Ludden -- Good article on Malik

[Kori Ellis]

Rose is a thorn to Lakers
Web Posted: 02/05/2005 12:00 AM CST

Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA020505.1C.BKNspurs.rose.77dfcacb.html

By the time Malik Rose walked out of the shower late Thursday, his teammates already had headed for the bus.

If the Spurs forward seemed a step slow, it was for good reason. He had played 30 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers, which were about 30 more than he figured he would play.

Thinking he might spend his third consecutive game on the bench, Rose ran sprints for half an hour before the game.

"If it means I'll keep playing," Rose said, laughing, "I'll run that much before every game."

Rose has plenty of reason to smile this weekend, and not all of it has to do with his unexpected 19-point, 11-rebound performance in the Spurs' 103-91 victory.

Rose's brother, Cory, is back home after spending much of the previous week in the hospital with a head injury he sustained playing basketball. Though Rose gave away the Super Bowl tickets he and Cory had hoped to use, he still can't wait to watch his beloved Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday's championship game.

A seat on the couch isn't that bad compared to the one he'd had at the end of the Spurs' bench. Prior to Thursday, Rose hadn't played in a week. He lost his spot in the rotation, as tenuous as it was, during the Spurs' victory over Sacramento on Jan. 27.

After airmailing a pass over Beno Udrih's head and into the stands, Rose pulled his jersey over his face in frustration. The player he was supposed to be guarding, Kings forward Darius Songaila, responded by racing the length of the floor for a layup.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich immediately summoned Robert Horry to replace Rose. Aside from a few mop-up minutes at the end of that game, Rose didn't play again until Thursday.

"I needed to throw a bounce pass and I threw it 12 feet high," Rose said. "And as soon as I said, 'Oh, my God,' Songaila was downcourt and I was done."

Popovich wasn't concerned about the pass, only what Rose did after it: Instead of focusing on what the team needed next, he worried about his own mistake.

Rose appeared distracted even before the error. His brother had been taken to the hospital with a brain bruise after landing hard on his head during a pickup game. Cory was released after five days and is doing much better, Rose said, without any impairment to his motor skills.

"That's still not any excuse," Rose said, "for me to play as poorly as I was playing."

Rose had played well enough early in the season to reclaim his role as the team's first big man off the bench. As Horry's play improved, Rose's minutes shrank.

Rose's effectiveness was furthered reduced when he sustained a hip pointer against Utah on Jan. 10. The following day in practice, Rasho Nesterovic kneed Rose in his left leg, producing a knot on his hamstring.

Through it all, Rose has battled to maintain his confidence.

"When you're not playing for a while and you get in there, I don't care what anybody says, especially when we're winning, the first thing you think is, 'Don't mess up,'" Rose said. "You can't play that way."

Horry, though bothered by a sore right knee, has done little to show his minutes merit reducing. He is less turnover-prone than Rose, can stretch defenses with his 3-point shooting and has proven to be a better-than-advertised shot blocker.

Rose, as evidenced by Thursday's performance, still has the ability to change a game with his energy. His mid-range shooting has improved enough to make him one of the team's best pick-and-pop players.

"And he's still been great for his teammates while Robert has been playing ahead of him," Popovich said.

Rose's recent benching suggests otherwise, but Popovich has been less critical of his longtime forward than the previous two seasons. Rose, Popovich said, has overstepped his role less frequently.

"The difference this season," Rose said, "is I haven't had a falling out with Pop."

The two still have their disagreements, though not as heated as last season. On more than one occasion, Popovich barked at Rose, only to have Rose bark back.

"Some of it is just growing up," Rose said. "I used to be almost suicidal when I didn't play. I was angry at the world, not speaking to people. Now, it still bothers me — and I'm thankful I still have that same competitiveness — but it doesn't get me down as much."

Popovich, at times, has appeared to hold Rose to tougher standards than other players. And there was a point last season when others in the organization thought he was being too harsh on him.

Some of the strain in their relationship is understandable, given that only Tim Duncan has played for Popovich as long as Rose. Both also are self-made men whose stubbornness can get the best of them.

But Popovich said he still values the effect Rose can have on the locker room. And Rose still appreciates Popovich's wit.

"I don't agree with all of the things he does," Rose said, "but I still enjoy being around him."

How much longer Rose continues to be around remains to be seen. Had New York officials not backed out of a deal minutes before it was to be finalized last season, Rose likely would be wearing a Knicks uniform.

