No Malone for LA

[picnroll]

LA radio's reporting that Malone 's agent says Malone's pissed at Kobe and won't play for the Lakers.

Retire? Wolves? Spurs?

[Sec24Row7]

still dont want malone

[boutons]

WTF cares? is lakergod an alias for picnroll?

[genghisrex]

WTF cares? is lakergod an alias for picnroll?
picnroll has been around since long before you have and is a respected poster. And I care.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

I'd still take malone, as good as the spurs are playing, i wouldnt mind having a 4th quarter lineup that includes, duncan, malone, ginobili, and parker, I think that would help rid our problems of 4th quarter collapses, w/malone knockin down that mid-range jumper to free up duncan underneath

[Solid D]

I vouch for picnroll any day of the week and twice on Sundays. He knows his stuff. LA Radio may be a different story. :)

The plot thickens on Malone. The controversy rears its ugly head...yet again.

[bigzak25]

no malone is good. i hate malone. keep him off of tv too please. if healthy, i don't know why he would turn down miami.

[MosesGuthrie]

Screw Malone. I hope he retires.

[boutons]

Doing great at 16-3, the Spurs still have a lot of toughening and gelling to do.

Bringing in what is supposed to be a "big help" like Malone so late in the season, after the ASB could be very disruptive to team chemstry. At best, I bet he would not help the Spurs win any addtional games (assuming we get 60) And if a mobile Barry is having difficutlies, how much could a Malone, with a tender knee, pick up and fit in?

His help is too little, too questionable, too late.

[jalbre6]

Disagree. If Malone's willing to accept 18 minutes a game off the bench, sign his satanic ass up.

Karl Malone at 41 is better than Tony Massenburg at 37.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

well, if he'd be willing to sign a 2 year contract, w/the 2nd year being our option, i think he'd help the spurs out alot, first off, we could trade malik, so we can free up some more money for scola and brown for next season

[Manu20]

I don't mind Malone as a Spur. The reason is other than Malik who you can as a second big men.
Horry????? Massenburg????? NO!

[picnroll]

A big man rotation of KG, Griffin and Malone trumps any big man rotation the Spurs can put on the floor. Frankly the addition of Griffin with his head screwed on right makes an end of game big man combo of KG and Griffin better than any the Spurs can put on the floor. Making up the difference at the other three positions is no certainty. I'd like Malone.

[timvp]

Oh hell no.

:pctoss

[Kori Ellis]

Did Manley actually say that Malone "won't play for the Lakers"? I understood that he said that Malone was upset with Kobe's comments and that it could possibly affect his decision.

Picnroll, did you hear Manley's comments? Or is this second-hand?

[ALVAREZ6]

Malone is too old, hes gotta retire and smoke the cigar

[Kori Ellis]

Here's the whole story ... Karl Malone is a frickin' drama queen like I've never seen...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1940902

LOS ANGELES -- Karl Malone has ruled out a return to the Los Angeles Lakers because of comments made by Kobe Bryant in a radio interview, Malone's agent said Tuesday.

"Karl is furious," agent Dwight Manley said. "He felt very disrespected and betrayed after personally being the first to stand up for Kobe over the last year throughout his rape charge and all he went through."

Manley said remarks made by Bryant on Monday, coupled with what the agent called "recent personal attacks made in private," led Malone to his decision.

Asked if Malone might play elsewhere, Manley replied: "This certainly opens up that possibility."

Bryant told XTRA on Monday he didn't believe Malone, who is recovering from knee surgery, would come back to the Lakers, calling it "just intuition."

"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear.

"They are here giving me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."

John Black, the Lakers' public relations director, said the team would issue a statement later Tuesday.

Malone, 41, told the Lakers on Oct. 1 he was still recovering from arthroscopic surgery he underwent three months earlier on his right knee and wasn't ready to play. But he didn't rule out returning at some point this season or beyond.

Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, opted out of his $1.65 million contract following last season, making him a free agent.

After playing 18 seasons for the Utah Jazz, Malone joined the Lakers before last season in search of his first championship. He took a pay cut of about $18 million to sign for $1.5 million.

"Karl sacrificed financially to come to L.A., he sacrificed personally," Manley said. "He put his name and reputation on the line, put his arm around Kobe and said he was a good kid, tried to be his friend, told people to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"And now, basically, to get stabbed in the back, that's how he feels. This has ended any possibility of Karl returning to the Lakers in any capacity."

Malone and Bryant live about six blocks apart in Newport Beach.

Manley said his client is fully recovered from knee surgery and 100 percent physically.

"Karl will have something to say, probably in the next month or so, about his future," Manley said. "It will likely be after the first of the year. I'm personally crossing my fingers that he decides to play." :sleep

Several teams, including San Antonio, Minnesota and Miami, expressed interest in Malone during the offseason.

While with the Lakers, Malone was one of the few players who was close with both Bryant and O'Neal. Bryant signed a $136.4 million contract last summer to remain with the Lakers while O'Neal was traded to Miami.

Malone played in 1,434 of a possible 1,444 regular-season games with the Jazz, but missed 40 games with the Lakers -- 39 after tearing a knee ligament Dec. 21 against Phoenix.

He returned in March and played a key role as the Lakers reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

Malone reinjured his knee in Game 2 of the finals, was limited in Games 3 and 4 and didn't play in Game 5. The Lakers lost the last three games.

Malone had played in 193 straight playoff games with the Jazz and Lakers before having to sit out the last game of the finals.

Considered one of the best power forwards in NBA history, Malone averaged a career-low 13.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 42 games last season, leaving him with career averages of 25.0 points and 10.1 rebounds.

His 36,928 points in 1,476 games trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who finished his career with 38,387 points in 1,560 games.

[timvp]

If the Spurs sign The Human Halftime Special, they won't win the championship.

Book it.

[Guru of Nothing]

Oh hell no.

:pctoss

I'm in the F* No Malone crowd too, but, if at the behest of minority Spurs owner David Robinson, Karl got "I'm David's Bitch" tattooed on his ass as a condition for employment, I'd welcome Karl to the Spurs, as a fan.

[missmyzte]

I know this won't be a popular opinion but Kobe's right. How many teams were holding out during the offseason for a decision that never came and now the guys on the Lakers are playing and wondering if they're the next one to get cut/traded when Karl "feels like making a decision". Like Kori said - he's a friggin' drama queen.

[Kori Ellis]

Misti, I agree with you, Kobe didn't say anything wrong. He's just saying, Hey guys let's focus on what we know for sure. What's wrong with that?

I don't think Karl will play anywhere. I think he'll stay retired, but he loves to hear his name and will stretch out the drama for a few more months.

[picnroll]

After the fact second hand Kori from people who heard Malone's agent on the radio. I have to think that for whatever reasons Kobe doesn't want Malone back and is submarining his return. Probably not a bad idea as the Lakers are going nowhere but at best a first round exit this year and Malone's not a player to build a future around. All the same Kobe demonstrating his leadership qualities and why the Lakers' are fucked.

[smeagol]

Fcuk Malone!

[Mark in Austin]

i wouldnt mind having a 4th quarter lineup that includes, duncan, malone, ginobili, and parker, I think that would help rid our problems of 4th quarter collapses, w/malone knockin down that mid-range jumper to free up duncan underneath

If you're counting on Malone to come through in the clutch, don't hold your breath. The dude always folds when it counts.

