# Malone to the Kings?



## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/6553299p-7503595c.html 

_If Malone leaves Utah, he'll stay in the West
By Scott Howard-Cooper -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Friday, May 2, 2003

Farewell ... and see you soon?

The maze of possibilities that serpentined through Arco Arena late Wednesday came with the greatest twist of all: Sacramento thinking it was giving John Stockton and Karl Malone a classy send-off in the final moments of the Utah Jazz season but actually, and unknowingly, beginning the push to deliver Malone on a full-time basis. Your turn, Kings.

Although Texas and Southern California have been the most-publicized potential landing spots when Malone becomes a free agent July 1, Sacramento is "definitely" a strong candidate, according to one person with knowledge of his thinking. It's also known the Kings have been high on Malone's list all season, rather than a late consideration to leverage the three other Western Conference contenders, and that the NBA's second-leading all-time scorer would come even as a power-forward backup to Chris Webber.

Malone will not comment, except with the general disclaimer that "I feel that I can play anywhere that guys compete." Sources, however, describe him as someone who'll decide soon about whether to leave the Jazz but will take until mid-June to decide his order of preference between the Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. The team that wins this season's championship will drop down on his list for July 1._


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## beb0p (Jul 15, 2002)

It's not entirely unlikely that he comes, but just don't see it happening. He wants to chase Jabbar, and being a sub ain't going to cut it.

And I actually don't mind Malone going to LA. When you have three top dogs in the line-up, it tends to blow up in your face. Malone will not be contend being the #3 option, that's a given. Robert Parish, he ain't.

San Antonio is, I think, the place that makes the most sense.


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## SuttersFolly (Mar 19, 2003)

The Timberwolves might also be a good place for Malone. They could use the front court help, and he'd be able to keep his starter minutes.


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## Wiggum (Jul 29, 2002)

San Antonio, like beb0p said, is the best career choice for him I think, but I think he'll end up in a Laker uniform next season. By the way, can anyone here picture that? It's like picturing Larry Bird in a Laker uniform, it just doesn't fit.


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## BBallFan (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>SuttersFolly</b>!
> The Timberwolves might also be a good place for Malone. They could use the front court help, and he'd be able to keep his starter minutes.


I also agree that Minnesota is the best mutual match with Karl Malone. They really need another impact go-to scorer, and with the Wolves he'd continue to get big minutes, as well as a major role offensively to keep a possibility of being the alltime leading scorer.

Rasho might be gone this offseason (and he's not bad for a starting center), but if the Wolves added Malone they'd be awfully good next year.

Keep in mind, that the Wolves have already proven that they're willing to offer the full midlevel, since they did sign Ricky Davis to an offer sheet before the Wolves matched.


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## Refugee (May 4, 2003)

If Malone signs with the Lakers, it only proves further that he is a bigger jerk than I already think he is. I think he would then steal Smack Me Walker's nickname, "Coattails."


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## SuttersFolly (Mar 19, 2003)

At this point in his career and life, I can't see Malone going to the Lakers where he'd be become a mere "role player" (as folks like to call everyone on the team outside of Shaq and Kobe). Nor do I think he is interested in learning a complicated system like the triangle, a system that takes at least 1 or 2 full seasons to learn. The Lakers would more likely make a run for Scottie Pippen who already knows the system...or a younger player who has shown great potential and is willing to learn a new system.


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## beb0p (Jul 15, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>SuttersFolly</b>!
> At this point in his career and life, I can't see Malone going to the Lakers where he'd be become a mere "role player" (as folks like to call everyone on the team outside of Shaq and Kobe). Nor do I think he is interested in learning a complicated system like the triangle, a system that takes at least 1 or 2 full seasons to learn. The Lakers would more likely make a run for Scottie Pippen who already knows the system...or a younger player who has shown great potential and is willing to learn a new system.


Very good point. I thought about Malone in the triangle, and said, "well, I guess it can work..." But I totally neglected how a 40 yr old future hofer will feel about learning a very complicated system from scratch or if the Lakers can gamble with Malone settling in with the triangle. Good call.


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## tri3pleplay (May 20, 2003)

*Hmmm*

Mark Kreidler: Let's talk -- Malone is an option
By Mark Kreidler -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Tuesday, May 20, 2003
You know, right here on the Third Morning After seems like the perfect time to have the talk.
Q: Zeus in heaven, not the Karl Malone thing ...




A: Yes. Absolutely. Karl Malone.
Q: You've been sniffing paint again?

A: Actually, I've been watching the Kings a bunch, doing the math, thinking about what Malone would bring as a free agent. And I have to say, adding Malone to the Kings' roster this summer doesn't sound as crazy as it did when I first pondered it.

Q: Wait, wait, there are a million reasons this is a hideous idea.