Popovich told Rose during last season's exit interview the team probably would continue to explore trade opportunities involving him. The Spurs' stance hasn't changed. With Tony Parker's salary set to increase by almost $7 million next season and Duncan, Nesterovic, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen also holding long-term contracts, the franchise eventually will need to trim payroll.

While Rose is attractive to several teams, his contract is not. After this season, he still will have four years and $27.2 million remaining on the deal. Because of a clause in the contract, any team that trades for Rose also would have to pay him a bonus of close to $3 million within 30 days of the deal.

The Spurs could agree to offset some of the trade kicker, though there are other hang-ups to doing a deal. Unless they acquire another big man in return — or Karl Malone suddenly changes his mind and decides to sign with them — they risk depleting their depth.

Even Rose sometimes has wondered if it would have been better for him to sign with another team two seasons ago.

"But then maybe I would have missed out on another championship," Rose said. "God makes things happen for a reason. I firmly put my faith on that."

For now, Rose will continue to wait for opportunities like Thursday. With Nesterovic's stay on the injured list possibly ending Tuesday and neither Duncan's hyperextended left knee nor Horry's sore right knee appearing serious, Rose might not get any minutes next game.

In the meantime, he'll continue to work out and root for Philadelphia on Sunday. Cory snapped at him Thursday, which Rose took as a good sign.

"We'll have plenty of other times to go to the Super Bowl," Rose said. "The Eagles will get there next year and we'll go to that one."

[Kori Ellis]

Get well, Cory.

[Spurgal]

Thanks for posting such a great article, Kori... :spin

[timvp]

"I used to be almost suicidal when I didn't play. I was angry at the world, not speaking to people."

This is why you play Malik Rose. Most players in the NBA with a long-term contract don't really GAF if they play or not. They're just happy to get that paycheck twice a month and if they play or win games, that's a nice bonus.

With Malik, winning and playing well is what drives him. He is one of the few players on the Spurs who isn't afraid to truly compete or doesn't back down. The Spurs need that toughness on the inside and that fire.

They need Malik Rose.

:smokin

[Solid D]

Good insight into Malik's life of late.

[SequSpur]

Malik Rose is overpaid. That's about it.

Its not his fault, Pop and RC are to blame just as much as anyone else. You either accept the mistake or get rid of it. Sooner or later, Malik will be gone.

[SPARKY]

Popovich told Rose during last season's exit interview the team probably would continue to explore trade opportunities involving him. The Spurs' stance hasn't changed. With Tony Parker's salary set to increase by almost $7 million next season and Duncan, Nesterovic, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen also holding long-term contracts, the franchise eventually will need to trim payroll.

This is what it has been about from day one. That contract has been the primary source of the problems surrounding Rose. He's felt the need to justify that contract, a feeling likely motivated by criticism from within and without the Spurs organization. A player who feels that he must go out and justify his contract and win is the type of player I would think that fans would like to see on the team(s) they support. Rose has proven himself to be a valuable piece of this franchise for a long time, a player who will show up in the postseason.

Absent the Spurs' desire to cut payroll, Rose's contract really is not that big of a deal for a NBA team, especially for a 30 year old proven big. But I will say that I bet Peter Holt and friends are glad that so many Spurs fans are perfectly willing to see them force personnel decisions that are more financially than basketball related.

[cqsallie]

Who really cares, eh? Malik did what a whole lot of us wanted him to do. Some Spurs fans have never given up on Rose.
The first time I met him was in the HEB at Wurzbach and I-10. He had just been named to the team. I found him in the paper-products aisle, taking up much of it while looking around for paper towels. I was determined to continue to push my cart up that aisle, although Malik was moving to and fro with a smile on his face, as if he was inviting someone to say something to him. My first instinct was to turn my cart and go around to the next aisle and approach from a different angle. Then I just thought to myself, "He wants to be noticed."
I continued pushing my cart toward him and he looked over his shoulder with that smug, self-satisfied smile that I have come to identify with Malik.
"Welcome to San Antonio," I said, looking him right in the eye. His smile grew even broader and he looked down at me from his one-foot height advantage (at 5'8" - 5'10" with heels, I rarely feel "short") and said, "Yeah, yeah!"
I suspect that he no more remembers that encounter than I would have if he had proved to be a flash in the pan. But Malik is not a flash in the pan. I'm really tired of this game between Pop and #31. We're hearing that Malik has been back on the block and the Toronto Raptors turned him down because he "lacked atheliticsm."
Is that the real reason Pop turned him loose in the Lakers' game? To show prospective teams that Rose really has it:
I am sick and tired on this merry-go-round. What's it all about, elf ears?