The hell with Malone. I agree with Timvp - kiss a ring this year good-bye if the Spurs sign that cunt.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

im sorry, i guess i should count on rasho or malik in clutch time

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

i hate malone as much as you guys, but i'd much rather play w/him than against him, especially if he signed w/a team such as the T-wolves

[ALVAREZ6]

malone....

he's not over the fact that his daughter won a championship before him, and she's half his age....

[ShoogarBear]

Misti, I agree with you, Kobe didn't say anything wrong.

Oh, I found one statement that's classic Show-be:


"They are here giving me 110 percent."

Giving him 110 percent?

"L'etat, c'est moi !".
-King Kobe I

[smeagol]

Fvcking mercenary!

No Malone, por favor . . .

[Mark in Austin]

im sorry, i guess i should count on rasho or malik in clutch time


You could, because they would both be more clutch than malone. But I would recommend Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker as better options that are available.

[BronxCowboy]

Who gives a fuck if Malone is clutch or not, if Malone would help the Spurs or mess up chemistry, or whatever?!? I can't believe this is even coming back up. This is KARL SATAN MALONE we're talking about, people. In a Spurs uniform? Screw that.

[Dalamar_the_Dark]

Some of you peeps out there have no idea what youre talking about. Im not talking about giving malone 18-20 mins. but if he can help out here and there on some nights like what kevin willis did last season why dont we sign him? parker seems to be on the right track to maturity, beno seems to be a capable back up. barry can handle the point as well once he gets familiar with pop's schemes. why cant we waive or put wilks on the ir and sign malone.

he dont need to play everynight but playoff experience counts. if he can help why not?

i hated malone during his jazz days as well as laker days. why? cause i thought he was a dirty player. but hey. thats because im on the spurs side. anyone who messes with my team messes with me. others call bowen dirty cause they are on the short end of the stick. so if malone is on the spurs, i will still support the spurs. come on guys be objective. i think he can help us in some ways. massenburg is not good enough to guard certain players. malik has problems with some players. rasho has problems with some players. so why not get a good low post defender like malone who can help out. he showed that if he can guard timmy during the playoffs, who else cant he guard? think about it.

flame me if you think fit but look at it from the spurs point of view. team first man team first

[Brodels]

Some of you peeps out there have no idea what youre talking about. Im not talking about giving malone 18-20 mins. but if he can help out here and there on some nights like what kevin willis did last season why dont we sign him? parker seems to be on the right track to maturity, beno seems to be a capable back up. barry can handle the point as well once he gets familiar with pop's schemes. why cant we waive or put wilks on the ir and sign malone.

he dont need to play everynight but playoff experience counts. if he can help why not?

i hated malone during his jazz days as well as laker days. why? cause i thought he was a dirty player. but hey. thats because im on the spurs side. anyone who messes with my team messes with me. others call bowen dirty cause they are on the short end of the stick. so if malone is on the spurs, i will still support the spurs. come on guys be objective. i think he can help us in some ways. massenburg is not good enough to guard certain players. malik has problems with some players. rasho has problems with some players. so why not get a good low post defender like malone who can help out. he showed that if he can guard timmy during the playoffs, who else cant he guard? think about it.

flame me if you think fit but look at it from the spurs point of view. team first man team first

Team first, right? Well, in my opinion, the team would be better off without him. You can't just look at a player's talent level and think he'd help. He has to be a good fit. As the Portland/Knick model has shown us, you can't just add talent and expect it to work in all cases.

- The Spurs are playing great right now. The addition of a veteran former superstar who has always played major minutes and gotten a good amount of touches (even in L.A.) is almost certainly going to change things in some way, and we just don't know how. I'm happy with the chemistry right now, and although Karl isn't likely to be a problem, it's very possible that he could disrupt a delicate balance. Don't forget that Karl has never come off the bench on a regular basis.

- The league (and power forwards in general) continues to get more athletic. The new prototype power forward is in the mold of Nowitski, Garnett, Radmanovic, Marion, etc. Karl is a great post defender, but can he keep up with Shawn Marion on the perimeter. To complicate matters further, can he keep up with Shawn Marion at his advanced age and coming off of a major knee injury? It's hard to say, but those are certainly valid questions.

- You talked about giving Malone Kevin Willis minutes and not 18-20 minutes. I can't speak for Karl, but I can't imagine that he would come back unless he could play some regular role off of the bench. He would almost certainly take most of Rose's and Horry's minutes. I'd rather have Rose and Horry out there simply because they can get up and down the floor. Their ability to do so is important because it contrasts Rasho's game. Rasho is slow. Karl may not provide that contrast. He's at the very end of his career and coming off a serious knee injury.


Some of you peeps out there have no idea what youre talking about.

Of course, the same could be argued for you.

[BronxCowboy]

There is no comparison between Bowen and Malone in terms of dirty play. Guys complain about Bowen because they get frustrated, but he is no way a dirty player. Malone, on the other hand, may be the dirtiest to ever play the game. The dude has kept his career alive for the past few years with his cheap, dirty shit. Even years ago he wouldn't have been as good as he was if it wasn't for his dirty play. There is absolutely no place for a guy like Malone on a basketball team with any class.

[ChumpDumper]

So all we do here is bitch about how soft and shitty our frontline (read: Rasho) is, yet we would turn down the absolute best available big man (yes, provided he's healthy but BIG FUCKING DEAL if he isn't -- if anyone outside of NZ has demanded PT for Sean Marks, raise your hand) because we never beat him in the playoffs we created an entire mythology to rationalize his ownage of this team.

End of rant: it's fine not to want Malone, just be honest about why.

Personally, I think we're pretty solid up front. Apparently everyone else thinks so too.

[IcemanCometh]

fuck karl malone

[Brodels]

Personally, I think we're pretty solid up front. Apparently everyone else thinks so too.

I do too. I'm happy with the frontcourt for now.

I simply think that Malone could possibly bring more negative attributes than positive ones, as I explained above.

[King]

During the offseason, I wasn't opposed to the idea. But, they're 16-3 and rolling now. Don't mess with it.

[smeagol]

Some of you peeps
Who are you calling a "peep"? And why?

Just because we don't want Malone to mess up the chemestry. We are 16-3, in case you didn't notice . . .

So get the fuck out of here with your Malone talk.

Dalamar the Dark, you are definetly in the dark on this one . . .

[Marcus Bryant]

Who thought Jerome Kersey would ever have been a Spur?

Who thought Mario Elie would ever have been a Spur?

Who thought Terry Porter would ever have been a Spur?

Who thought Robert Horry would ever have been a Spur?

Prior to Malone's performance last season I would have been skeptical about his willingness to put team before his individual glory but you know what? He did. The only thing he didn't do is pull a Willis Reed imitation in Game 5 of the Finals but other than that he filled a role and tried to keep the team together in a lockerroom full of egos. No, I don't really care for him that much but I can't say I really care for Horry that much either.

What concerns me is how healthy he would be, exactly. If he's going to be hobbling around on the court then while he may be a marginal improvement over Massenburg I don't think he's worth the trouble. But if he comes back rejuvenated, ready to do what is asked of him, and totally focused on winning a championship it is hard to turn that down, especially when your starting center is Radoslav Nesterovic.

[Stand]

Edit Sorry guys I missed the first one and didn't mean to post that again.

