Reply With Quote"I know what I want to do," Malone said. "I'm just not ready to say yet."Keep talking you dumb mufuka."I don't want anyone to think I'm stringing anyone along."
Malone expects to talk to Spurs
Web Posted: 09/09/2004 12:00 AM CDT
Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer
www.mysanantonio.com/spor...b3185.html
After two full months of rehabilitation on his surgically repaired right knee, free-agent forward Karl Malone said he is confident he will regain 100 percent effectiveness on the basketball court and has made a decision about whether he will continue his career in the NBA, and with whom.
He's just not ready to share his decision with anyone, including the Spurs.
The Spurs have told Malone they have a spot on their roster for him if, and when, he determines he would like it. They can offer Malone only the veterans' minimum contract of $1.1 million, but Malone already has shown he is motivated more by a winning situation than money.
"I know what I want to do," Malone said. "I'm just not ready to say yet."
That may be because the Minnesota Timberwolves have decided to enter the bidding for his services. According to the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, Timberwolves general manager Kevin McHale, coach Flip Saunders and star forward Kevin Garnett will visit Malone this week at his home near Newport Beach, Calif., in attempt to convince him to sign with the Wolves.
The Los Angeles Lakers, for whom Malone played last season, and the Miami Heat also have expressed interest in Malone.
Before he left for Europe with the U.S. Olympic team, Spurs executive vice president and coach Gregg Popovich said he would speak with Malone after his return. Popovich is vacationing and has yet to talk with Malone.
Malone said Wednesday that he understands that Popovich needed to "get away from everything" after the U.S. team's disappointing showing in Athens. They will talk just as soon as Popovich feels the time is right.
"I realize what coach Pop is going through," Malone said. "He stepped back and let me do my thing, and I'm going to do the same with him. When the time is appropriate, we will talk. I don't want anyone to think I'm stringing anyone along.
"If coach Pop calls today and says, 'We need to know something today,' out of respect for them I'll give them a decision. But I don't think they'd do it like that."
Meanwhile, Malone continues to work out, to the point where he now feels very confident about his right knee.
"I feel pretty good right now," Malone said. "I'm not rushing it, not in any hurry, but it's gone really well. I'm getting close (to 100 percent) and I know I'm going to be able to get back to 100 percent. Not 95 percent, but 100 percent. That's encouraging."
Malone stressed his need to be a real contributor for any team, not a "hired gun" for a team looking for a final piece of a championship puzzle. He watched the Spurs improve their roster over the summer by re-signing Manu Ginobili and signing free-agent shooting guard Brent Barry. They also signed free-agent power forwards Tony Massenburg and Sean Marks and small forward Linton Johnson III.
Those moves, Malone said, made the Spurs a strong le contender, with or without him.
"They told me everything they were going to do," he said, "and then they went out and did it. That's how they do business, and that's how I like to do business.
"It is one thing when a team calls that wants you to bring veteran leadership and be that final piece. It is another thing when a team that can win it all without Karl Malone — and the Spurs are that — calls you and says they still want you. That means a lot."
What remains a mystery is how Malone's family feels about relocating from the Los Angeles area, where some of his closest friends say his family has gotten comfortable since Malone signed with the Lakers last summer.
But what no longer appears to be an unknown is that Malone will, indeed, play a 20th NBA season. Some of those same friends are convinced he wants to end his brilliant career on his own terms.
Said one longtime associate, "In his mind, going out on his own terms doesn't mean going out on an injury."
"I know what I want to do," Malone said. "I'm just not ready to say yet."Keep talking you dumb mufuka."I don't want anyone to think I'm stringing anyone along."
Lol timvp hang in there just hang in there!
He aint coming...."If coach Pop calls today and says, 'We need to know something today,' out of respect for them I'll give them a decision.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^I hope not^^^^^^^^^^^
Is Malone more of a loser than he is an attention ? Enquiring minds want to know.