[Spurgal]

This Is for all those people that have mis-judged me and talked about me and even named me a Stalker.


"But then maybe I would have missed out on another championship," Rose said. "God makes things happen for a reason. I firmly put my faith on that."

I tried to let a lot of you people know that It wasn't fair to be talking about Malik. But, a lot of you people still Insisted In doing so.
I am happy to say that God has given me the privilege to know Malik and his Family... And they are one sweet and blessed family. The night Malik made the mistake of putting his Jersey over his head, It wasn't only because he knew he had done wrong but because In his Heart and Mind he knew his Brother Cory was not watching him like always...

I just want you guys to understand that It's not fair to always be dogging on Malik or any other player for their performance out on the court. We don't know exactly why they sometimes don't play well. We should all just be happy and comfortable with the fact that we are doing good this Season. As for the people that are talking about me on this forum and have named me Stalker...I'm sorry to say, but In reality Malik and I very good friends and I will continue to deffend him & his family until the day I die.

[SequSpur]

I bet Peter Holt and friends are glad that so many Spurs fans are perfectly willing to see them force personnel decisions that are more financially than basketball related.

Is your last name Forbes?

I don't give a crap about how many millions they make or lose. Its all about putting a team together to win the championship. Anything less than that, no Spurs fan should be happy. This is not a not for winning league like a not for profit organization. Its for winning, for profit. Hopefully winning first.

:music

[milkyway21]

this is one GREAT article, Kori. That's why I was more of frustrated than hate Rose after that "towel over his head" incident", because he is so cool I wondered why is just missed shots and some turnovers.

glad to read about that "new" relationship w/ Pops.

Welcome Back, Malik!!!

[Solid D]

Nice story, cqsallie. I don't think Pop was "showcasing" Malik last night. Horry didn't have it going on last night...he just didn't. Rob wasn't very attentive to Odom on the perimeter, nor could he stay in front of him.

Pop and the team really needs Malik when Horry doesn't have it.

[SPARKY]

Is your last name Forbes?

I don't give a crap about how many millions they make or lose. Its all about putting a team together to win the championship. Anything less than that, no Spurs fan should be happy. This is not a not for winning league like a not for profit organization. Its for winning, for profit. Hopefully winning first.

:music

So you think that holding a contract over a player's head for the better part of 2 years and making him a mainstay on the trade block is conducive to winning when the motivation for moving him is to cut long term payroll?

Is your last name Schoening?

[SequSpur]

Spurgal,

That's nice and I am glad you are great friends of his and his family and I hope that his brother makes a full speedy recovery.

Most opinions here are not just from the most recent lapses in his judgement. Its from years of substandard performance for an NBA player on a championship level team that most fans have very high expectations of. This has been going on for about 3-4 years now. Its time for Malik to move on. Isn't that why they are shopping him daily?

Malik has been a great Spur and he definitely has flashes of brilliance. Sometimes I think Pop fails to realize that Malik is not 7 foot and he is forced to player bigger than he really is. Who knows? Spurs have a few weaknesses that need to be filled and Malik could be traded and I am quite confident that he will be successful wherever he goes, however, dude is going to sit in a chair as long as he is a Spur.

[Spurgal]

So you think that holding a contract over a player's head for the better part of 2 years and making him a mainstay on the trade block is conducive to winning when the motivation for moving him is to cut long term payroll?

Is your last name Schoening?


Good one, Sparky... :lol :lol :lol

[SequSpur]

So you think that holding a contract over a player's head for the better part of 2 years and making him a mainstay on the trade block is conducive to winning when the motivation for moving him is to cut long term payroll?

Is your last name Schoening?


Of course not, but wtf? why pay a guy 10 games of revenue to sit on the bench? That is not very smart.

[SPARKY]

He wasn't that "substandard" in the 2003 title run, a fact made even more important by David Robinson's health at the time. Given the current roster Rose is just as valuable given that Rasho is the starting center and that no other reserve big offers the mix of both speed and physical play that Rose brings.

Again, all of the crap between him and Pop started with that contract. If Malik was making the league minimum every year like a not too few San Antonians seem to expect then none of this crap would ever have started.

[SequSpur]

Again, all of the crap between him and Pop started with that contract. If Malik was making the league minimum every year like a not too few San Antonians seem to expect then none of this crap would ever have started.

Totally agree.

Fans are bitter as well.

[milkyway21]

This Is for all those people that have mis-judged me and talked about me and even named me a Stalker.