[Dalamar_the_Dark]

Finally someone sees what im talking about. Malone has proved that he puts team first. He didnt complain about lack of shots like kobe. he didnt complain about playing time like payton. he didnt complain about touches like shaq. so quit trying to convince that he cant play on this team. you think pop wont tell him that he will have to fit into a different type of role if he joins the spurs?

I think he would fit well. this is professional sports mind you. if youre a professional you dont go around sulking like a little kid and say that i cant stand so and so in the locker room so i wont play. shaq and kobe couldnt stand one another but what the heck they won championships together. chemistry isnt about who is whose best friend or if the team goes out shopping together. its about how the team fits best together.

if pop and buford have been on malone's tail for so long i think with their past track record of piecing the team together, we should trust what they are doing if they sign malone.

if pedro martinez were to sign for his daddy do you think that posada is not going to catch him? come on.

[baseline bum]

This is punk by Malone. Kobe was right to make the statement that the team can't sit around and wait for his decision. This looks like a calculated move IMO. Now Warm Karl won't have to play on a team going nowhere and he can use Kobe as a scapegoat for not returning to his old team while trying to gravy train a title on a second team. The pieces just fit perfectly. No one in the media is going to take Kobe's side anymore, and we'll hear a billion stories about how poor Karl was so hurt by Kobe's words and how he couldn't return. Boo fucking hoo.

[smeagol]

B-Bum tells the Malone story like it is!

The only thing I ask Base, is don't put up again that horrible avatar with Malone and the dicks.

Malone, pinche culero hijo de la chingada, ve a culearte una cabra.

[Marcus Bryant]

Let's not forget another benefit of bringing in Malone which is that you keep him away from Minnesota. A Malone playing at the level which he did in the series against the Spurs last May is not a pleasant thought should the Spurs run into Minnesota in the playoffs this season.

[Kori Ellis]

The article says Malone isn't even deciding for a month or more if he's going to play or not. I don't think that he will play and if he does, he'll probably go to Miami just to keep the Shaq vs Kobe drama alive. I don't think the Spurs are going to add a player like Malone in February or later. Besides, his agent told the Spurs a few months ago that if Karl returned it would be to the Lakers only. So, how much can you actually believe?

Save the drama.

[iminlakerland]

Here are my two cents on this...

Kobe Bryant is an egotistical maniac we all know that. But in this matter i dont think Kobe said anything wrong. Karl has been playing games ever since last season. Either hes returning or isnt. Many teams stayed in limbo land in order to aquire him in the off season. Many teams have wanted him back and the Lakers are one of those teams. Yet Karl still wasnt sure who he wanted to play for.

I think this is an excuse for Karl to leave the Lakers and go else where. Karl Malones number one objective right now is to win a ring before he retires. This gives Karl an opportunity to go to a team like the Spurs or even the Timberwolves who are contenders.

If this is what Karl is truely doing, then fuck him. Go ahead and leave. But i hope his agent is blowing this out of proportion. If not someone give this man a damn midol.

[mattyc]

Fuck Malone. He doesn't deserve a ring, especially not with us.

[baseline bum]

Read TJ Simmer's article in tomorrow's LA Times. It basically says the same think ill and I are saying.

Malone's such a freaking drama queen. He fit in perfectly on the Lakers and he should stay.

[Tek_XX]

I'm assuming what was said in private is what has got Malone all pissy because if he is mad because of what Kobe said he's a little bizatch.

Let's not give Malone the pleasure of getting a ring. He can take his black redneck azz back to Utah!!

[timvp]

Malone's drama queen act is so damn old. I was tired of it last year and now its like 100 times worse. The Spurs are playing great. Why have the Human Halftime Special ruin it? If the Spurs can't beat the T'Wolves with the gimpy 50 year old, they don't deserve to win a championship.

[Dex]

Personally, I wouldn't really mind the addition since it only makes our squad look MORE like a Fantasy team, but eh...

Malone already had his chance, just like Jason Kidd.

We're winning just fine without them, so now we should just sit back and let both of their ring-less asses stew and learn a lesson about missed oppurtunities.

[T Park]

Bring him in.

Malone >>>>>>> Massenburg + Horry

The hate the people on this forum have for him is borderline inane.


The guy is gonna be team first, and is gonna wanna bust his ass and help the team.

If he proved in a workout that he is healthy, and can play at 100%

Bring his ass in and Cut Wilks.

[ggoose25]

i hate malone, but i think we should sign him just to keep minny and miami from getting him. Then we can bench his ass, win a championship, and still have clean consciences about giving EVIL his ring.

[baseline bum]

Fine. Sign Malone and let his ass sell peanuts just to keep him from Minnesota. Better yet, make him fill in for that piñata that he destroyed back at the Dome for some halftime entertainment.

[T Park]

oh please.

RObinson and Malone are friends now, and Robinson has moved on,

the guy is not evil. A man that donates to charity and does lots of good things in the community is NOT evil.

Save the hate for guys like Sprewell Artest and other peanut heads in the league.

[Kori Ellis]

Will Mailman come to the Spurs?
Web Posted: 12/08/2004 12:00 AM CST

Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer


If Malone really told his agent, Dwight Manley, that he felt Kobe Bryant had stabbed him in the back in remarks Bryant made to a Los Angeles radio station, then you can take to the bank Manley's assertion Malone won't be playing for the Lakers if he opts to return when he feels physically able.

This is critical, because the comfort level Malone's family had gained in their Newport Beach area home had been the reason the Lakers were No. 1 on Malone's list in the first place. But when Malone gets mad about something, he doesn't ordinarily change his mind.

That being the case, there is no question how he would feel about playing for the Spurs and Gregg Popovich, a man for whom he has the utmost respect: He would do it in a heartbeat. The Spurs have vowed to keep a roster spot available for Malone if he does decide he wants to play this season, and Popovich told him he would wait until January or February to find out what Malone wants to do.

If he does decide to come back, count on the Spurs being the team he would seek to join.

[ggoose25]

If someone coldcocks D.rob with an elbow on purpose, I'm gonna call the bitch EVIL. Someone who breaks peoples ribs with flying knees and plays dirty is not a good human being. And if i had that much money, I would donate to charities too...just so the IRS would get off my back. Donating money to charities doesnt mean shit. It doesnt say anything about a person's character because they could be doing it for the wrong reasons (i.e. tax breaks, to feel better about one's self, etc..).

Malone is just as bad as Spree and Artest. I consider them all trash.

That still doesnt change the fact that I dont want KG or Shaq lining up to him, so I'd still sign him from a business perspective... but in my heart I dont like it.

[Dalamar_the_Dark]

seems like more and more peeps are using their head over their heart then.

now for malone to hold a press conference that he is going to sign for the spurs for the veteran's minimum and a 2nd year club and player option.

[Kori Ellis]

Strictly thinking with my head ...

If the Spurs are winning at their current rate, why would you want to add Malone in February and possibly ruin the team chemistry that late in the season?

[T Park]

who is to say he would ruin the chemistry???

Who knwos , he probobly will add to IT.

Malone is the only reason the Lakers made it to the Finals.


That and the fixed Derek Fisher shot...

[Kori Ellis]

I didn't say he'd ruin it. I said "possibly". But I'm asking why you'd risk it that late in the season if the Spurs were still winning at this same clip?

[ggoose25]

I dont think its fair to assume he would completely mess up our chemistry.

