopping Rashard Lewis.

Lewis is waiting for the Sonics to increase their current contract offer of six years, $60 million. That $60 million could be as much as $75 million if Lewis makes the all-star team each year of the contract. He also has the option of signing with the Mavericks who have a three-year, $15 million contract on the table.

There is also the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal, which could get Lewis the contract he wants and also net the Sonics some value in return.

According to three league sources, the Sonics talked to the Houston Rockets about acquiring second-year forward Eddie Griffin in exchange for Lewis. It is believed free agent Walt Williams is the other player that would be involved in such a deal, which would require the Rockets to sign Williams and then trade both he and Griffin to the Sonics. However, sources say the Rockets turned down such a deal because they did not want to part with Griffin.

The Sonics also have talked to several other teams, including the Mavericks, about sign-and-trade scenarios but nothing has come close to being worked out.

Part of the problem the sides have encountered is that with a luxury tax and a season of economic uncertainty looming, few, if any, teams are willing to pay Lewis more than the $60 million the Sonics are offering -- and that is the basis of Lewis's desire for a sign-and-trade. Teams are so cost-conscious that the Sonics have not received many calls from anyone trying to unload bad contracts because other teams do not want to take on a large, long-term contract.