LOS ANGELES -- Luke Walton appears to be returning to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Several published reports said the forward agreed to a six-year, $30 million deal Sunday on the first day teams were allowed to contact free agents.
"This is where I wanted to be all along," Walton, an unrestricted free agent, told the Los Angeles Times. "I couldn't be any happier to remain a Laker."
Walton's agent Lon Babby told ESPN.com that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak called one minute after the free-agent signing period officially opened.
"They called at the earliest possible moment, and we worked on it all day," Babby said. "They wanted him back, and Luke wanted to be there. We wanted to make every effort to get an agreement before we went out and looked at any other teams."
A four-year veteran, the 27-year-old Walton averaged 11.4 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists - all career highs - last season.
He will make more than triple his last season's salary of $1.4 million.
A message left for Lakers spokesman John Black was not immediately returned and teams aren't allowed to announce signings until July 11.
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