If you look at it now you could make the argument that the D.Brown- Barry crunch for minutes could become a potential problem. The perennial Pop-Rose feud will eventually explode the second Horry has a good game. Or Bowen might jump into the crowd and hammer a few Sonic fans tomorrow night for the hell of it.

I guess my point is theres no way of knowing how Malone would act on our team. From his past history I would suspect that he would not mind adapting to whatever role he was given... the guy is so damn hungry for a ring to satisfly his EVIL Ego, that he was willing to take an $18 million pay cut! He also successfully survived in one of the most volative NBA environments - The Fakers locker room. If the guy can find a way to navigate through the Kobe-Shaq BS, then I'm sure he wont have a problem with not having to do a damn thing on the Spurs.

But lets just say he were to disrupt the chemistry... then that would be some serious basketball karma at work. For a team like the Spurs that pride themselves on quality players, a Malone meltdown would suck, but it would be just.

Anyway, I'm willing to risk it. If things go crappy once hes here, then let him go or trade him. The Spurs wont do that, but its always an available option. I just feel that the guy is desparate and will do what it takes to win... including not rocking the boat on our roster (which I might add has one of the most stable core of players in the league).

How much better does it get if you are Malone? Having RC and Pop slobbing all over you like a newborn chihuahua, and coming into a team that is already championship bound. If I were him I'd relax and enjoy the ride...

[Kori Ellis]

I dont think its fair to assume he would completely mess up our chemistry.

Again, I didn't assume that. I said "possibly". (Is there a reading comprehension problem here?)

I just don't see what the great benefits would be of having Malone here that late in the season if the Spurs were in the flow already. And the trade deadline is in late February I think, so you couldn't exactly trade him if he isn't working out.

As for the Spurs/Pop still saving a place for Malone in the Monroe article, I think that's just re-hash from what the Spurs said this summer. I don't think they made any new comments about it today.

[ggoose25]

Tell me this: Why is it such a huge risk bringing him in?

Are the Spurs such a fragile organization that bringing in a new player would "ruin" anything?

Plus Jan. is not late in the season. It's the halfway mark. I hate Malone with a passion, but I just dont see much downside to bringing him in. Obviously you do. Personally I'm waiting for a Spurs mini-collapse. i hope they cool off a little bit and then peak again in late March/early April, but they are bound to fall back down to a mid-season funk sooner or later.

"ESPN.com reported in August that Malone had informed new Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich that, if he plays a 20th season, he would only sign with the Lakers. Malone and Manley later had lunch with Lakers owner Jerry Buss on the eve of training camp to let Buss know that Malone wouldn't sign with another team.

But San Antonio and Minnesota continue to check in regularly with Malone, according to league sources, promising to save a roster spot for him." - (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1940902)

And even if they werent in constant contact and "saving a place", do you think RC would lose any sleep cutting Wilks for Malone?

[Dalamar_the_Dark]

Evil or not he is one of the hardest workers in the NBA. if not he wont have lasted till now.

Why does everyone perceive him as EVIL? cause thats the way dear old Jerry Sloan coaches. look at that whole Jazz team that time. EVERYONE on that team was dirty. You telling me John Stockton is not dirty? That guy was downright dirty. but it worked and he survived in the NBA for a damn long time. it was how sloan won at that time. you have marginal players supporting a PF with good passing skills and a sweet mid-range jumper and a super over-achieving PG. Sloan just moulded them into what they are today so quit saying that he is EVIL.

he was just taught to play that way and both have defied the odds.

Id say bring him in and give him some garbage mins to start with to get him back into the groove. then when your team is having a garbage night, when rasho is in a funk or when timmy is in foul trouble or if someone is injured. stick him in and see what he can do. this guy can certainly carry an offense if he is 100%. period.

I dont see how we can lose.

[Kori Ellis]

I like Malone. I was a Jazz fan when they used to beat the Spurs. I'm not anti-Malone -- I just don't see the big benefits of adding him in February. The reason I am saying February is because they said on the radio it would be another month or two before he makes a decision whether he's going to play or not.

It's just too much drama. If he is healthy, which he claims but I doubt, then he should be able to have decided by now if he's going to play or not.

Even today after Manley said that Malone wouldn't return to the Lakers. Malone, on a call-in, said that he wouldn't go as far as to say that. What's all the drama about? Play or don't play, but stop stringing teams on for months and months and months.

The Spurs aren't fragile, but I just don't see the pluses in bringing a guy in midseason if the team is clicking. All of a sudden you have to try him out in game situations and mess with other players minutes. February is the time when you should start honing your rotation, it's not a time for experimentation.

I get the pluses of a team adding Malone. But that team maybe should be Minnesota not San Antonio.

[ggoose25]

Pro's and Con's of Malone:

Advantages
-He's a dirty (yet savvy) veteran who knows the game.
-Adds physical presence that is not Cro-Magnon Massenburg-like.
-He can shoot the J.
-He can pass from the post.
-He can flop with the best of them.
-He's got the ref's in his back pocket after 20 seasons.
-He's got a new knee!

Disadvantages:
-He's a dirty douche who's old.
-He's EVIL.

we cant lose on picking him up!

[Dalamar_the_Dark]

Come on dont tell me you havent heard of mid-season trades that help a team win championships?!?!?!

only thing this is like a trade for malone for mike wilks on the IR.

Rasheed Wallace should ring a loud bell shouldnt it?

[Kori Ellis]

Of course midseason trades can help. But I just don't see how a hobbled Malone can help a Spurs team that is already playing top notch ball. Maybe the Spurs will rattle off 10 losses in a row and I'll be calling for mass changes by then, who knows. But right now, Malone's indecisiveness and drama just seem unnecessary.

[ggoose25]

Malone is an indecisive punk, and I totally agree he needs to put up or shut up already.

But I see his drama as a hindrance to a young inexperienced team like the Lakers, not as much for the Spurs.

Either way, I'll be unhappy. If we do sign him and win a part of me will feel like a traitor for giving him a ring. If we sign him and lose... obviously that sucks even more.

I just hope he doesnt come back at all. The league is a lot better without his ripped jersey and Jim Gray (let me cry because no one knows how it feels to lose a mother except me) cry me a river interviews.

[jalbre6]

Kind of a different take on this...

Dallas would take him. Minnesota would take him. Are the Spurs so high and mighty that they're too good all of a sudden that a 40+ year old lock for the Hall wouldn't help off the bench? He was averaging 13 points a game last year, and over 20 the year before that. He's only 5 years older than Massenburg, our current scrub 3rd big man. If Malone doesn't mind wearing warmups most of the game, bring him in. He's going to have to assimilate with the core of this team, and if he starts any prima-donna shit, the doghouse he'll be in will absolutley dwarf the one Malik was in last season.

I think he's an SOB, but I'd rather he be my teams SOB rather than a rivals.

[mattyc]

I like Malone. I was a Jazz fan when they used to beat the Spurs.
:wow Glad you saw the light!

[picnroll]

One very good reason to take him is so that he isn't wearing a Wolves uniform in May, grabbing and holding Duncan with impunity.