Is this guy four years old or what? If you've made a decision, what earthly reason could you have for not making it public at this point?"I know what I want to do," Malone said. "I'm just not ready to say yet."
ing stupid attention starved dumbass. I wish he'd just die already.
He is coming to SA, get used to it.
Would some other team please sign this jerk?
spurster...read above post.
It doesn't sound like he's going to SA. And from the looks of it not Minny. I bet he either stay in LA or goes to Miami - no matter what he stays ringless.
There is no truth to the rumor that Timberwolves coach
Flip Saunders and league MVP Kevin Garnett are planning to
fly to California to try to convince NBA veteran Karl Malone
to sign with the Wolves. Garnett is headed to Europe on a
vacation. And Saunders has a commitment to speak here today.
"Malone doesn't even know if he wants to play anymore,"
said Kevin McHale, Wolves vice president of basketball
operations and general manager. "If Malone decides he wants
to play, we would love to try to work something out with
him."
Link
Sounds to me like he IS coming to SA. Quit living in the past. Can't believe you wouldn't rather have him beating on KG, Webber, Martin, etc., than TD in the playoffs. This is the final piece...easily giving the Spurs the best front and back court in the NBA.
Sounds like everyone reads what they want to.
Karl said it perfectly though, the Spurs don't necessarily need him to win -- so if we're going on pure need, he won't be a Spur. By the same token, would the Lakers have won last year if they had a decent backup -- say Rose -- to Malone when he went down with an injury?
He didn't say anything in that interview; all the Kreskins out there are projecting.
"They told me everything they were going to do," he said, "and then they went out and did it. That's how they do business, and that's how I like to do business.Either he's coming to SA or this guy loves to kiss serious ass."It is one thing when a team calls that wants you to bring veteran leadership and be that final piece. It is another thing when a team that can win it all without Karl Malone — and the Spurs are that — calls you and says they still want you. That means a lot."
"Karl Malone know what Karl Malone wanna do."
Hooked on phonics never worked for Karl.
KreskinsI haven't heard Kreskin's name in a few years, Chump.
Kreskin says: Think what you want...Karl's coming.
The Spurs should sign him just to keep him away from Minnesota. Then again, Karl could teach KG new ways to injure his teammates in practice...
KG looks like a dehydrated Karl Malone.Karl could teach KG new ways to injure his teammates in practice...
Useruser666 :eyebrow
All you Malone haters need to re-watch tape of last springs Laker/Spurs series...Malones defense (and the refs letting him get away with hand checks/holding/slapping on Tim) was arguably the biggest difference maker of the series...We do not want him going to another playoff contender west or east...
^^^^what he said.
42 year old Evil with a bum knee > any Slovenian center
Malone want's a le as a backup?
I don't get this article.
Malone says he's made his decision but he's not ready to tell what it is (who knows what is holding him back). But then he says if Pop called him, he'd tell him his decision; though he doesn't think Pop would do that to him. Why wouldn't Pop do that to him? Would that be pressuring him into a decision? I thought his decision was already made.
It really doesn't make any sense at all. It's one of the weirder articles I've read lately.
Anyway, I don't think he's coming to San Antonio and I don't even know if he's actually healthy.
Either way, he's right about one thing. The Spurs are fine with or without him.
True, it's got mixed messages.
Kori, I understood this quote:
'We need to know something today,' out of respect for them I'll give them a decision. But I don't think they'd do it like that."
to mean that Pop has already told him to take his time, get healthy, the Spurs can wait on him well into the season. That's why Karl doesn't think they would need to know something today.
Yeah, I understood it like that too. But if he already knows his decision, then why would it matter?to mean that Pop has already told him to take his time, get healthy, the Spurs can wait on him well into the season. That's why Karl doesn't think they would need to know something today.
He says that he knows he's going to be 100% healthy and that he knows his decision on where he'll play.
Then why wouldn't he tell the teams?
How can he think that's not stringing them along?
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