Free agent Center Vlade Divac says he's close to signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"It looks like right now I'm definitely leaving Sacramento," Divac said in a phone interview, after a meeting with Kings officials earlier Sunday confirmed to the 36-year-old that his current team won't be increasing its offer of $2.5 million for next season.

"After the season, if you asked me who's the favorite, I would always say the Kings. In my mind I thought I was going to stay here. The town and the fans ... it's been a beautiful six years. I feel sad leaving, but [the Kings] didn't show any kind of interest to keep me here. I was ready to come back to stay here for less, but a little bit [less], not such a big difference."

"If you ask me right now," Divac added, "it's going to be the Lakers."

"A friend of mine said it would be kind of nice to finish with the team I started with," Divac said. "If I do go back to the Lakers, it will be because of Dr. [Jerry] Buss. We've always had a great relationship."