Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[podstock]

More updates on Malone and Payton

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Lakers might be All-Star fortified with Malone, Payton
July 5, 2003
By Mike Kahn
SportsLine.com Executive Editor

Anyone wondering what will produce the most intrigue for next season, it may ultimately be the All-Star dominated, revamped version of the Los Angeles Lakers.

With Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone reportedly telling the Lakers he will take whatever money they have left if it means they also can acquire Milwaukee free-agent point guard Gary Payton, it now appears the Lakers very well may add two aging but still very productive stars to a team dominated by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant the past seven seasons.

"Gary has to decide what he's going to do," Payton's agent Aaron Goodwin told SportsLine.com. "He's very interested in listening to what's out there. Then it's his choice (whether it's about money or winning)."

Payton will be 35 at the end of the month, but has averaged at least 20 points and eight assists in each of the past five seasons -- Oscar Robertson is the only other player in history to have accomplished that at least five successive seasons. Payton spent 12½ seasons with the Sonics before being traded to Milwaukee in February for Ray Allen.

Malone, about to turn 40 this month as well, is just 2,013 points away from catching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the most prolific scorer in history. Presumably, it would create a starting lineup of Payton and Bryant in the backcourt, with O'Neal, Malone and Devean George up front.

It would be a devastating defensive team, as well as a team that could score in huge numbers.

The Lakers, who won three titles in a row before getting knocked by eventual champion San Antonio in this year, made virtually no moves last offseason. Coach Phil Jackson, entering the final season of his five-year, $30 million contract, is pondering a two-year extension after this season if he gets a clean bill of health following the heart bypass surgery he had in the spring.

Far exceeding the salary cap due to the huge salaries of O'Neal and Bryant, the Lakers have two exceptions -- which are believed to be approximately $4.9 million and $1.5 million -- when the moratorium for contracts is lifted July 16. Their defense struggled dramatically last season as age became an issue for key role players Robert Horry, Rick Fox and Brian Shaw.

Malone, who made $19.2 million in his 18th season with the Jazz, wants to play three more years, play on a championship team for the first time, and break Abdul-Jabbar's record. With John Stockton having retired in May after 19 seasons together with the Jazz, Malone was primed to bolt with Utah's two NBA Finals losses to Chicago (1997 and 1998) still resonating.

One of the all-time ironmen of sport, Malone has missed only 10 games to injury (five more to suspensions) in his career, while O'Neal missed 15 games last season alone. Always outspoken, it could be interesting to see how the two get along considering O'Neal postponed foot surgery last summer until September, missed the first 12 games and played his way into game condition as his weight continued to climb into the 350-pound plus range for the third season in a row.

Although Malone's scoring and rebounding numbers have steadily dropped the past three seasons, he still averaged 20.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in 2002-2003. His passing and defensive hands remain superior -- he averaged a career-best 4.7 assists and 1.58 steals last season.

Payton's bad reputation was skewed somewhat this past season. Entering the 2001-2002 season, he promised Sonics coach Nate McMillan he would be a better mentor and more patient with Seattle's young players. He had what many believe to be his best season, and anticipated signing a long-term contract to finish his career with the Sonics. Instead, owner Howard Schultz kept Payton from finishing his career with the Sonics and raised questions of his leadership qualities.

It destroyed team chemistry and GM Rick Sund bailed out Schultz's mismanagement with the Milwaukee trade. Nonetheless, Payton is considered by many to be the best defensive point guard of all-time, and was named first-team All-Defense nine years in a row -- an NBA record he shares with Michael Jordan. The streak ended this past season.

Many believed he would stay in Milwaukee for the money, or force a sign-and-trade to Portland. His wife and three children still live in suburban Seattle and he remains very popular in Portland because he was an All-American at Oregon State. But the lure of playing in Los Angeles, where he also has a recording studio for his production company, may be too great.

The Sonics lost to the Bulls in the 1996 Finals, his only trip there, and if Malone is willing to take just $1.5 million, Payton should be willing to take the loss from $12.6 million to $4.9 million. He has homes in Seattle, Las Vegas and his native Oakland, and has done well with his money.

He and Malone were on the 1996 gold-medal U.S. Olympic team together and were on the West All-Star team eight years in a row until Malone failed to be named this past February.

"Things are just starting," Goodwin said. "It's just getting interesting."

[bdrr]

i hate to speculate but i have a gut feeling payton will not sign with the laker, thus causing malone not to

i really hope in a couple of days you can all call me stupid!