I tried to let a lot of you people know that It wasn't fair to be talking about Malik. But, a lot of you people still Insisted In doing so.
I am happy to say that God has given me the privilege to know Malik and his Family... And they are one sweet and blessed family. The night Malik made the mistake of putting his Jersey over his head, It wasn't only because he knew he had done wrong but because In his Heart and Mind he knew his Brother Cory was not watching him like always...

I just want you guys to understand that It's not fair to always be dogging on Malik or any other player for their performance out on the court. We don't know exactly why they sometimes don't play well. We should all just be happy and comfortable with the fact that we are doing good this Season. As for the people that are talking about me on this forum and have named me Stalker...I'm sorry to say, but In reality Malik and I very good friends and I will continue to deffend him & his family until the day I die....amen. :rolleyes

let's just hope Malik shld continue his good game 'til playoffs. But, you cannot really stop people from saying those things because they know Malik is expected to do things BIG, & sometimes he just can't. And it's not just Malik who receives those bashing, Rasho, too.

[SPARKY]

Of course not, but wtf? why pay a guy 10 games of revenue to sit on the bench? That is not very smart.

You pay a player because he's earned it. Rose earned that contract back in 2002, yet that wasn't good enough for the organization and a not too few Spurs fans.

For all of the talk about how the Spurs are the model organization or whatever in the NBA there are still imperfections. This doesn't just extend to Rose, as we saw with what transpired with Parker's extension last October.

It's not very smart to weaken your team for what is ultimately a non-basketball reason.

[SPARKY]

Totally agree.

Fans are bitter as well.


Fans in San Antonio seem to be bitter that anyone not named Duncan or Robinson gets paid.

[timvp]

What happened was the Lakers offered Rose a contract during that 2002 offseason and Rose gave the Spurs the option to match it. The Spurs matched it but from the second they matched it, they've been trying to trade him. They didn't want him going to the Lakers and winning championships next to Shaq and Kobe.

And it's a good thing they did because the Lakers probably beat the Spurs in 2003 if Rose is on the other team.

[Rick Von Braun]

What happened was the Lakers offered Rose a contract during that 2002 offseason and Rose gave the Spurs the option to match it. The Spurs matched it but from the second they matched it, they've been trying to trade him. They didn't want him going to the Lakers and winning championships next to Shaq and Kobe.

And it's a good thing they did because the Lakers probably beat the Spurs in 2003 if Rose is on the other team.Is this true?

Malik's contract was for seven years. Was the Lakers' offer for seven years as well?

I think that was the main problem. They could have offered him a 4-5 years contract and we wouldn't be in any dilemma today.

[SequSpur]

Its funny. Malik has one good game the other night against a very weak Laker team and 2 years of sitting on a chair is forgotten. 7 years, 42 million, isn't that what he gets to play once every 5 games?

Is that what LA offered him? How is that possible, considering they were shelling out money for Shaq, Kobe, Horry, and George? and other salaries they had. I am sorry, I never heard of any such offer. Spurs won that series because of Tim, David, Jax, Claxton and Kerr. Malik in gold would've costed the Spurs the championship? Sure. :rolleyes

As for Parker, Manu, Tim, Bowen, they deserve what they got. Dollar for Dollar, their talent level is exactly what their market value is.

[milkyway21]

Of course not, but wtf? why pay a guy 10 games of revenue to sit on the bench? That is not very smart...it is smart if they think that he CAN CONTRIBUTE if players like duncan(lakers game), & Robinson(2002-2003 season), gets injured? :rolleyes

[SPARKY]

Is this true?

Malik's contract was for seven years. Was the Lakers' offer for seven years as well?

I think that was the main problem. They could have offered him a 4-5 years contract and we wouldn't be in any dilemma today.

LA was offering a 6 year deal with the mid level exception, IIRC. Spurs gave him that for 7 years.

[Kori Ellis]

Is this true?

Malik's contract was for seven years. Was the Lakers' offer for seven years as well?

I think that was the main problem. They could have offered him a 4-5 years contract and we wouldn't be in any dilemma today.

They offered him a six-year contract starting at $4.5M with a team option for year seven, I believe.

[timvp]

Is this true?

Malik's contract was for seven years. Was the Lakers' offer for seven years as well?

I think that was the main problem. They could have offered him a 4-5 years contract and we wouldn't be in any dilemma today.

IIRC, the Lakers offered 6-year, $42 and the Malik decided on Spurs at 7-year, $42.

[timvp]

Princess beats me to it.

:smokin

[SPARKY]

Considering what the going rate for bigs was last summer I'd say that 4 years and $27 mil for a 30 year old power forward with Rose's ability isn't exactly that horrible of a deal, especially considering that is a 4 year deal at the mid level exception.

