Good Malone article...

[milkyway21]

Buck Harvey: As Malone leaves, so does a Spurs fear
Web Posted: 02/12/2005 12:00 AM CST


San Antonio Express-News

Gregg Popovich was honest with Karl Malone last week, and maybe that honesty is why Malone decided to retire.

Come off the bench? Behind Rasho?

Maybe, to Malone, that would have been far more insulting than anything Vanessa Bryant could ever say about him.

But Popovich couldn't have been completely honest. If he had told Malone the calculating truth, then Popovich would have had to tell Malone that the Spurs wanted him to play for them — and they really, really didn't want to see him in June, standing next to Shaquille O'Neal, ready to do harm to Tim Duncan again.

So when the word came Friday that Malone won't play for anyone ever again?

If the Spurs are honest today, they can think of worse news.

Malone's retirement ends one of the game's great careers, and it coincides with Reggie Miller's own exit announcement. Both will finish without rings — assuming the Pacers don't shock — yet neither will be tarnished much by that.

Malone still had enough left to make the Spurs better, but there were no guarantees. His knee has healed, but it's still 42 years old. His pride would have struggled at times as a role player. And the reception from some quarters in San Antonio would have been a distraction.

Kevin Willis, Steve Smith and Danny Ferry got their rings with considerable sentiment. Malone would have gotten his with considerable resentment.

But there was reason to gamble on Malone, and the Heat knew that as well as the Spurs did. The Miami franchise wanted Malone, too, and also was just as confused by Malone.

Pat Riley tried to talk to Malone this season and could never get through. Who knew Popovich had that much cache? Malone traveled to San Antonio to meet with Popovich, but Malone didn't return a call to a Hall of Fame coach.

San Antonio was the only place Malone considered, and it's not clear why. The Heat, after all, offered a starting position next to a former teammate, Shaq, whereas Malone has never played with any of the Spurs.

Why didn't Malone consider playing with a 340-pound center who had complemented his game just last season? Riley says the two players talked at times this season, and that they have a good relationship.

Perhaps the choice was personal. Miami is a long way from L.A., where Malone's family is.

Still, there isn't much left of the season, and travel would have negated much family time anyway. Malone would also have found less adversity in Miami, a city without a contentious history with him, as well as management that wanted him as much as the Spurs did.

"If Karl calls me, I'll fly to Arkansas and ride horses with him on his ranch," Riley joked Thursday. "I have so much respect for him and his game."

And what would Riley have told Malone from atop a horse?

"I'd tell him, 'I want you to come help us win, and we'll help you set the scoring record.'"

Both might have happened in Miami. Slotted into a slower halfcourt game — playing off of Shaq — Malone would have gotten more shots than he would have had in San Antonio.

Malone and the Heat could have won a le together, too. Miami is the best team in the Eastern Conference, and Malone would have given the Heat another weapon against the West.

The Spurs know all about that. Malone has both the muscle and the intelligence to bother Duncan, and Malone did that last spring.

And when Duncan pried himself free of Malone? There was Shaq.

The Spurs aren't so far ahead of the league that they are game-planning for the Finals. But they had to think that adding Malone was no more significant than subtracting him from another franchise.

After the Timberwolves fell apart, Miami became that team.

So Sunday is a fitting moment. About the time Malone is expected to hold a news conference to announce his retirement, the Spurs will play the Heat with something already decided.

The Spurs lost out on a player. And still won.


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[milkyway21]

i'm happy Malone kept his word, either he signs w/ Spurs or retires.

Any team who could get his services(elbows), is dangerous-Wolves & Heat.

[mattyc]

The Spurs lost out on a player. And still won.

[milkyway21]

[whottt]

Malone retired because he hasn't fully recovered from his knee injury...it just took him this long to admit it to himself.

There is no way in he would be retiring if he felt like he could still play and start.

You can say a lot of bad things about Malone, all true, but he played hard and the way he thought he should play, and he worked very hard to be able to play that way...the only thing that would make him quit is no longer being able to play the way he wanted to be able to play.

He'd be in Miami right now and starting if he could play.

I think the reason the Spurs were an option is because he knew his abilities were going to be limited and thought maybe he could get away with playing in a reserve role on this team and it wouldn't be a huge case of WTF to the rest of the NBA, because of the Spurs depth and talent level...

Then he realized he probably couldn't even do that at the level he wanted.

He's retiring because of the knee injury...