[podstock]

hey, that's always a possibility, esp. when you consider Payton could make at least 2x the amount ($9M+) with another team that could afford that salary and still be under salary cap

[podstock]

and the dream free agents arrrive!!!!!!!

Payton and Malone both have done what very few athletes do: they are taking 50%+ pay cuts in order to play with a champion!!

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Payton to 'follow dream' with Lakers

Tuesday, July 8

Aaron Goodwin, the agent for Gary Payton, told ESPN's David Aldridge Tuesday afternoon that Payton has chosen to sign a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite L.A.'s financial limitations.

The Lakers, well over the NBA's $40-plus million salary cap, were limited to offering Payton a starting salary of $4.9 million for next season. It is believed Payton will sign a multiyear deal with the dethroned champions on July 16, the first day teams are permitted to formally sign free agents.

"He could have taken a lot more money to go somewhere else," Goodwin told ESPN.com, referring to efforts by the Portland Trail Blazers to acquired Payton in a sign-and-trade with Milwaukee. "But he's going to Los Angeles to follow his dream."

Payton selected the Lakers over Portland, Miami -- both teams made Payton substantial contract offers, according to Aldridge.

Aldridge also reported that Karl Malone is still mulling offers and won't make a decision for at least another day, although Payton's decision to play for the Lakers does move him in the direction of the Lakers as well.

Bucks general manager Larry Harris said Monday that Payton declined to stay with Milwaukee.

Payton started 28 games for the Bucks, averaging a team-high 19.6 points and 7.8 assists.

espn.com

[bdrr]

pod, id buy you a drink if i werent 16 :)
go Lakeshow

[podstock]

lolol...thanks

16, only huh?

ya don't need to be 21 to drink; you only need to know someone who's legally able to buy a Heineken

It will be fun starting this coming late October, when the NBA season begin!!!!

unless Kobe is in jail, lolol

[bdrr]

malones a coming
thats two a owe you now...when we win Game 4 of the Finals this year we can have a party...
lol

[podstock]

ahhhhh!!! Malone comes!, like Bdrr said.

Now, if only Kobe can pay $50M and get the sexual assault case over with

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Malone to sign with star-studded Lakers

July 10, 2003
SportsLine.com wire reports

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers' dream team could give the rest of the NBA nightmares.

Free agent Karl Malone, the NBA's second-leading all-time scorer, committed Thursday to join the Lakers, who are quickly becoming one of the most star-studded teams in history.

He joins Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and another newcomer, Gary Payton, a nine-time All-Star who agreed earlier this week to play for the Lakers.

"They have a Hall of Fame team in the making," New Jersey Nets assistant coach Lawrence Frank said. "They have an outstanding team, an outstanding system and an outstanding coach.

"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. We have to look for improvement from within."

O'Neal and Magic Johnson had a hand in luring Malone to L.A.

"The two strongest influences were Shaquille and Magic," said Malone's agent, Dwight Manley. "He's going to become a Laker. In his mind, he's already a Laker. He's very excited."

With O'Neal in the middle flanked by Malone, and the gifted Bryant and Payton in the backcourt, the Lakers probably would be favored to take the league title next year even if Jack Nicholson left his courtside seat and joined the starting lineup.

"They've upgraded their team immensely and have to be considered the favorite for next season," Frank said.

Even though Payton and Malone have reached agreements with the team, the first day free agents can sign contracts is Wednesday.

The Lakers won three consecutive NBA titles before losing to eventual champion San Antonio in the second round this year. Afterward, O'Neal and Bryant indicated they would like to have more help from their "supporting cast" next season.

They got more than they probably could have imagined.

Neither Malone, a two-time league MVP, nor Payton have played on an NBA championship team. Both were willing to take whopping pay cuts to have a shot at a ring with the Lakers.

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 Chicago. The Bulls' 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.

Malone apparently was most interested in playing for the Lakers, but Manley said, "He was exploring a lot of options up to the last minute."

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, adding that joining Los Angeles' other three superstars seems a good bet for Malone's championship hopes.

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

Malone's 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).

Malone, who made $19.3 million last year, agreed to take the veteran's minimum salary of $1.5 million with the Lakers.

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

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

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.

"It looks like they're putting together an All-Star team over there," 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 Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo. Boston had Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Walton and Robert Parish the following season.



AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

[CaliforniaSoxfan]

Congrats on your offseason pickups. I think it's safe to say that your going to win it all this year.

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CASoxFan -- thanks

but, games aren't played on paper. we'll see how the team chemistry is when season is halfway through.

and besides, who knows if Kobe's gonna be in jail by then, lolol