atucker20

Wow. Please tell me who is going to stop the Lakers now...

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0710/1579083.html

Malone 'honored' to play with Kobe, Shaq

LOS ANGELES -- To even things up, maybe other NBA teams should be allowed at least eight guys on the floor when they play the Los Angeles Lakers.

That would allow double coverage of the four superstars and future Hall of Famers -- Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton -- on the Lakers' newly assembled dream team.


"It's been like a kind of a whirlwind,'' Malone told KCBS-TV. "I'm excited man. I can't even tell you. I started training a month ago and I knew this day would come.


"This is Kobe and Shaq's team. I have a job to do as well. I come in with nothing but respect, but I come in with a hard-working attitude to do what I need to do to help us win a championship.''


Los Angeles' fifth starter could be practically anybody -- Jack Nicholson? -- and would need to merely inbound the ball.

Malone, the NBA's second-leading all-time scorer, completed the circle of four by committing to join the Lakers on Thursday. The power forward is expected to sign for the veteran's minimum when the first day of free-agency signing begins Wednesday.

"We've agreed to it; he's going to become a Laker," said Malone's agent, Dwight Manley. "In his mind, he's already a Laker. He's very excited."

Malone joins established Lakers O'Neal and Bryant, along with another newcomer, Payton, a nine-time All-Star who agreed earlier this week to play for the Lakers. Payton also can't sign until Wednesday.

One ex-Laker already in the Hall of Fame, Magic Johnson, will allow Malone to wear his No. 32 jersey, which was retired 11 years ago.

"I'm honored," Malone told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday. "I'm 40 years old, and I'm honored someone wants me."


The Lakers, who won three consecutive NBA titles before losing to eventual champion San Antonio in the second round this year, probably would have been a clear favorite to win it all next year merely by getting Payton. Malone obviously makes them even more imposing.

"Now we will always have two scorers on the floor," Johnson told the Times. "Before, you couldn't rest Kobe and Shaq together. You can rest both of them together. Foul trouble. Injuries. The things that plagued us last year won't hurt us, because we've got enough depth to handle those situations. You've got to play everybody on the court now. There's no cheating no more.

"I'll tell you another thing that's going to happen -- we're going to get easier baskets because we're going to run. I see a little bit of Showtime again, because Gary will push that ball, Karl will fill that lane. And Kobe in the other lane? Ooooh, man!"

Although Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller was sorry to see Malone go, he understood his championship hopes.

"I don't think it's in me to deny him that, even if I could," Miller said Thursday, adding that joining Los Angeles' other three superstars seems a good bet for Malone to get a ring.

"If you've got to go with the odds, that's not a bad place to go," Miller said.

Said New Jersey Nets assistant coach Lawrence Frank: "They have a Hall of Fame team in the making. You always try to keep up with the Joneses and try to win in this league, but it's hard to keep up with that."

Neither Malone, a two-time league MVP, nor Payton have played on an NBA championship team. The Lakers won the title three straight years before losing to eventual champion San Antonio in the second round this year.

"That was his desire, to win a ring," Manley told the New York Times. "In a perfect world he would have won the ring in Utah and retired in Utah. That wasn't an option. He's always wanted to play with a dominant big man and now he gets the dominant big man."

Malone, who made $19.3 million last year, reportedly will get the veteran's minimum salary of $1.5 million to play with the dominant big man.


The 34-year-old Payton, dealt by Seattle to Milwaukee at last season's trading deadline, would be limited to earning the mid-level exception of $4.9 million with Los Angeles in the first year of a multiyear contract. He earned $12.6 million.

"Karl let Gary know he wasn't going to fight over the mid-level exception," Manley told the New York Times. "He took the lower slot. He put his money where his mouth is."


O'Neal will make $26.5 million this season and Bryant will get $13.5 million.

The $1.5 million figure is the most L.A. could offer Malone, who would have likely been able to get more money if he signed with San Antonio, Sacramento or Dallas.

The Jazz were exploring sign-and-trade possibilities (with the Kings) and the Lakers' three West rivals were hesitant to let Malone join L.A.'s new star trio unopposed.

But it was believed that Malone, who turns 40 on July 24, wasn't considering re-signing with the Jazz for less than the $8 million earned by John Stockton in his final season.

With Malone signing elsewhere, and with Stockton opting for retirement, Utah likely has nearly $20 million in salary-cap space to undertake a dramatic restructuring of its roster.

The Lakers obviously will undergo a dramatic restructure, adding Malone and Payton. One of the league's best defensive guards, Payton has averaged 18.3 points and 7.4 assists since coming into the NBA with the SuperSonics in 1990.


With a lineup of four players who all will probably end up in the Hall of Fame, the Lakers will be one of the NBA's most imposing teams ever.

"It looks like they're putting together an All-Star team over there," New Jersey Nets guard Tamar Slay said. "That's crazy, getting all those guys. In this league, everyone's competitive, but it looks like they've made a major step."


The 1984-85 Lakers featured Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo. Boston had Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton and Robert Parish the following season.

Malone, who turns 40 on July 24, made it to the NBA Finals twice, in 1997 and 1998. Both times, the Jazz lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Chicago coach was Phil Jackson, now coach of the Lakers.


Malone averaged 20.6 points last season to lead Utah for the 17th consecutive year. His average of 7.75 rebounds was the team's highest for the 18th straight year.


Before joining the Lakers for next season, Malone has committed to play in his third Olympics.


Manley said Malone also was considering going to San Antonio or Dallas, but when Payton decided to go to the Lakers, that alone would have made them the favorite for the league title next year. Malone, who is taking a big pay cut to come to the Lakers, said that his prime goal was to win a championship.


His 36,374 career points trail only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387. The record is still within range, but sharing the offense with Bryant, O'Neal and Payton will cut into his 25.4 career scoring average.


He is the only player with 35,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists and 2,000 steals. His 1,434 games played is fourth on the all-time list.


The league's MVP in 1997 and 1999, Malone averaged at least 25 points for 11 straight seasons (1987-98).


ESPN.com senior writer Marc Stein and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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