Spurs fans do seem to forget that the alternative to having Rose is to lose him to the team that had bounced them out of the playoffs in two consecutive postseasons. Rose would've been a very nice fit for the Lakers.

I'm sure Spurs fans would've been happy about the Spurs losing him to the Lakers at that particular point, especially when they think about the millions Holt Cat would've saved.

[SequSpur]

Do you have that in writing? How come the Lakers aren't throwing some bones toward Pop now? You mean to tell me that Pop and RC were scared of Malik leaving? The same two that tried to dump Robinson for Webber only to be saved by KSAT 12 and Peter Holt?

Wasn't Malik going to start for any other team in the Eastern Conference and possibly be an allstar?

I mean, come on, if we are going to play lets make a wish or fairy tale Malik stories and hopes, please send me the memo, because I ain't buying it.

Malik is not very good.

[SPARKY]

Actually, it was in writing. The media certainly covered that offer from the Lakers.

Had Malik accepted that then you could be starting threads now about how Pop, RC, Holt, and the Coyote suck because the Spurs lost Malik to the Lakers, instead of paying him.

[Kori Ellis]

Umm .. of course I don't have the offer in writing.

Here's a couple blurbs about it that are still on the internet. It was definitely in the LA papers at the time.


The Lakers possess a $4.5 million exception for use in pursuing free agents. Although the Lakers would love to find a super quick point guard, there appear to be few suitable candidates in the free agent pool. In the ongoing search for improvement at the power forward position, the Lakers are likely to inquire regarding a number of free agents. Malik Rose of the Spurs is among players they will likely consider.

http://www.ibiblio.org/craig/draft/2002_draft/Picks/27_lakers.shtml


Here's the other teams that were after Malik at the time ...


Malik Rose, F/C, Spurs He's undersized (6-7, 255), he went to Drexel and he was a second-round pick--another good match for this group. Rose is a willing role player and solid frontcourt reserve. His numbers are not astounding (9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds), but he is a good defender and smart player. It's hard to imagine Rose leaving San Antonio, but the Lakers will be interested, as will the 76ers, Pacers and Wizards.

[cqsallie]

Geez! I didn't know the Lakers were involved in that sudden recognition by the Spurs! Holy Smokes!!!!!
Even so, there are a lot of us who thought that Malik coulda been a contender. What he seems to have lacked was the support of the coach... You bet, he's not 7', but he's tall enough and sure as hell has a solid build, which should have spelled defense to somebody.
Does anybody know the reason behind his continued "malfunction" regarding Pop? Will we ever know the whole story?

[SequSpur]

I recall those stories, that doesn't mean their true.

I believe the problem is exactly what Marcus said. The salary was inappropriate and Pop and the fans can't let it go.

I am curious to see Malik play for a different team. Lets see what he can do with significant minutes, because he is not going to see them on the Spurs.

[Kori Ellis]

I recall those stories, that doesn't mean their true.

Well that's all I can show you. But it was reported, BY THE LAKERS, at the time.

[timvp]

Sequ doesn't have a clue. Why do you think the Spurs gave Rose the contract they did? Believe me, they knew what type of player he was before giving him the contract. The main reason they gave him the contract was because they didn't want him going to the Lakers and winning a fist full of championship rings.

[Kori Ellis]

The salary was inappropriate and Pop and the fans can't let it go.

The starting salary wasn't inappropriate ... it was less than the MLE. If Malik would have gotten a contract without raises, I don't think anyone would be bitching about him making $4M per year. The problem is at the end of contract, he'll be making $7M+. That's only worth it to a team that is playing him solid minutes.

[MannyIsGod]

You know, I love Malik. If Tim played with the same fire, can you imagine the type of player he is?

Malik makes mistakes, but he has more desire in his pinky than most players in any sport ever have.

I fucking respect that, and I hope he sticks with the Spurs untill he can't dive on the floor for a ball anymore.

Fuck, the beloved Rasho Nestorovic could learn a thing or 204382390 from Malik.

[SPARKY]

The thing is, he'll be making $7 mil a year when the average NBA player salary is that. Sure, ultimately if this saga drags on and Rose is not consistently a part of the rotation then you might as well move him. For now it seems that absent the recent hiccup things have been much better this season.

[SequSpur]

Sequ doesn't have a clue. Why do you think the Spurs gave Rose the contract they did? Believe me, they knew what type of player he was before giving him the contract. The main reason they gave him the contract was because they didn't want him going to the Lakers and winning a fist full of championship rings.

