INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Another first-round postseason exit wasn’t the only reason Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal felt an ache in his gut. It was the realization the Game 6 loss against Boston could be his last as a Pacer.

“It’s a very painful thing to sit in that locker and not want to tear off your jersey because you’re not quite sure you’re going to put that jersey back on,” O’Neal said Friday. “That’s the most painful thing I think I’m dealing with.”

O’Neal, All-Star center Brad Miller and team career scoring leader Reggie Miller are all free agents, and their decisions could shape the Pacers’ long-term future.

Reggie Miller, coming off the worst playoff performance of his career, wasn’t available Friday, but Brad Miller and O’Neal were already considering a summer full of travel to other NBA cities. “I’m going to see other teams and some of the different things they do in their organizations and some of the things we should do in our ours,” O’Neal said.

O’Neal will be one of the most coveted free agents on the market. He’s only 24, is a two-time All-Star and will play his third straight summer of international basketball. He led the Pacers in scoring with 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds during the season, then averaged 22.8 points and 17.5 rebounds in the series.

O’Neal, who made nearly $7 million this season, will likely command the maximum contract allowed, which could start at $11 to $12 million annually. The Pacers, however, who acquired O’Neal from Portland three years ago for Dale Davis, could increase his salary 12.5 percent each year over six years while another team could only bump his pay by 10 percent.

“It would be hard to turn my back on this team. Extremely hard,” O’Neal said. “The only way that I’d do it is if something changed for the worse.”

O’Neal is grateful to Pacers president Donnie Walsh for trading for him and to coach Isiah Thomas for aiding his development, but the chance to play alongside the league’s elite is enticing.

“I look at San Antonio with Tim Duncan. I look at Orlando with Tracy McGrady, and I look at Indiana with Reggie Miller,” he said. “Those are three great players. When you get into a situation like that, you’ve got to look at the supporting cast.”

The decision to bring back both Millers could be a deciding factor, O’Neal said. In his first full season with the team, Brad Miller, who earned $5.3 million, earned his first All-Star nod before injuries curtailed his production in the second half.

“I really haven’t though about it a whole lot at all,” Brad Miller said. “I’m just going to see what the team does and see what kind of changes are going to be made. Jermaine’s a big decision of mine, too. I’ll talk to him a lot.”

Everyone was still glum Friday over losing to the Celtics. It was the third straight first-round exit under Thomas.

O’Neal said after the loss he wouldn’t play for the Pacers under anyone but Thomas. The return of the coach, however, doesn’t guarantee the return of O’Neal.

“Him being here definitely helps,” O’Neal said. “I can’t necessarily say it’s a sure-shot thing I’ll be back.”

Walsh has said Thomas’ job isn’t in jeopardy, but that hasn’t quieted the discontent among Pacers fans. Thomas was often criticized in newspapers and talk radio and was booed during pregame introductions throughout the playoffs.

The Pacers did jump from an eighth seed last season to a three seed and their win total went from 42 to 48. They only have two players over 30 – Reggie Miller and Tim Hardaway – and are one of the youngest teams in the league.

Thomas said during the series he expected to return for the final year of his contract.

“I’m very confident in the job I’ve done and very confident the players are improving,” Thomas said. “Whatever Donnie or management decides to do, I’ll support it.”

If they all come back, O’Neal said attitudes would have to change. The Pacers’ 37-15 start was wiped out by a second-half collapse blamed largely on selfish play.

“I’m not quite sure us losing is really hurting everybody right now,” O’Neal said. “I’m not sure everybody is sick right now. The only way this team can excel is everybody has that nasty, gut feeling that I have right now.”

AP-ES-05-02-03 1902EDT