<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KB8_Remix:</div><div class="quote_post">Well, as much as I hate to say this but, Malone just doesn't catch my eye anymore, he's getting old and getting injured. He always seems to hesitate when he shoot. But on the other side, I would like to get him back since he has good defense. But he'll probably won't get much playing time since Brian Grant is here.</div> I disagree almost completely. I don't see him hesitate when he shoots, and his defence is his biggest weakness. He can't keep up with quicker younger players anymore. I saw him grabbing alot last year because he wasn't fast enough. It's expected -- he's getting old. If Malone and Grant are both ready to play, Malone gets the nod BIGTIME. Grant is an awesome player, but he doesn't have the instincts of the best PF of all time and the second leading scorer in league history. I'd really like to see Malone be around the team all year, but I think that traveling with the team while he tries to finish rehabbing will just slow the whole process down.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting grinder333:</div><div class="quote_post">I disagree almost completely. I don't see him hesitate when he shoots, and his defence is his biggest weakness. He can't keep up with quicker younger players anymore. I saw him grabbing alot last year because he wasn't fast enough. It's expected -- he's getting old. If Malone and Grant are both ready to play, Malone gets the nod BIGTIME. Grant is an awesome player, but he doesn't have the instincts of the best PF of all time and the second leading scorer in league history. I'd really like to see Malone be around the team all year, but I think that traveling with the team while he tries to finish rehabbing will just slow the whole process down.</div> Well, I watch pretty much every televised Laker game last year, and I gotta say that Malone didn't show many signs of aging. However, he does hesitate to shoot...badly...but that's because there were three other scoring options on the team. His defense is his weakness? Whoa...no way. He defended Duncan and Garnett really, really well...if he was able to play a full 40 minutes or so, they would've been held to less points and/or rebounds. Anyway, you can't knock on a guy that was amazing Phil Jackson in the Lakers' scrimmages by defending Shaq (and holding him to 12 total points in two scrimmages). Plus, there are more things that Malone would bring to this team than that. He brings a ton of experience, a great winning attitude, and intimidation (remember the ripped jersey?). He's a great passer, and he's still able to post 13 PPG and 9 RPG on a team with three other stars. We need Malone, no matter when he arrives on this team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mjkanfly:</div><div class="quote_post">Yes I think it will be great if Karl plays at Los Angeles they can use him </div> No doubt about it. Welcome to JBB :thumbsup:
I for one was saying I didn't want Malone back just because of his offensive droughts during the playoffs, but when I thought about it, we need him back. He can provide that chemistry to the younger players since the Lakers are coming into the 2005 season as a young squad, the leadership, and most importantly more meat to our interior since the Lakers have a thin frontcourt. His offensive numbers may have taken a slide at worst, but his defensive performances are still one of the best he can provide for our team. Now, we just wait on what his decision is going to be. Hopefully with his kids enrolled in LA schools, he can get back to the court as soon as possible.
Karl Shows Up to Training Camp Some new info about Karl's situation and him visiting the players at training camp. Well the signs are still towards Karl's retirement. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jerry Buss saw Karl Malone arrive at Laker practice and immediately moved from one end of the arena to the other to sit next to his former power forward. Coach Rudy Tomjanovich, showing similar hospitality, said he would be "rolling out the red carpet," if Malone decided to return to the Lakers, which Malone did for a day, in a sense. He arrived as a spectator toward the end of Saturday's practice, wearing a baseball cap, white polo shirt, jeans and high-tops. Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak told Malone to throw on a practice jersey and hit the floor. He appeared to be only half-joking. He sat and talked with Buss for several minutes and was hugged by Tomjanovich after practice ended. Kobe Bryant and Malone also embraced, and Bryant pretended to spar with Malone's son, Karl Jr. Malone felt Bryant's biceps ? Bryant has gained 12 pounds since last season ? and they shared a private laugh. Malone shooed away reporters ? "I ain't doing nothing ... talk to the guys that are doing something right now," he said ? but his presence was the main event at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said before training camp that Malone was not fully recovered from knee surgery and was moving in a "retirement-bound" direction. If Malone decides to come back, however, it would be with the Lakers, Manley said. Malone's knee is less than two months from a complete recovery, during which time the second-leading scorer in NBA history will see how much he misses the game that has kept him busy the last 19 years. Malone has been offered an unspecified job with the Lakers if he decides to retire. Malone's appearance was simply a one-day visit, Kupchak said. "It's not really a sign one way or the other," he said. "We expected him to come today. A week or two ago, Jerry and he met, and they kind of talked about coming to practice today. It's just a visit. It's not a bad sign, but I wouldn't say it's an indication of anything he's thinking of doing." </div> http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/n...orts-nba-lakers
