Walter Davis Has Plans to Retire

Guard Walter Davis, a six-time All-Star and the all-time leading scorer of the Phoenix Suns, said he plans to retire after the 1988-89 season and devote his time to a youth drug-abuse treatment center he is founding.

Davis, who removed himself from the starting lineup before Friday night’s game at Portland, said he has been thinking for the past few weeks about when he would end his career.

“Next year will be my last,” said Davis, who is in his 11th season. “I’m 33 and next year is the last year on my contract. You have to start thinking, ‘What comes after basketball?’ ”

The 6-foot 6-inch, 207-pound Davis is second on the team in scoring this season with a 19-point average and is among the league’s top 10 free-throw shooters at 88% despite missing 11 games last month with a disk problem in his lower back.

Twice during his career, Davis has been hospitalized for drug rehabilitation.