Kori Ellis
12-20-2004, 05:50 AM
We continue the SpursZONE.com series of Point/Counterpoint articles in which two people debate different aspects of Spurs basketball and the rest of the NBA.
In this edition, Spurs fans and FullSportPress.com writers Joe Ruiz and Robert Doyen discuss the possibility of the Spurs acquiring Karl Malone.
Ruiz: Should the Spurs sign Karl Malone?
No.
Fine, let it go about the elbow to David Robinson. Let go of the many times Malone and the Jazz were in the crosshairs of the Spurs. Just let it go.
Let’s look at just the basketball for a minute. Yes, Malone is a hall-of-fame player. Yes, Malone could bring a physical presence that the Spurs could always use more of. The fact remains that Malone needs touches to be effective in an offense – the touches simply aren’t there with the offense running through Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Second, we don’t know if Malone is healthy enough to continue playing at an effective level. Yes, the Spurs would know more about this than anybody, but an unhealthy, underperforming Malone will not help the chemistry that this team seems to have developed with this quick start.
Next, somebody as overdramatic as Malone can’t be good for this team of those not used to being in the spotlight for anything other than their on-court play. The recent reports of a spat with the Bryant family seem to have some truth, if any, to them. While it may seem small to those around the country, everything “Karl Malone” will be the lead story on every newscast, radio show, newspaper and message board.
While the maturity the Spurs display consistently should be able to deal with any situations as quietly as possible, why risk it for somebody that could lead to any combustion within the locker room?
Doyen: Yes. Sign him.
Please consider his elbows and the memories of competing with him. Remember feelings of hate, disgust, and outrage. Now imagine what fans and players for opposing teams feel when they see him on the court. It gives your team a psychological advantage.
Only Payton cried for minutes and points on the Lakers last year. Malone only wants to win a championship, and the Spurs afford him the perfect opportunity to play low yet effective minutes. The Spurs can use him as no other team can … as a productive reserve.
The most important reason to have Malone in San Antonio is a purely basketball related, hate free reason. Minus Tim Duncan, the Spurs lack a consistent defensive rebounder and tough inside presence this season. Malone is the perfect answer to this.
Despite Kobe Bryant’s overwhelming drama last season, Karl Malone stuck by him like a samurai defending his emporer. He claimed during last year’s playoffs that you never saw a samurai warrior wearing a knee brace, so why should he? As foolish as that may sound, it portrays him as a single minded fighter who is willing to submit to a higher power.
The Spurs have no Kobe Bryant styled nonsense on their team. They do, however, have players who want to play as a team and win. These are the things that Karl Malone wants to do. The real question isn’t “Why would you want him on your team?”, it’s “Why on Earth wouldn’t you want him?”
Ruiz: What's next the first time he goes on the IR in San Antonio?
The drama and hype that comes with ten minutes of subpar offense and defense is totally unnecessary for this team right now. Beyond that, he may be even further limited due to a bum knee that may or may not be fully healed.
I'm sure that if the Spurs felt there was another viable option for a middle presence, they'd be investigating it right now or wait for the time to strike a deal somewhere else.
An aging Karl Malone that needs shots to be successful - and will invariably command shots that should go to the young guns (in a non-stop build of confidence that many whine about) is just not good for an offense that is well on its way to a NBA Championship.
Doyen: Malone doesn't want to star on a team or score a lot of points anymore. He just doesn't want to be remembered as the next Elgin Baylor by never getting a ring after an amazing career. He should have no problem letting other players get their due, just as he did last year in L.A.
In San Antonio Malone will only have to play reserve minutes as opposed to starter minutes so his knee shouldn't be a problem. And an aging Karl Malone is a much better player to have coming off the bench than an aging Robert Horry or Tony Massenburg.
As far as the Kobe Bryant feud, Kobe is probably just whining as usual.
Malone may be a dirty player, but he's also a great player, and the last time Tim Duncan was paired with an aging member of the NBA's 50 greatest it spelled Championship gold.