[Warlord23]

I think we mostly agree on 2 things :
a) Malone is a drama queen
b) Malone is probably pulling this little stunt for a better shot at a ring

Given this, I'm sorely tempted to turn Malone's ass down and not give him a free ride to the championship ... except ...

a) I'm still jittery about our frontcourt. It all looks good so far, but what happens if Duncan has a bad day or falls into foul trouble in a crucial playoff game? I don't think Nesterovic is good enough to anchor our interior defense in that scenario. Neither do I think he's a post-up threat that demands double teams; he wouldn't provide our guards too many open looks. Just picture Malone in the mix now. If Timmy picks up quick fouls in a game 6 with Minny, Malone is the only one who's good enough to keep us in it with Tim on the bench for long stretches. Horry, Rose, Rasho just aren't going to keep it competitive against an opposition frontcourt as good as Minnesota or Detroit.

b) I think if any team is going to avoid problems relating to bad chemistry, ego clashes and internal one-upmanship, it's gotta be the Spurs. In Pop's system, the only way to earn minutes is to contribute the way Pop wants. No one gets by on reputation alone (if Barry doesn't get his act together, all he's gonna see is garbage time). Malone just won't be able to muscle his way into the lineup on the strength of his resume. If Pop thinks Malone's too old and slow or he sees Malone disturbing the peace, Malone can be a spectator the rest of the way.

I think our downside is protected. If Malone ends up showing his age or flaunting his ego, all we lose is Mike Wilks.

But if he does provide 15 mins a game of strong post presence, good rebounding and a reasonably consistent jumpshot, then we're taking the Larry O'Brien trophy home.

Bottomline:
He doesn't contribute = We miss Mike Wilks
He actually makes a difference = Spurs 2005 champs

I'd go for it if he's available.

[baseline bum]

Artest and Spree never knocked-up 13 year-old girls and then left them either. Malone's a dirty, sleazy, whiny, choking drama queen and seeing him going for a chanpionship in Spurs gear would make me want to puke my fucking guts out.

If he's in SA I'm Cavs fan until Malone's gone.

[fonzy16]

Spurs can win it all without him, even if he signs with Wolves or Miami. So i hope Malone joines KG or Shaq, cause our victories will be even sweeter.

The only reason Spurs dont win a champinship with the cuurent team is if their nuts shrink (shooting %) in the Playoffs. In that case they don't deserve to be champions.

malone, we are doing fine without you!

[Slomo]

Malone is not nearly as evil as he is a drama queen and sleazy. From a character perspective I do not want him on my favourite team.

Now trying to be neutral or as some posters have put it thinking with my head I still have problems with a few point that were made:
- I do not think he has proved that he's willing to put the team first during his stay with the Lakers, what I think he's proved was that he'll do anything for the ring. During last season he was still in the spot light and selling his warrior BS to the Media.

- IF he's willing to be a role player in the Spurs line up and come from the bench with limited minutes he would be an asset to the team. It's a VERY BIG IF!!! and frankly I do not believe he would do it without running his mouth off in the media - and THAT would influence team chemistry.

- Historically he's been a good performer for the teams he's played for (even last year) but historically he has almost never been injured. I think it's a new situation for him and I'm not convinced he could be a good performer starting late in the season - I have to agree with Kori's question because of that.

- I like the idea of signing and benching him just to prevent the others to get him - but seriously what are the odds for that to happen? And even if Pop tried can you imagine what Malone would do in the media? And would it not impact the team?


So I do not think his a good choice. And I'm quite hapy about not having him on our team.

[johnny00]

Dallas would take him. Minnesota would take him. Are the Spurs so high and mighty that they're too good all of a sudden that a 40+ year old lock for the Hall wouldn't help off the bench?

I think he's an SOB, but I'd rather he be my teams SOB rather than a rivals.Well said, I agree. Just thought I'd add my vote to the whole thing.

[whottt]

TimVP, Base and all the other Malone haters are right. He is a drama queen, he probably is washed up, and most importantly, he will totally alter the chemistry of this team.

Karl will say something stupid and bizarre by Spurs standards before it's all said and one...something like, I didn't come here to play D and rebound....before it's over with he will accuse the Spurs of dissing him...like he has every other team.

This is Karl's way of getting out of his promise to go to the Lakers and also his way of keeping his name in the news.

But you cannot under-estimate the change he will have on the team chemistry.

Malone is a legend to a lot of these young guys on the Spurs, he will make minutes even more hard to come by, and IMO, he will complain if he isn't getting his minutes, even if he doesn't deserve them...and just by default he will undermine Pop authority.

He will say something like, I didn't come here to be Kevin Willis.

He did alter LA's chemistry, Shaq and Kobe went from being world beaters to acting like two kids trying to impress their father, they got in a childish contest trying to show Malone who the man was on that team and it was the final straw in the LA dynasty.


But it's a done deal if Pop wants it, so you might as well accept, like some other things some of us are going to have to accept in umpcoming seasons...

One bright side...Karl Malone hasn't done as much damage to Spurs players as Juwan Howard...it could be argued that Howard was responsible for the 01 loss and us having to play LA in the second round last season. I hate Juwan Howard every bit as much as Malone and at least if we have Malone we have a PF who is going to make Juwan think twice about who he injures.

Overall, I don't like Malone, I was against bringing him here before I was for it :fro, but what ever I said earlier...doing it now, Karl Malone will totally alter the chemistry on this team.

[spurster]

Kobe says Karl is not a demi-God. Karl's feelings are hurt bad. It's a double tragedy because the Lakers have no chance at a title either. I guess there's nothing to do but to piggyback on a team that's good enough for Karl.

[ducks]

barry has not gotten the pop system yet do you think mailman could in shorter time?

[Marcus Bryant]

Jerome Kersey downright abused Sean Elliott (more than Larry Brown if possible) in that '90 playoff series.

Mario Elie played on underdog teams that punked the Spurs out of the playoffs not once but twice. The first time was hard since that was the first playoffs after the 7 game series loss to Portland (before .4* there was "no look").

Robert Horry deserves his own special place in Spurs fan hell for his participation in three eliminations of the Spurs from the playoffs, two of which were brutal considering that they were the conference finals, the Spurs enjoyed homecourt, and the Spurs were favored.

Had the Spurs not lost that coin flip with Utah back in the '85 NBA Draft then San Antonio would have been on the nuts of Malone all of these years instead of David Robinson.

There is plenty of precedent of Spur Killers joining the Spurs at the end of their career as role players and Spur fans not only tolerating them but embracing them. Not that I expect that Malone would be welcomed warmly but after about 10 games of him showing Radosoft how a big man plays in the paint and a few dives after loose balls Spurs fans would forget or rationalize the past much like they have done with Horry, Elie, Porter, and Kersey. Those guys were just hired guns and so would be the case with Malone.

There are reasons why to be concerned about a Malone signing and that begins first with his health and then proceeds to the effect he would have on team chemistry. But as someone who utterly hated seeing his bitch ass drop the Spurs in the playoffs not one, not two, but three times if he's healthy and committed to winning a championship I say sign him up.

Look at it this way: the only way Karl Malone could win a NBA Championship would be to become a Spur.

[T Park]

If he's in SA I'm Cavs fan until Malone's gone.

If thats the case, you were a pretty weak Spurs fan.

In fact, you weren't a true one to begin with.

[whottt]

I've never truly hated guys whose only crime was beating us in the post season. I might hate those guys right after they do it, for a decade or so, but it's not permanent.

Malone has done other stuff outside of beating us.

