Walton could leave through free agency

Luke Walton doesn’t want to think about it, but this could be the beginning of the end of his career with the Lakers.

An unrestricted free agent in July, Walton will have some bidders for his services, including his current employers.

He was drafted in the second round by the Lakers in 2003 and played well enough to earn a two-year contract extension before the 2005-06 season, but his value has increased with a season that includes career highs of 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists a game. He is also shooting a career-best 40.8% from three-point range and 47.9% overall.

Walton, 27, is earning $1.375 million this season but could vault into contract territory of $4 million to $5 million annually. With nine games left in the regular season, he said he wasn’t peering too far down the road.

“Not really,” he said. “It’s kind of like the best part of the season right now, and then we’re going into the playoffs, but I’ve obviously had the thought there is a chance that I’ll be in another city next year.

“I love it here. I grew up right down the street in San Diego. I’ve got my family nearby. I love the coaching staff. The people upstairs have been great, and my teammates too, but you’re only a free agent once or twice in your career, so you obviously have to go look at other places as well.”

If the Lakers decide to sign Walton, they have two possibilities.

They hold Walton’s “Bird rights,” which, generally speaking, allow teams to offer their free agents better contracts than competing teams. Under such guidelines, the Lakers could offer Walton a six-year deal while competing teams could offer only five-year deals.

Or, the Lakers could re-sign him by using up most or all of their midlevel exception, an annual exception that allows teams over the salary cap to sign a free agent, even one of theirs, for up to five years and about $30 million.

“As the years have gone by, he’s worked on his game. I think it’s a combination of years in the league and the work he did on his game during the off-season,” General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “Obviously, he’s had a good year, with the exception of the ankle injury. We’d like to have him remain a Laker.”

The Lakers’ triangle offense highlights Walton’s skills as a passer, but he said he wouldn’t restrict himself to talking with teams that run similar systems.

“It’s not a must,” he said. “Obviously, I love it because of all the opportunities you have to make plays, and it’s a cutting, motion offense. The [Washington] Wizards and those types of teams that run a motion offense where the forwards are coming up to the top and coming inside-outside and making plays, those are the teams that I feel I could help.”

Walton is close to returning to early-season form after sitting out 21 games because of a severely sprained right ankle. The Lakers were 6-15 while he was out, although Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom were also injured for part of that span.

“I felt like I’ve had a good year,” Walton said. “It was a lot of hard work. The injury was obviously a little frustrating, but if my ankle stays strong, I’d like to finish the season strong and do some things in the playoffs.”

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Six Lakers finished in double-figure scoring Sunday against Sacramento, providing something of a rest for Kobe Bryant, who had 19 points and a season-high 13 assists.

“It’s more comfortable for me, and it’s more dangerous for our opposition,” Bryant said. “They know that I’m aggressive, and they know that everybody is contributing. So now it’s a very tough call for how they want to defend it.”

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Individual game tickets for Lakers playoff games will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and by telephone at 800-4NBATIX. There will be a limit of four tickets per person per game. Tickets will not be sold at the Staples Center box office.... Jordan Farmar will play again for the Lakers’ Development League team, the D-Fenders, this afternoon and then suit up for the Lakers tonight.

TONIGHT

vs. Denver, 7:30, FSN West

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 39-34, Nuggets 36-36.

Record vs. Nuggets -- 1-1.

Update -- The Nuggets, 2 1/2 games behind the Lakers for sixth in the Western Conference, ended a three-game losing streak with a 114-103 victory Sunday over Seattle.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com