Uhh... Malik is the main tenant of Pop's doghouse. That's a fact. At the time, Malik got that contract it was one of the highest contracts a Spur has ever gotten from this organization, much more than Bruce Bowen who is an annual all NBA defensive player. Malik never was, never has been worthy of any 7 year deal worth 42 million dollars. It was a mistake, it was stupid and if that's what he was offered, they should've let him go. Malik was going to guarantee the Lakers rings? Yeah, I am definitely studying the wrong hoopology. LMAO.

There are 20,000 people that fill chairs in the SBC center, why is he worthy of getting paid for it?

[SPARKY]

Uhh... Malik is the main tenant of Pop's doghouse. That's a fact. At the time, Malik got that contract it was one of the highest contracts a Spur has ever gotten from this organization, much more than Bruce Bowen who is an annual all NBA defensive player. Malik never was, never has been worthy of any 7 year deal worth 42 million dollars. It was a mistake, it was stupid and if that's what he was offered, they should've let him go. Malik was going to guarantee the Lakers rings? Yeah, I am definitely studying the wrong hoopology. LMAO.

There are 20,000 people that fill chairs in the SBC center, why is he worthy of getting paid for it?

Example A for my original post in this thread.

[SequSpur]

If Tim played with the same fire, can you imagine the type of player he is?

Maybe a 2 time MVP, Finals MVP, Annual allstar, Olympian and leading his team to the current best record in the league and getting his coach the allstar bid?

Is that the fire you are talking about?

:lol

[timvp]

You don't think that Rose playing against the team that let him go would have been better than Robert "0-90" Horry in the 2003 Spurs vs. Lakers series? Let's be real.

[SPARKY]

Funny I recall a host of Spurs fans ripping Duncan for playing soft during last year's series versus the Lakers. I'm sure Sequ wasn't one of them.

Yeah.

[SPARKY]

The Spurs won that 2003 series due in no small part to the fact that they had the much deeper and physical frontcourt rotation than the Lakers. Who would the Spurs have had in Rose's place as the 1st big off the bench? 57 year old Kevin Willis?

[SequSpur]

Give it a rest, Malik is not helping any team win a ring.

Without Duncan, the Spurs would be out of San Antonio, and Pop would be flipping burgers. Nough said.

[cqsallie]

So, the consensus is that Malik can only play if a significant other (TD) is injured and has no worth other than that? What I have found so remarkable about the current Spurs team is the "team" aspect. Send in the bench - Ha! Ha! Ha! The Spurs bench is better than the front line of most competitors!
If I were Malik Rose, I'd seize every opportunity to shine while stroking my wealth as an entrepreneur. Have any of you ever tried a Philly Cheese Steak from Malik's place? Oh! So good!
But, on the other hand, if I had set my sights on becoming an NBA star, I'd want to prove myself in that venue (even if my cheese steaks made me a millionaire).
What makes me so damned mad is the fact that Malik has been totally thwarted by his coach and team. He'll never know what he can do; he'll never know how high he can go; he'll never be the star of any team because he's been bought by the San Antonio Spurs and is being victimized by a coach who has a love/hate relationship with him.
I'm reminded of a song from long ago, "Let me go, lover."

[SequSpur]

Malik is successful when teams aren't prepared for him. Just like the Lakers, the dude hadn't played in a long time and suddenly he came in there and the Lakers had no answer for him, rookie coach.

Malik is easily taken out of a game, just pressure him and he will collapse. Simple as that.

[SPARKY]

Then why was Malik able to play so well when he was a regular part of the rotation? Surely opponents expected him to be on the court then. Yeah, Malik always collapsed under playoff pressure. No doubt.

I'm done with you.

[SequSpur]

Watch a game.

[whottt]

What happened was the Lakers offered Rose a contract during that 2002 offseason and Rose gave the Spurs the option to match it. The Spurs matched it but from the second they matched it, they've been trying to trade him. They didn't want him going to the Lakers and winning championships next to Shaq and Kobe.

And it's a good thing they did because the Lakers probably beat the Spurs in 2003 if Rose is on the other team.


Bingo! LA wanted Malik badly, and so did a lot of their fans. How many people remember when Malik's name was being bandied about as the favorite for 6th man of the year before he got injured in 2001?

LA wanted Malik for much the same reasons we wanted Horry, they wanted to hurt us as much as they wanted to actually help themselves...because Malik defends Shaq very well...just like Horry defends Duncan very well.