Doyen (toosmallshoes) won the Blog.
In this edition, Spurs fans and FullSportPress.com writers Joe Ruiz and Robert Doyen discuss the possibility of the Spurs acquiring Karl Malone.
Ruiz: Should the Spurs sign Karl Malone?
No.
Fine, let it go about the elbow to David Robinson. Let go of the many times Malone and the Jazz were in the crosshairs of the Spurs. Just let it go.
Let’s look at just the basketball for a minute. Yes, Malone is a hall-of-fame player. Yes, Malone could bring a physical presence that the Spurs could always use more of. The fact remains that Malone needs touches to be effective in an offense – the touches simply aren’t there with the offense running through Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Second, we don’t know if Malone is healthy enough to continue playing at an effective level. Yes, the Spurs would know more about this than anybody, but an unhealthy, underperforming Malone will not help the chemistry that this team seems to have developed with this quick start.
Next, somebody as overdramatic as Malone can’t be good for this team of those not used to being in the spotlight for anything other than their on-court play. The recent reports of a spat with the Bryant family seem to have some truth, if any, to them. While it may seem small to those around the country, everything “Karl Malone” will be the lead story on every newscast, radio show, newspaper and message board.
While the maturity the Spurs display consistently should be able to deal with any situations as quietly as possible, why risk it for somebody that could lead to any combustion within the locker room?
Doyen: Yes. Sign him.
Please consider his elbows and the memories of competing with him. Remember feelings of hate, disgust, and outrage. Now imagine what fans and players for opposing teams feel when they see him on the court. It gives your team a psychological advantage.
Only Payton cried for minutes and points on the Lakers last year. Malone only wants to win a championship, and the Spurs afford him the perfect opportunity to play low yet effective minutes. The Spurs can use him as no other team can … as a productive reserve.
The most important reason to have Malone in San Antonio is a purely basketball related, hate free reason. Minus Tim Duncan, the Spurs lack a consistent defensive rebounder and tough inside presence this season. Malone is the perfect answer to this.
Despite Kobe Bryant’s overwhelming drama last season, Karl Malone stuck by him like a samurai defending his emporer. He claimed during last year’s playoffs that you never saw a samurai warrior wearing a knee brace, so why should he? As foolish as that may sound, it portrays him as a single minded fighter who is willing to submit to a higher power.
The Spurs have no Kobe Bryant styled nonsense on their team. They do, however, have players who want to play as a team and win. These are the things that Karl Malone wants to do. The real question isn’t “Why would you want him on your team?”, it’s “Why on Earth wouldn’t you want him?”
Ruiz: What's next the first time he goes on the IR in San Antonio?
The drama and hype that comes with ten minutes of subpar offense and defense is totally unnecessary for this team right now. Beyond that, he may be even further limited due to a bum knee that may or may not be fully healed.
I'm sure that if the Spurs felt there was another viable option for a middle presence, they'd be investigating it right now or wait for the time to strike a deal somewhere else.
An aging Karl Malone that needs shots to be successful - and will invariably command shots that should go to the young guns (in a non-stop build of confidence that many whine about) is just not good for an offense that is well on its way to a NBA Championship.
Doyen: Malone doesn't want to star on a team or score a lot of points anymore. He just doesn't want to be remembered as the next Elgin Baylor by never getting a ring after an amazing career. He should have no problem letting other players get their due, just as he did last year in L.A.
In San Antonio Malone will only have to play reserve minutes as opposed to starter minutes so his knee shouldn't be a problem. And an aging Karl Malone is a much better player to have coming off the bench than an aging Robert Horry or Tony Massenburg.
As far as the Kobe Bryant feud, Kobe is probably just whining as usual.
Malone may be a dirty player, but he's also a great player, and the last time Tim Duncan was paired with an aging member of the NBA's 50 greatest it spelled Championship gold.
Doyen (toosmallshoes) won the Blog.