A: Maybe. But you don't get to go first. I do.

Consider this: Malone wants to stay out West. He wants to play for a team that he believes can win the NBA title either next season or the season after -- but with Malone as a significant reason, not an inconsequential ride-along. The field essentially is the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks and Kings, and San Antonio will be eliminated after winning it all next month.

Q: Riveting.

A: Stay with me. Let's say that leaves Dallas, L.A. and Sacramento. If Dallas comes up short, Mark Cuban might conclude he's one Karl short of seriously competing for the whole shebang. The Lakers clearly need something, and even if Jerry Buss tries to go cheap, Malone isn't necessarily off the table -- the Kings, Lakers and Mavs all would likely offer Malone the mid-level exception to the salary cap, around $4.5 million.

Q: Your point being?

A: My point being this is no decision in a vacuum for Maloof Money Inc. By signing Malone, brothers Joe and Gavin would be moving not only to bring him to Sacramento, but -- perhaps just as important -- to keep Malone from playing for the Lakers or Mavericks during these next couple of years in which a Kings title remains viable.

Q: Fabulous, inarguable logic, as usual. But you still haven't explained how Malone fits into the picture here. He's a power forward, right? Yet he spent an awful lot of time last season around the perimeter, taking those Karl jump shots. Besides, aren't the Kings knee-deep in guys who do what Malone does?

A: With 120 victories over the past two seasons and no rings to show for it, the Kings must be knee-deep in something. What it isn't is a player like Malone.

Sacramento has front-court height, yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. Karl Malone makes shots, draws fouls, converts free throws and runs the floor. He still rebounds very well (he'd have finished second to Chris Webber among the Kings this season). He can play power forward behind Webber, but he also could defend just about any opposing center besides Shaq, which, let's face it, nobody really does.

Q: Right, but isn't this man 39 years old? What're you aiming for, two or three Kings on the All-Metamucil first team?

A: He's younger at 39 than Vlade Divac is at 35 -- but, again, we're talking about which picture you choose to see. If the idea around here is simply to get younger, by all means, let's spend more of the Maloofs' money on developing early-in-the-curve talent that could become the next wave of competitive Kingdom.

If, on the other hand, you subscribe to the window-of-opportunity theory of sports, the notion that a title is sacred and should be pursued with everything a franchise has to pursue it in the incredibly brief period of time it's available, Karl Malone makes sense. He's a future Hall of Famer with a major edge to his basketball personality, with plenty of game left. He takes virtually no guff from any corner. He is unafraid to call out anyone.

Q: He's a geezer with a crummy temper who yells too much and whines too often, and he's so far past his prime, he needs a telescope to rear-view it.

A: Put it this way: The Kings didn't exactly hurt themselves this season by signing a 32-year-old journeyman named Jim Jackson, and I've seen Jackson say things to his teammates -- these teammates here in Sacramento -- that'd peel paint.

Q: Keon Clark. Scot Pollard. Hedo Turkoglu. There aren't enough front-court minutes to pass out as it is.

A: Clark could solve that problem by opting out of the last year of his contract in the next six weeks or so. Turkoglu lost his reserve role to Jim Jackson at the swing position, which is another place Malone could play if needed. And either Turkoglu or Pollard could find himself packaged in a deal if the Maloofs decide they can't add salary to an already cash-heavy roster.

Q: If Clark stays, the Maloofs are going to have to bleed green again to add Malone.

A: Thank goodness it's not our money. Look, the Maloofs will do what they must to stay at championship trim. It's their way.

Q: Malone won't come to Sacramento.

A: In fact, he has told friends, associates, coaches and at least two reporters that Sacramento is one of his top choices if he doesn't re-sign with Utah.

Q: He won't come off the bench.

A: He says he will.

Q: He won't play behind Webber and Divac and those guys.

A: He says he will.

Q: But there's no way he can get to the all-time scoring record from there. Karl needs to average something like 20 points per game over 100 more games or so to become the leader. He's not going to average 20 for the Kings in this or any lifetime.

A: You know what? Malone would rather score fewer points and play for a winner than set that scoring record in Ringless Land. He has said so several times already. I'm becoming inclined to believe him.

Q: Heck, it's a moot point. He'll stay with the Jazz in the end.

A: In which case, problem solved. Or at least artfully averted. Until then, ask yourself which team you'd rather see Malone playing for next year, the one in Dallas, the one in L.A. or this one here.

Q: I hate it when you make sense.

A: Fear not. It has virtually no chance of lasting.


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## Brady00 (May 16, 2003)

There is still a legitimate chance at Karl Malone staying right where he is. He can top Abdul-Jabbar and stay with the Jazz for his career. I think he'll end up putting the scoring title above a championship.


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