The Spurs overpaid Malik to keep LA from getting him, that is the A#1 reason for Malik's struggles since signing that contract...but be glad the Spurs signed Malik. Malik and Shaq(and Malik would have started for LA with Horry coming off the bench) in the same front court would have been the most physical frontcourt in the NBA...I don't care how inconsistent Malik is...he and Shaq would have physically beat the living crap out of anyone they played.

Instead the Lakers wound up with Samake :) and his suck factor singlehandedly killed the dynasty.

And Malik has proven time and time again he can put up numbers when pressed into service as a starter...when hasn't he done it? He also tends to have big moments in the playoffs...not in Robert Horry's league...but good enough to be a valauble player on 2 NBA champions.

Like I said when Rasho first went down...out of Rasho, Horry and Malik, Malik is the guy capable of having the biggest game as a starter...Malik has a 20 20 game as a starter...Horry and Rasho have never even come close to that, and they've started a hell of a lot more games than Malik.

Still when Rasho is healthy, I like the way the rotation is the past month or so...I think Rasho should start because of his shotblocking...I think Horry is the solution to more problems than Malik because of his intelligence and consistency...Horry may not bring the hustle every night, but he hardly ever makes a stupid play. Malik is still a key piece to this team though and has more of a future than Horry...I don't like it when Pop doesn't let him get any minutes in the game, so we can see what he's got for that night...because if Malik is on...he's the only one of our rotation bigs that can do an impersonation of Duncan at his best.

[MannyIsGod]

Nice post, Whottttttttttttttt

[ducks]

lakers might have offerd money but rose never even went to la
rose was not really interestd he was trying to use them as leverage

[Useruser666]

I think the problem is that Rose just needs to play respectable for the minutes he's given. If he did that and didn't make any big mental/play mistakes he would be given 18 minutes a game and the days DNP would be no more.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

The night Malik made the mistake of putting his Jersey over his head, It wasn't only because he knew he had done wrong but because In his Heart and Mind he knew his Brother Cory was not watching him like always...

I agree with you Spurgal that Malik has been bashed way more than he deserves these past few seasons. However, don't tell me he pulled his jersey over his head because of his brother! That's just BS. Pop did the right thing taking him out of rotation, he needed to learn a lesson, hopefully he did. I do hope his brother gets well, but what he did was just INCREDIBLY STUPID!

[SpursWoman]

No...I'm pretty sure he just put the jersey over his head because he made a boneheaded mistake.

[SequSpur]

Malik and Horry are 2 total different players and bring different skills to the team. I don't understand the comparison or even the discussion.

Horry is the smarter player. Again, if Malik is capable of 20, 20 games, then why in the fuck is he planted to a chair every night? Your take that Malik is capable of this holds no value, because in reality Malik is not very good, hence the DNPs. This isn't 2001. This is 2005.

Please, watch a game, listen to pop, Malik is not very good.

[Rick Von Braun]

Please, watch a game, listen to pop, Malik is not very good.
Did you of all people just say that? :lol

[T Park]

Sequ doesnt understand half the time what hes saying.

Ive said from the beginning. The Spurs need Malik Rose to play well to do well.

But if hes gonna play stupid, and absolutely horribly EX Sacramento, then hes gonna get benched.

To excuse horrible play like that, and boneheaded mistakes in key situations is hypocritical.

[SequSpur]

The Spurs don't need Malik Rose, they haven't all year or last year. Get over it.

[T Park]

They do need Malik Rose to play Malik Rose circa 03.

But Malik at times this year has played like Malik of 03 04.

If Malik can just consistently bring what he brought the other night, this team is unbeatable, but Malik needs to play within himself.

Stop trying to do sooo much.

[whottt]

Again, if Malik is capable of 20, 20 games, then why in the fuck is he planted to a chair every night? .

It's not if he's capable of 20 20 games...he did it last season when Duncan was injured.



SAN ANTONIO (78)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
B Bowen 32 2-11 0-0 0-6 2 3 5
M Rose 41 6-14 8-10 9-22 1 5 20
R Nesterovic 32 5-10 0-0 3-7 0 2 10
J Hart 35 3-8 1-2 1-5 1 3 7
E Ginobili 37 6-16 4-4 0-1 7 2 17
R Horry 24 3-12 1-2 1-4 2 1 7
H Turkoglu 21 1-7 5-6 1-2 1 1 7
S Heal 12 1-4 0-0 0-0 1 0 3
D Brown 6 0-1 2-2 1-2 0 1 2
K Willis DNP - COACH'S DECISION
T Duncan DNP - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE
T Parker DNP - SPRAINED LEFT ANKLE


My question to you is: IF Malik sucks so bad then how did we win an NBA title with him being our primary back up big?