I was glad when we signed Horry and Elie, I'd have been glad if we had signed Fish to be 3rd string. Malone is different. Guys like him and Juwan Howard...it's very hard to accept those guys on this team. And the only reason I could live with Malone is because I have an equal hatred of Juwan Howard and hope to see them kill each other on the court.

On top of that...Elie and Horry had rings, Malone is the anti-ring.

We really don't need his services to improve the play of this team and I think our chemistry has nowhere to go but down if we add him to the mix. IMO, any huge movement to bring him here is misguided becase he's not going to improve the teams play much...if at all, and he will probably hurt it.

Besides, wouldn't you actually like to beat Malone in the playoffs for once?

Wouldn't it be nice to end his final quest at a ring?

[Useruser666]

Reasons against getting Karl Malone:

Could be bad for chemistry.
Could be washed up.
Could take spot and minutes from other 3rd stringer? :rolleyes
Could get injured easily.

Reasons for getting Karl Malone:

If healthy, is good, tough player.
Could be good for chemistry.
Can be valuable in playoffs.

THE #1 reason!

Keep him away from the Wolves, Dallas, or anyone else!

I hate him too. But it does make sense. For pennies a day you can feed a hungry Malone.

[BigVee]

Why don't we just relax on this until Jan-Feb.? By then we will have played PHO, MIN, @ SAC, IND, @ PHO, in short several more real tests. Right now we have won 16 games, 9 of them against the East. Let's find out how good we really are and then make judgements about needing Malone. There are only two teams I really think can beat the Spurs...Min and Det. And, these are both teams that Malone would definitely help against. But if we sail through the next 20 games, thenI agree why screw with a winning formula? But, if it appears that Minn's front line presents a problem then why not consider Malone to beat on KG?

[ducks]

when was the last time spurs mentioned they still wanted him?

[Medvedenko]

What is going on with the NBA....It's full of whiny egotistical bitches....kobe included...he needs a new PR guy. What he said was innocent...however opened the wound of conjecture. Am I pissed, yes. How fragile does your ego get (Karl) after that kind of comment. LA doesn't need him at this time anyway...I would like it, but it's time to move on and get rid of all the people close to Shaq and Phil.

[Useruser666]

Kobe says....

It's the girls fault.

It's Shaq's fault.

It's Phil's fault.

It's Karl's fault.

It's _ _ _ _ _ _ fault.

[Karl Mundt]

How good can he be at this point in his career anyway? I know he did very well for the Lakers last year in playoffs (until he got injured), but when a 41 year old man takes half a season off to heal his injuries, can he really still contribute in any way? He could just aswell ruin team chemistry (to an extent) and bring his reknowned satanic karma to a team that is already looking destined to win it all.

[mysterious_elf26]

I think he could still be very good even this far into the season. The reason?? Duncan. He will always draw double team that will free up malone for jumpers or even space to drive the lane. Brent has struggled with his open shots, but this is malone. He is probably one of the most confident players in his game.

As for the people mentioning the spurs' record. This trade thing will not happen till january or just before the all star break. Let's see how the spurs play then and if there still this good then they shouldn't mess with team chemistry.

However bringing in malone could benefit rasho. I mean we're talking about our future center that doesn't even know when to dunk the damn ball. If we don't need malone for production, we need him to toughen up rasho or perhaps help other players grow.

[Useruser666]

I don't see how Malone would ruin our team chemistry. He did a lot of behind the scenes work in LA to make peace. I think he is a team player and hard worker. Pop would be a good coach for him since they both have a no nonsense business like attitude. Even if we get him and he sucks, or never returns, think of it as Blackjack insurance for only a tiny amount of dough.

[whottt]

I mean we're talking about our future center that doesn't even know when to dunk the damn ball. If we don't need malone for production, we need him to toughen up rasho or perhaps help other players grow.

Malone didn't toughen Ostertag up.

And Rasho's not soft anyway, ask Kobe. Yeah he could dunk more...but that's about it.

[fonzy16]

I don't see how Malone would ruin our team chemistry. He did a lot of behind the scenes work in LA to make peace. I think he is a team player and hard worker. Pop would be a good coach for him since they both have a no nonsense business like attitude. Even if we get him and he sucks, or never returns, think of it as Blackjack insurance for only a tiny amount of dough.

yeah and we see how that ended up :lol

[CosmicCowboy]

I'm sure glad you guys aren't in Spurs management...

If Malone would agree to sign a one year vet minimum contract with the Spurs they simply can't say no...

It's addition by subtraction...a healthy Malone on the TWolves or Mavs just makes it that much harder for the Spurs to get back to the finals...Malone may be a little outspoken but he is also a hard working professional with a huge basketball IQ...anyone that thinks he wouldn't fit in with the Spurs system is letting their Malone hate override their basketball savvy...

[Useruser666]

yeah and we see how that ended up :lol

Good one. But seriously, if Phil Jackson can't control Kobe then who the hell can? Malone helped keep them together during the season. The Spurs have none of those ego/jackass problems.

[CHAMPS AGAIN]

MALONE makes winning basket first round playoffs: LOVE HIM
MALONE makes winning basket second round playoffs:LOVE HIM
MALONE makes winning basket WCF LOVE HIM
MALONE makes winning basket NBA FINALS PRICELESS

either you love to have him with the SPURS or hate him

[Taco]

Just say NO to Malone

[whottt]

I'm sure glad you guys aren't in Spurs management...

If Malone would agree to sign a one year vet minimum contract with the Spurs they simply can't say no...

It's addition by subtraction...a healthy Malone on the TWolves or Mavs just makes it that much harder for the Spurs to get back to the finals...Malone may be a little outspoken but he is also a hard working professional with a huge basketball IQ...anyone that thinks he wouldn't fit in with the Spurs system is letting their Malone hate override their basketball savvy...

It's not as simple as you think....I seriously doubt Malone is going to be the same player he was even last season, he does not start on this team...and I see him having the potential to be a disruptive force on this team if he is not getting the star treatment....and I don't think he's going to hustle like Malik does either. He also seems to be devloping a nasty habit of reminding everyone ad nauseum that he is discounting his services... that's hardly a unique occurence on this team. I don't think he's going to like it here and I don't want him fucking up the team if he doesn't.

I agree with base, I think Kobe was right...Kobe just said the same things most Spursfans said...you can't put the season on hold for Malone...to me Karl is the clear ass in this situation.

[duncan2k5]

he wont be good on the spurs. he will break the team chemistry. i assure you. it it aint broke, dont fix it. we got somethin good goin here and i dont wanna add a pinch of salt to the mix to spoil the pot. look what happened to the lakers last year. a little bump and grind and he is on the injured list. what makes you think he will be any better this year? all of our main competition are fast and agile big men. he cant guard them on a bum knee playing half a season. plus he IS evil. he did so many dirty things i dont know why any spurs fan would want him on our team. i remember last year when he elbowed timmy after grabbing a rebound. you just dont DO those kind of things. i love my spurs team now, but after adding malone, the love wont be the same. it will be live Bush forgiving osama and inviting him to be a U.S. citizen. i just cant see it (im sorry if my example offends anyone).

[BronxCowboy]

Bottom line . . . Spurs don't need the bitch. Spurs have as good a shot as anyone to win the championship with the players they have RIGHT NOW. Even if Dallas or Minnesota brings in Evil, it doesn't make a difference. So the choice is between the Spurs contending for the title with a group of decent guys, or contending for the title with a dirty-ass big-head drama queen piggybacking. What is the debate about?
Besides, call me biased, but giving Evil another shot at a ring by parasitizing the Spurs is blasphemy.

