Re: Karl Malone

[Theresa Lee <tjoyce@mit.edu>]

During the playoffs Malone talked about how he wants to play on a team with
a dominant center at some point. During the All-Star Game Michael Jordan
talked about loving the city of New York. At the time, I thought that
Jordan was signaling that he would/could play in NY and that Malone also
wanted to go to either NY, LA or Miami. I guess Karl was serious. Part of
me thinks he's a schmuch for wanting to go to LA, but then if all he wants
is a championship, maybe going to LA will do that and send a signal to
other players that winning the big one is the most important thing....not
any individual glory.

Here's my question....what about Stockton? Or does Malone think that
Stockton is almost finished anyway?

With Barkley having the same thoughts (taking less money to play ONLY on a
championship caliber team)....is this a new trend in the NBA? Players
engineer ways to be on the same team (by not taking as much money or
demanding trades) just to win the championship. Thus a psuedo All-Star team
is created. I suppose it could be done. The grass, however, is always
greener. LA has its' own issues.

Hmm.

TJL

>Karl Malone has indicated that he'll demand a trade from Utah
>at the end of the lockout, preferably to the Lakers. You'd have
>to think the Lakers could beat a Jordan Bulls team if they made
>any deal that didn't give up Shaq.
>
>But of course Walker (+junk?) for Malone has to be something to
>consider at that point. I know everyone will scream about giving away
>young talent for old... Yes Malone is 35. It seems most everyone on
>this list in convinced that an NBA player's career is over at age
>28 or 30 (Pippen, PJ Brown, and Mashburn are all being attacked for
>this). Malone and Jordan are definitely counterexamples.
>
>Malone is playing the best basketball of his life and is in tremendous
>shape. How much longer could he play? Will he really expire in another
>two years? BTW, could anyone post Kareem's stats when he was 35+? Or
>anyone else who has played at a high level beyond age 35. I really
>don't have a good idea of how fast a player's skills can erode at
>that age...
>
>If he can last for five more years I'd definitely consider it. I really
>don't believe in the idea of growing a winning team over a ten year
>period in the NBA anymore because of free agency, trades, salary caps,
>etc. I feel like you have to try to win as fast as possible.
>
>Alex