HOW did we go 6-1 on that monster road trip in 03 without David Robinson? Remember? We went and bumped off Portland, LA and Sac in a row?

REMEMBER that game against Milwaukee where he filled in for Drob and scored 32 points?

Rasho and Horry have never come close to pulling down 22 boards in a game and Rasho has never come close to scoring 32 points in a game...and they have made a lot more starts than Malik.

Malik has started a grand total of 40 games in his career...his best rebounding game is better than Rasho and Horry and his best scoring game is better than Rasho.


THE reason you don't see him getting those opportunities now is because Pop has other options now, Pop can afford to be prickish right off the bat because he's got Horry.

Horry is damn good option...more often that not Horry is the answer..More often than not Malik is not going to get those opportunities on a team with Horry...but it's stupid to say he is garbage and it's stupid to not give him any chance whatsoever to impact a game...look at this LA game for example...

The addition of Horry has hurt Malik's game...but were you happy with Horry's play against Shaq and the Lakers? Horry is not always the answer.

Just don't forget what Malik has done when this team has needed him, he was a big reason we won that title in 03..and there's not a lot of guys running around the NBA that have a 20 20 game.

Oh yeah, he averaged 10 and 6 as a bench player that title season...better than any season Horry has had off the bench and better numbers than Rasho put up last season.

[ChumpDumper]

Then why was Malik able to play so well when he was a regular part of the rotation?Then why have old farts beaten him out?

That's not because of his contract; you can't make that excuse.

His contract at the time was fair, we thought he would play at least 20-25 mpg -- hell, we even thought he would start. So what? He's not playing that now. His being beaten out of his minutes have nothing to do with the contract -- only message board bitching has anything to do with that. Sure the Spurs have been looking to trade him -- why wouldn't they? You simply don't pay a guy $7 million a year to play 16 minutes per game. You can get on your high horse all you like and pontificate about "ignorant" Spur fans, but that weak take can never compete with common sense. I completely agree that Malik has qualities this team needs, but I won't pretend that he is unique or above criticism because of what he has done in the past. He has every opportunity to win back his spot in the rotation, to put Massenburg and Horry back in their originally planned roles, to play 20+ minutes per game -- in short: to be worth his contract.

When I say play him or trade him, there is no equivocation; Malik should either play the minutes and role he was originally signed to perform or he should be gone. That's it.

[SPARKY]

Sorry, but that article pretty much vindicates what I and a few others here have been saying for some time. Nice try though.

[ChumpDumper]

What does it validate?

Play him or trade him.

What part of that do you not understand?

You want him to play. Fine.

[Spurgal]

The Spurs don't need Malik Rose, they haven't all year or last year. Get over it.


I am starting to wonder If AHF and SequSpur are the same person...They both seem to always be making such bitter comments about Malik...

[Mark in Austin]

The article only says
Popovich told Rose during last season's exit interview the team probably would continue to explore trade opportunities involving him. The Spurs' stance hasn't changed. With Tony Parker's salary set to increase by almost $7 million next season and Duncan, Nesterovic, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen also holding long-term contracts, the franchise eventually will need to trim payroll.


Malik is the one on the block because his performance doesn't equal his contract amount. If he was playing the way he played the year before he got his contract, and the way the Spurs expected him to play - as a perennial 6th man of the year candidate, for instance - the team would be trying to figure out other options to trim payroll. I agree with CD. If he earns his minutes, he stays and plays. This is the same round and round bullshit we went though with the [FREE STEPHEN JACKSON crap a few seasons ago. Like Jack, nobody is denying Malik's talent. But if you want to get minutes playing for Pop, you have to know your role, generally play within the parameters of the offensive system, and most importantly, play Spurs defense. Once Jack learned that and did that, he freed himself. Malik is fully capable of doing the same.

Marcus, you're argument on this issue is pretty counter-intuitive. You say that the Spurs want to trade Malik to get rid of his contract. If that is the case, then why bury him at the end of the bench? You can't trade a guy that makes Malik's money if the league percieves him as a 10th or 12th man.

If there was some sinister plan on the Spurs part to trade him regardless of his play, they would be making absolutely sure Malik would get enough consistent playing time to ensure that he has value in other team's eyes.

If you have an asset you want to spotlight in order to build up trade interest from other teams in that asset, you don't banish him to the end of the bench and never play him. That makes it less likely he'll be traded, not more so. To think the Spurs have reduced his role and his minutes in order to facilitate a trade is just plain stupid. That is the fundamental flaw in your arguement.