The 34-year-old former Kansas University forward is hoping to play for team No. 5 next season.

“I hope they trade I hope they move me,” Manning said of his current employers, the Milwaukee Bucks, responsible for the final year of Manning’s long-term deal that pays him $7.8 million per year.

“Just for the sole fact I only have a few years left. I want to be part of playing a little bit more and making more of a contribution. If I’m not going to do that there, hopefully I can go somewhere else, but you never know.”

Manning averaged career lows in points (4.6) and minutes played (16.9) during his first season with George Karl’s Milwaukee Bucks in 1999-2000. He logged just five minutes total in the Bucks’ five-game first-round playoff series against Indiana.

A healthy Manning has no clue why he wasn’t used more.

“I don’t know,” said Manning, who told Roy Williams’ basketball campers Monday he’d like to play three more seasons in the pros. “I guess I didn’t fit in. I didn’t have any real in-depth conversations with coach Karl or anybody. I am not a big talker as you (media) know. He didn’t say anything to me. I didn’t say much to him.

“I’d just go to the games early and get my workouts in, cheer my teammates on. I’d stay after practice and lift and do things I felt I needed to do to stay competitive.”

Manning, who has a career 15.5 scoring average, believes he can still contribute.

“It’s my 12th year. I’ve been very fortunate. It’s been a lot of fun and gone very fast,” said Manning, who has come back from three ACL knee surgeries. “I still enjoy playing in the NBA. I like the game, competing and helping my team win.”

Manning, who played four years at KU before being the top pick in the 1988 NBA Draft, says he understands why players leave college early.

“If you are a talented player by that I mean one of the top five picks in the draft I don’t see anything wrong with throwing your name in the hat and seeing what happens,” Manning said, noting players can return to college after the draft if they do not sign with an agent.

“I talk to a lot of young players. Their feeling is they are talented enough to play in the NBA right now. Why not play right now and get their first three years out of the way (of guaranteed contract)? Then they can be a free agent.”

Why didn’t Manning turn pro after his junior year?

“The thought went through my mind a quick second,” he said. “I talked to my dad (KU assistant, Ed Manning). He said, ‘You are not ready.’ End of discussion.

“A lot depends on the system you are in, the players, how good your team is and your ties to your teammates.”

Manning obviously liked playing college ball and was in no hurry to turn pro.

He sees high schoolers benefiting from the NBA’s new developmental league, which will be a minor league for those not wanting to attend college and other prospects who don’t make NBA rosters right out of college.

“I don’t think college is for everyone,” said Manning, who has a degree. “There are a lot of successful people in this world that have not gone to college. I understand getting an education is very important. I think the developmental league will basically be a trade school. There’s nothing wrong with a trade school.

“I envision a system like baseball has. There just won’t be as many (minor league) levels. I see each team having a developmental team.

“You draft a player or a young player signs a contract, plays in the developmental league and after a certain amount of months or games, you might call him up through the season.

“I think college basketball will still be competitive. College baseball is competitive in a similar situation. The NCAA will do something to cover themselves. College basketball is a big business. They make a lot of money off college basketball. They will continue to do it.”

A graduate of Lawrence High, Manning has held a camp for youths in Lawrence the past 12 summers. He’s taking a year off here and will hold camps in Milwaukee and Phoenix.

“I don’t know if it’s over here,” Manning said of his Lawrence camp’s status. “We’ll give it a break one year and see.”