Some day, perhaps in a year or two, Danny Manning will take it easy during the summer.

But until he officially retires, the 36-year-old former Kansas University basketball All-American will continue to put himself through a rigorous regimen to prepare himself for the upcoming NBA season.

“Every summer I have come to the realization this is the time to become a better basketball player, so I run and shoot and lift so next year I will be ready,” Manning said Monday at KU coach Roy Williams’ youth basketball camp.

“I will go to the park, to the gym to shoot by myself. I put in the time it takes to get ready.”

Ready for what, though, is the question Manning faces for next season, his 15th in the NBA.

Dallas, in the days leading up to next Wednesday’s NBA draft, must decide whether to pick up the option on the second year of Manning’s two-year, $3.2 million contract.

The Mavs did not include the 6-foot-11 Manning on the team’s playoff roster, meaning his days in Dallas could be numbered.

“I would like to return, but who knows? I’ve said many times it’s easy for me. It’s a little bit difficult for my family,” said Manning, referring to wife, Julie; daughter, Taylor; and son, Evan, who have watched Manning play for Milwaukee, Utah and Dallas respectively the past three seasons.

“It’d be nice for them to be in the same school, same city, same place, get continuity in their lives,” Manning said. “For me, I am someone who will be the ninth, 10th, 11th guy on a team, play eight, 10, 12 minutes a night.

“I am pretty much locked into a salary  the veteran’s minimum  and I’m very comfortable with that. For me it’s a matter of finding a team wanting a veteran player, wanting me to come in and help out where necessary.

“Having gone through this before, being in the league 14 years, I can understand it. It’s not something I stress out about because I can’t control what they do. I’m going to sit back, enjoy my family and the offseason and prepare myself for the coming season.”

Manning says he wants to play one year more for sure, possibly two, then get into coaching. He will conduct his own camp for youths July 29 to Aug. 2 at Sport 2 Sport.

“At what level, I don’t know,” Manning said. “I enjoy teaching the game of basketball. It’s a lot of fun.”