Wouldn't this make Karl and Gary the biggest ring-ho's in the history of sports? They may win a ring but teaming up with Kobe and Shaq, would they really earn it? I can't see this happening anyway, every time Shaq stuck his shoulder into his man, Karl would flop out of habit. j
Too many egos - not enough basket balls. I predict a meltdown greater than Chernobyl if this ever happens... which it wont. Also, who the hell doesnt want to play for LA? Malone Payton Juwan Howard Quitten The list keeps getting bigger. Looks like the Fakers have their chance now to become the Portland Trailblazers.....
the team would work because they could let malone get his points in the regular season, and then in the 2ndhalf of the season, start geting shaq ready to kick ass. or, they could just share the load by haveing shaq and kobe be the first scoring combo and when they rest, have payton and malone do the pick and roll to death. that team could set new records. jerks.
I doubt that Karl Malone will be playing as a Laker next year. Malone, has said he wants to end his career in Utah. Also, I doubt Payton would sign a contract even close to the MLE. Payton is still one of the better point guards in the league and demands more then what the Lakers could offer. Both these players are just playing the field. Payton will sign with the Bucks and the Jazz will give Malone what he wants. When was the last time a good free agent, ended up choosing Lakers as a destination? Lakers haven't been in a free agent market for a long time and despite what some Laker fans will tell you, a lot of free agents don't really want to play with the likes of Kobe and Shaq. Mostly, Kobe because of his Ego.
If Malone does join the Lakers, I'll have to reconsider teams considered foul and unholy. http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...,1,2343502.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba Agent Signals Lakers That the Glove May Fit Times Headlines By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer Gary Payton spoke at some length with Phil Jackson on Friday afternoon, continued his near-daily dialogue with Shaquille O'Neal, and perhaps moved closer to joining Karl Malone in Los Angeles with the Lakers. As a result of Malone's choosing championship possibilities over financial gain, the Lakers are expected to negotiate through the weekend with Payton and his representative, Aaron Goodwin. "There's definitely a high level of interest," Goodwin said Friday. Malone returned to his home in Salt Lake City, where he awaits the results of conversations between Payton, Goodwin and Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak. As Jackson and owner Jerry Buss are out of town, and given his contact with Jackson, Payton has decided not to travel to Los Angeles this weekend, and intended to consult with his family during negotiations. Payton has given no indication he would accept the mid-level exception as a starting point on a multi-year deal, considered below market value for a player who made $12.6 million last season and is playing as if in the prime of his career. But if the Lakers were to come to an agreement with Payton -- free agents may not sign contracts until July 16 -- he would represent the final piece of what would be the Lakers' most productive off-season since 1996, the summer Jerry West signed O'Neal and traded for Kobe Bryant. As Payton mulls his future, the Lakers hope his longtime relationships with Magic Johnson and O'Neal will sway his decision. It is believed that Johnson, vacationing in Hawaii, has also spoken to Payton about signing with the Lakers. Jackson was on the road to North Dakota when he reached Payton. It is believed Payton would prefer to reach a contract decision quickly, whether it is with the Lakers or another team. Milwaukee Buck officials continue to maintain they would seek to retain Payton, even amid rumors the team would be stripped down to be sold. They might seek a sign-and-trade deal to receive some compensation for Payton, though Payton would have to approve it. The Lakers conceivably could pile in a handful of players to reach an acceptable salary for Payton. Meantime, Laker management is not only ecstatic over Malone's decision to forgo a larger contract to make room for Payton, but pleased Malone appears to have chosen the Lakers over other interested organizations, such as San Antonio. In a gesture reminiscent of superstar Andre Dawson's blank-check signing with the Chicago Cubs 16 years ago, Malone has told the Lakers he would play for whatever fit their budget, assuming it facilitates the signing of Payton. One by one, Kupchak, Jackson and Buss, along with the team's handful of consultants, are thought to have signed off on the acquisition of Malone. If he signs and then stays at least two seasons, Malone could pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and become the NBA's all-time scoring leader as a member of the Lakers. While Laker officials believed the team needed to add a formidable power forward to return to its championship stature and believed Malone fit that requirement, it was Payton and an upgrade in the backcourt that was the summer's first priority. Payton is rangy and savvy, a dynamic offensive player whose nickname, "The Glove," refers to his defensive skill. In a season in which their run of championships ended, the Lakers finished in the bottom half of the league in points allowed, field-goal percentage allowed and three-point percentage allowed. Even as power forwards Malone, Juwan Howard and P.J. Brown became available through free agency, and in spite of their recent soft legacy at power forward, it was Payton who drew the Lakers' attention, and Payton who would allow them to finish their summer business early.
what IF Payton were to sign with... ... ...THE JAZZ? add on a descent center like Zo or Kandi (not sure if they have the money to do this) and you have an automatic contender as well.
I've seen that article but again, it's just hype. When all things are said and done Malone and Payton will stay with their respective teams.
I wonder how malone would feel if he was on the lakers and they knocked utah out of the playoff series.. or even what the utah fans would feel.. i'd have to say that'd be pretty funny but at the same time the lakers would become an unbeatable team and screw up houston's chances..