[CosmicCowboy]

Malone done with Lakers

NBA: Bryant's comments make it clear he isn't welcome in LA anymore, the veteran forward says.

02:08 AM PST on Wednesday, December 8, 2004

By BRODERICK TURNER / The Press-Enterprise

Karl Malone, sounding calm and relaxed during a 30-minute telephone interview Tuesday night, said he won't play again for the Lakers because of comments Kobe Bryant made during a radio interview.

Malone said initially he was "furious" when he was told of Bryant's comments and that he felt "betrayed" because he stood up for Bryant over the past year throughout his felony sexual assault case.

Malone said other personal attacks by Bryant in private and the damaging radio remarks left Malone believing Bryant doesn't want him as a teammate.

Malone, a power forward who was at his El Dorado, Ark., ranch, said the right knee he had surgery on is fine and that he might play again this season.

His agent, Dwight Manley, told Malone about Bryant's comments.

"Is there any way I can come back and play for the Lakers?" Malone asked. "You gave a person 100 perc

ent control of an organization - 100! - and that person don't want you there. How can it be a way for me to be back there? How can it be a way for me to play for the Lakers?

"When a star don't want you on a team, I can take a hint. Ain't that what his article said? I only want to be where, 'A,' I want to be, and 'B,' where someone wants me to be. No more, no less. He said the same thing to Shaq (O'Neal). He just said it a different way. He said the same thing to Phil (Jackson). He just said it in a different way. I can handle it, because I am who I am.

"I told (Lakers owner) Dr. (Jerry) Buss that I wouldn't play with nobody but the Lakers. I didn't see any of this. I wish them the best. Whether I play or not, I wish them the best. And I was seriously, seriously considering coming back."

Bryant told XTRA Monday his "intuition" was that Malone, the NBA's second-leading career scorer, wouldn't play for the Lakers. Bryant said it wasn't fair to the other Lakers and for them to be "wondering if he's going to come back and then their minutes are going to disappear."

Bryant said his teammates were giving "me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on ... This is not fair to the guys that are working here."

Malone said he wasn't upset at Bryant because "I know who I am. I don't need security."

"I'm not furious. I'm past that," Malone said. "But I'll tell you what I am. I'm real. I'm a real brother. I don't turn it on when the camera comes on."

Malone said Bryant didn't want O'Neal and Jackson on the Lakers and that's why O'Neal was traded to Miami and Jackson's contract was not renewed. Malone, 41, said Bryant ended it all.

"You told me you didn't want me on your team - ON YOUR TEAM! - I get the message loud and clear," Malone said. "And that ain't from my agent. That's from me."

Malone said he has fielded calls from the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Malone wouldn't say which team he'd prefer to play for, but the Spurs appear to be the leading candidate.

He said his knee is just about 100 percent and that he'll be ready to play in a "couple of weeks max."

Malone said he did tell Buss that he would only play for the Lakers if he returned. Malone said Manley was asked in a radio interview Tuesday if Malone was taking the easy way out.

"What did I just get handed to me?" Malone said. "So I didn't have to make that decision."

Malone said he befriended Bryant and stood by him through his personal trouble.

"Who's had Kobe Bryant's back?" Malone said. "What did he do for me?"

Malone referred to Bryant talking to the police in Eagle, Colo., when the police released a transcript from Bryant saying that O'Neal has paid women hush money after having sex.

"I will never, never, rat a man out," Malone said. "You hear me? I will never. I will lose everything I've got before I rat another man out."

The Lakers released a statement Tuesday night, saying that Bryant's interview "reflected his personal opinion" on Malone and that Bryant didn't say that Malone "was not returning, nor was Kobe speaking on behalf of the Lakers management or organization."

"I understand what they are doing," Malone said. "I didn't make the statement. But now you see what is happening. Who can tell Kobe Bryant to shut up? They gave him that power. ... You turn your franchise over to one man and that one man don't like you ... I have respect for so many of those brothers on that team that I would have loved - absolutely loved - to have played with them. But I have to do what I have to do, and it's unfortunate."

[CosmicCowboy]

ESPN.com news services

LOS ANGELES -- Karl Malone has apparently ruled out a return to the Los Angeles Lakers because of comments made by Kobe Bryant in a radio interview, Malone's agent said Tuesday.

"Karl is furious," agent Dwight Manley told The Associated Press. "He felt very disrespected and betrayed after personally being the first to stand up for Kobe over the last year throughout his rape charge and all he went through."

"Who's had Kobe Bryant's back?" Malone said to The (Riverside, Calif.) Press-Enterprise. "What did he do for me?"

Manley said remarks made by Bryant on Monday, coupled with what the agent called "recent personal attacks made in private," led Malone to his decision.

Asked if Malone might play elsewhere, Manley replied: "This certainly opens up that possibility."

Manley first told radio station KMPC of Malone's decision.

Malone said later Tuesday that he would rather not use "those strong words on saying I'm not coming back."

"I wish them the best," he told The Press-Enterprise. "Whether I play or not, I wish them the best. And I was seriously, seriously considering coming back."

"I didn't come to take anybody's glory, anybody's accolades, anybody's anything," Malone told KCBS-TV in a telephone interview. "But if it seems to me that that is what I'm doing, then I would rather move on and turn the page in my life.

"If that's your star player, you want him to want you on the team, right? I don't want to be anybody's distraction."

"Is there any way I can come back and play for the Lakers?" Malone told the newspaper. "You gave a person 100 percent control of an organization -- 100! -- and that person don't want you there. ... How can it be a way for me to play for the Lakers?"

ESPN.com reported in August that Malone had informed new Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich that, if he plays a 20th season, he would only sign with the Lakers. Malone and Manley later had lunch with Lakers owner Jerry Buss on the eve of training camp to let Buss know that Malone wouldn't sign with another team.

But San Antonio and Minnesota continue to check in regularly with Malone, according to league sources, promising to save a roster spot for him.

Bryant told XTRA on Monday he didn't believe Malone, who is recovering from knee surgery, would come back to the Lakers, calling it "just intuition."

"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear.

"They are here giving me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here."

“ It's not about the Lakers, I love the Lakers. It's about your main guy saying he doesn't want me. I'm a big enough man to understand that, so I'm going to get on with my life, and I've got a great life. ”
— Karl Malone

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement he hoped Manley's comments did not accurately reflect Malone's feelings about returning to the Lakers.

"If so, it is unfortunate that he would make such a decision based on the reason given," the statement added. "Kobe Bryant's interview ... merely reflected his personal opinion that Karl would probably not return to play this season. Kobe did not at any time state that Karl was not returning, nor was Kobe speaking on behalf of the Lakers management or organization."

Malone, 41, told the Lakers on Oct. 1 he was still recovering from arthroscopic surgery he underwent three months earlier on his right knee and wasn't ready to play. But he didn't rule out returning at some point this season or beyond. He did turn down a consulting job offered to him in October by Buss, however.

Manley and Kupchak had dinner Friday before the Lakers game, and progress had been made with regard to Malone's future with the team, Manley told the Los Angeles Times.

"This is a pretty emotional, traumatic thing," he said. "We were really working toward doing a deal with the Lakers that was really moving in an off-court capacity and potential on-court capacity. All those discussions have stopped at Karl's direction."

