Salt Lake City ? The offseason might be more interesting than the season that just ended for John Stockton, Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz.

The direction of the team’s future hinges on decisions to be made by the duo whose run with the team has stretched nearly 20 years. A 111-91 loss Wednesday to the Sacramento Kings knocked the Jazz out of the playoffs, starting an offseason that could be the most eventful in team history.

For Stockton, the options are retire or return to the Jazz for a 20th season. He has said he couldn’t play for another team and plans to make a decision within a few weeks.

“I don’t think I have any illusions of being the player that I was when I was younger, but I’ve never felt like I’ve been a non-contributor or a negative to this team,” Stockton said after Wednesday’s game. “I still think I’m a contributor, and that’s important to me.”

Malone, who just wrapped up his 18th year with Utah, plans to play again next season as he pursues Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record. The big question is where.

It could be back in Salt Lake City, unless he decides to try for his first NBA championship on a team with a stronger roster. The Lakers, Mavericks and Spurs are all possibilities.

If this was the end for Stockton and Malone, they made quite a run, highlighted by back-to-back Western Conference championships in 1997 and 1998. Stockton is the league’s all-time leader in assists and steals.

There have been rumblings that coach Jerry Sloan, who still has a year left on his contract, may retire after 15 seasons — the longest tenure for a coach or manager in the four major pro leagues.