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers6jul06,1,1461251.story?coll=la-headlines-sports Lakers Await Payton's Move By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer Another day, another scenario, and the Lakers held steady on Saturday to the hope Gary Payton could be content with less money in Los Angeles, and that Karl Malone would not grow impatient in Salt Lake City while Payton chose his career path. Even as the Milwaukee Bucks apparently pondered the possibilities of sign-and-trade deals involving Payton with the Portland Trail Blazers and Indiana Pacers, and as the game's headline free agents — Jason Kidd and Jermaine O'Neal — prepared to roll through Texas, the Lakers awaited the call from Payton that might flick the first off-season domino. Aaron Goodwin, Payton's agent, spoke to General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Saturday. Goodwin said that he would like to give the Lakers their answer within 48 hours, and that he'd wished the Bucks would work toward a sign-and-trade with the Lakers. Of all the possible destinations for his client, Goodwin said, "If I was a betting guy, I'd say the most attractive place for Gary is in L.A." Payton, who made $12.6 million last season, could make at least twice the mid-level exception (expected to be $4.6 million to $4.9 million) through a sign-and-trade and, with that, the Bucks would have something to show for losing him. Meantime, the Lakers diagrammed alternative plans, hoped they weren't being played off other teams with more money to offer, and waited. As the negotiating period inched through another afternoon, Kupchak manned the telephone in El Segundo. He declined to discuss the names or recent events that allowed him to be "guardedly optimistic," being still 11 days before free-agent contracts could be signed, but spoke generally of the process. "I feel we have a legitimate chance to acquire a player through the mid-level exception," he said. "At the end of the day, a lot of the players who are prime free agents return to their teams or go to a team that has [salary] cap room. There's a concern that you work and you're aggressive and you don't get a player. But, I think there's a chance that we get a player that would have an impact with our group." The San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Clippers and, apparently, the Miami Heat are under the salary cap. Kidd arrives in San Antonio today. O'Neal will follow him in, later in the week. P.J. Brown and Juwan Howard, free-agent power forwards, are shopping for teams, in some of the same places, even as the Lakers await a decision from Payton, which could be tied to Malone. Almost certainly, Kupchak would like to be done before, say, San Antonio decides it needs to put Malone beside Tim Duncan or, perhaps, New Jersey decides it needs to replace Kidd with Payton. "When does it start?" Kupchak said. "I think that's a concern for all teams. Once one starts to go, they all may start to go and it's good to be in this thing at the beginning. I also think if you sweat it out you might end up with something, too. When all the dust settles, somebody might be looking at a good player when it's done. But, that takes incredible patience and at great risk. "I don't think you can wait on it, and that's not our intention." Malone has told Kupchak he would play for the Lakers at their price, or would take the veteran's minimum ($1.5 million) if it allowed them to sign Payton. If Payton opted for a larger salary in another market, the Lakers would pay Malone more and try to solve their backcourt problems with someone such as Tyronn Lue and add a shooter such as Eric Piatkowski, though a lot can happen between now and July 16. "You're not going to hear me be optimistic about anything until there's a signature on a document," Kupchak said. "Believe me, I know how this works. We've been on the receiving end of players who've said they are going to come and a week later they pull out. I've seen it happen to other teams. So, until it's in writing I'm not going to count on it."
Not really. The Lakers didn't even come close to winning a championship last year and in their current incarnation probably won't win another championship. But adding Malone or Payton, definitely both, would give them the pieces to be a championship team again. They have no options after Shaq and Kobe. The Lakers need Malone and Payton at this point more then they need Lakers.
I think it could happen. Even tho' history doesn't agree. Both these guys want rings. The Lakers want one too. So it's not like ring ho'ing. Jason Kidd is going to do that in San Antonio. The Lakers were way off this year. Not even close. So all parties could feel ok going into this. There's a sense of accomplishment if they do it. As for the chemistry. I'm one that believes the more great players you have on the floor the better the team. I've never understood the other philosophy at all. It doesn't guarantee a championship, because old teams play old, and we all got a glimpse of that in Houston. So it's still going to be interesting. But if it happens, the Lakers have the best team. No doubt.
Exactly, you have to have guys who do the dirty work. Frankly, I don't see any of those four together willing to do the dirty work like rebound and defend. For those who think GP and Karl Malone would like to be 3rd and 4th options, dream on. That team would have a chemistry forged in hell. I don't give a damn how talented Phil "Big Chief Triangle" Jackson is in managing talent, there is no way he could put this combustible quartet together without a major explosion.
I would be stunned if Karl Malone chose to play for so little money. If he does, that'll be an interesting team to watch. A couple of things that Malone and Payton have to consider is, Will Show-bie be back with the Lakers? If not, will it be worth signing on?
Oh, I sort of hope this works now so I can turn into a hardcore laker hater again, and they don't win a title, and Malone has to pathetically stumble his way to the scoring title and possibly gets injured before he breaks it, that would be awesome.