"It's not about the Lakers, I love the Lakers," Malone told the Times. "It's about your main guy saying he doesn't want me. I'm a big enough man to understand that, so I'm going to get on with my life, and I've got a great life."

He told The Press-Enterprise that Bryant had too much power for Malone to be comfortable with the team if the younger player didn't want him there.

"Who can tell Kobe Bryant to shut up?" Malone said. "They gave him that power. ... You turn your franchise over to one man and that one man don't like you ... I have respect for so many of those brothers on that team that I would have loved -- absolutely loved -- to have played with them. But I have to do what I have to do, and it's unfortunate."

Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, opted out of his $1.65 million contract following last season, making him a free agent.

After playing 18 seasons for the Utah Jazz, Malone joined the Lakers before last season in search of his first championship. He took a pay cut of about $18 million to sign for $1.5 million.

"Karl sacrificed financially to come to L.A., he sacrificed personally," Manley said. "He put his name and reputation on the line, put his arm around Kobe and said he was a good kid, tried to be his friend, told people to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"And now, basically, to get stabbed in the back, that's how he feels. This has ended any possibility of Karl returning to the Lakers in any capacity."

Malone and Bryant live about six blocks apart in Newport Beach.

Manley said his client is fully recovered from knee surgery and 100 percent physically.

"Karl will have something to say, probably in the next month or so, about his future," Manley said. "It will likely be after the first of the year. I'm personally crossing my fingers that he decides to play."

Several teams, including at least San Antonio, Minnesota, Dallas and Miami, expressed interest in Malone during the offseason. He wouldn't say which team he'd prefer, but The Press-Enterprise reported that the Spurs appear to be the leading candidate.

While with the Lakers, Malone was one of the few players who was close with both Bryant and O'Neal. Bryant signed a $136.4 million contract last summer to remain with the Lakers while O'Neal was traded to Miami.

Malone told The Press-Enterprise he believed that Bryant's wish not to have O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson with the Lakers was behind O'Neal's being traded to Miami and Jackson's contract not being renewed.

"You [Bryant] told me you didn't want me on your team -- on your team! -- I get the message loud and clear," Malone told the newspaper. "And that ain't from my agent. That's from me."

Malone played in 1,434 of a possible 1,444 regular-season games with the Jazz, but missed 40 games with the Lakers -- 39 after tearing a knee ligament Dec. 21 against Phoenix.

He returned in March and played a key role as the Lakers reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.

Malone reinjured his knee in Game 2 of the finals, was limited in Games 3 and 4 and didn't play in Game 5. The Lakers lost the last three games.

Malone had played in 193 straight playoff games with the Jazz and Lakers before having to sit out the last game of the finals.

Considered one of the best power forwards in NBA history, Malone averaged a career-low 13.2 points and 8.7 rebounds in 42 games last season, leaving him with career averages of 25.0 points and 10.1 rebounds.

His 36,928 points in 1,476 games trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who finished his career with 38,387 points in 1,560 games.

[Spurminator]

I'd take him, but my god what a little bitch... I'd hate to see what his reaction would be if Pop told him he missed a defensive rotation.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

As much as I hate the bastard, I say pick him up and give him Massenburg's minutes. Or maybe Horry's very limited ones. There's really no need to dick with the chemistry right now, but if nothing else Malone was the last guy I ever saw really throw Tim Duncan off his game and this would get him off the market. And they should put some clause in the contract that every last Spur whom Malone caught with those dirty ass elbows of his gets to elbow him in the skull as hard as they can.

[ducks]

how old is the espn artice?

I wonder if they are using old info on spurs saving a roster spot for him.

[CosmicCowboy]

espn article was posted yesterday

[Manu20]

I say sign him.....But he should not wait that long because Pop defensive system is a bit hard to learn.(Ask Barry)

[boutons]

fuck Malone, the Spurs owe him nothing, the dirty bastard.

Spurs are on a roll. Malone would add nothing but disruption in chemistry, minutes, etc, etc.

Activate 11-years younger, faithful, patient, good-guy Sean Marks, he's got to be better than Klutzenberg.

[emveepee]

I think the Mail Man will be a great fit for the Spurs. As great as Timmy already is, he can still learn a lot from Karl.

Learning is FUNdamental !

[Sec24Row7]

Fuck Karl Malone and his Lumber Company owning ass.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Wow, everyone's got an opinion. Mine is that the spurs should pick him and give him Massenburg's minutes. I don't see how that's going to really screw up the chemistry of the spurs and if he looks good enough while doing it they can see about increasing his minutes. If nothing else, he's the only guy I ever saw seriously throw Tim off his game in the playoffs-even if half of it was pretty dirty play. Even if he just warms the bench he won't be covering Duncan and that worth something. And the simple fact that he's talking to the spurs says a lot about where his ego is. Yes, he's strictly in it for the ring but he's got to know Pop's reputation, and I have to believe that Pop will have no problem telling him exactly what his place is.
If we do sign him I think there should be two clauses in the contract:
1) Every spur that he has hit with a dirty elbow in the last twenty years gets to hit him with one while his hands are tied behind his back.
2) Halftime at the SBC center: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the newest spurs silver dancer-Karlie Malone!"

[ducks]

spurs should sign him and not play him and put him on the ir
that way another team can not use him to hurt duncan

[Kori Ellis]

Today Kobe apologized. So they'll probably kiss and make up now.

[Useruser666]

Here's what Kobe said. LA Times

"I am really and truly sorry for what I did the other day. I know now that it wasn't consentual to herrr...errrr Karl. Again, I'm sorry."

[ShoogarBear]

If I wuz Karl, I'd specify exactly where Kobes has to kiss.

[timvp]

Isn't that how Kobe got in trouble?

[ShoogarBear]

No prob, as this time everyone knows in advance that the second party is a ho.

[rr2418]

I think all you people who want Malone are forgetting the chemistry the Spurs have build already. Before the season, I hoped the Spurs would get Malone, but not anymore. As far as Rasho, Malik,and Massenburg, they may not be better than Malone, but the Spurs don't depend on just one man, these three are pieces of a puzzle that help the Spurs have the best defense in the league.

[2centsworth]

I want Malone so he can go upside KG's stupid head.

[ChumpDumper]

It's either sign Malone or pray he gets injured before he has a chance to help a team own us again.

[Slomo]

"When a star don't want you on a team, I can take a hint. Ain't that what his article said? I only want to be where, 'A,' I want to be, and 'B,' where someone wants me to be. No more, no less. He said the same thing to Shaq (O'Neal). He just said it a different way. He said the same thing to Phil (Jackson). He just said it in a different way. I can handle it, because I am who I am.

Malone said he wasn't upset at Bryant because "I know who I am. I don't need security."

"I'm not furious. I'm past that," Malone said. "But I'll tell you what I am. I'm real. I'm a real brother. I don't turn it on when the camera comes on."


"I will never, never, rat a man out," Malone said. "You hear me? I will never. I will lose everything I've got before I rat another man out."

Who is he trying to convince? Himself?
Primadonna http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smirolleyes.gif

[timvp]

It's either sign Malone or pray he gets injured before he has a chance to help a team own us again.

Well if a gimpy 50-year-old bandwagon jumping slut can beat the Spurs all by himself, the Spurs don't deserve to win it all.

[ChumpDumper]

Key word being "help."