<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Adding to an already overcrowded afternoon, Bryant went on the "Loose Cannons" show on XTRA Sports 690/1150 AM and said it was "just intuition" that Malone would retire. Malone, 41, had knee surgery in June and has not decided whether he will return for a 20th NBA season. "I don't think he's coming back," said Bryant, who was then asked whether he had planned on Malone's return from a strategic perspective.</div> <div align="center">Source</div> No suprise there, I think he would've returned by now if he was gonna come back. Any thoughts?
as much as i don't want to admit it i agree with him. i don't blame malone at all if he retires, he's had one of the best careers in the history of the game...too bad we couldnt get him that ring last year
Yeah...I keep telling myself he's coming back in January, but I should know better. I just think that his injury was really devastating last season, and it put him on the shelf for half of the 82 games...and if his intentions are to win a ring this year, he's going to have to go to San Antonio, which means moving halfway across the US along with his kids, who are already enrolled in school. In other words, it's the Lakers or Clippers for Malone...and I don't think he wants to come back to risk injury again if he's not guaranteed a ring.
Well the comments that KB made seem to have gotten Karl mad. I got this info from another board ( http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.p...forum=1&start=0 ). Karls agent was just on an LA radio (1540) station and said that Karl is furious over KB's comments and that he won't play for the Lakers. Whats below is not exactly what KB said but for the ones interested is a recap of what he talked in the show. He was just answering questions about the team. From another board: Kobe on XTRA 1150 Recap: KOBE: Where we want to be; still in the hunt. competing against top teams, should have won, consistenly beating teams we should beat (really?) Heavy mins? KOBE: Feels fine, even with PF, not out of control, some games really hurting Rush trade KOBE: takes laker experience, carry to rest of career, hopes he does well; hell of a player in practice tough loss against Sac; comments by Rudy T and Vlade (no moral victory, no trust on team yet) how important trust? KOBE: Comes from experience, trust does, getting better executing, knocking shots down When to hit stride? KOBE: Late Jan, early Feb, improving, better than start of season. Karl Malone KOBE: Believes Malone is not coming back. Re-blossoming KOBE: Feeling good, refreshed, playing at the park, feeling rejuvenated Brian Cook KOBE: More freedom to shoot, wasn?t called upon last year to hit the shots, stroking the ball, he CAN really shoot the ball, Cook can Steve Hartman Laker hater KOBE: Bandwagon/laker hater (LOL!) Blown Leads KOBE: Young team, playing great now, building big leads, maintaining them very hard?all comes down to execution. During champ. runs, blowing leads back then as well. Happens with young team getting started Are you playing with something to prove? KOBE: OH YEEEAHHH! Most def. A lot to prove. Look forward to challenge, years to come, honor to be in this position?loves it, all about challenges. Caron and Kobe in backcourt KOBE: Caron is so talented, can play one if wanted. 3rd year in league, hasn?t scratched surface of what he can do in NBA. Now he can shoot the shots, handles ball, excellent defensively Lamar seems uncomfortable KOBE: Comes with time, couple of breakout games, playing more, feeling more comfortable Steve ?Bandwagon Man? Hartman
Malone's agent says no return to Lakers http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1940902 Malone didn't take too kindly to Kobe's comments. I'm thinking that Malone might just have used this as an excuse to back out of returning to the Lakers. He wants to win a championship, and he probably realizes that the Lakers don't have nearly as good a chance as a Minnesota or San Antonio this year.
I believe Kobe knew he wasn't coming back. Like durvasa said, Karl probably is using Kobe's comment as an excuse not to comeback. He wants a ring so he'll either be in San Antonio or Minnesota.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bdubb:</div><div class="quote_post">I believe Kobe knew he wasn't coming back. Like durvasa said, Karl probably is using Kobe's comment as an excuse not to comeback. He wants a ring so he'll either be in San Antonio or Minnesota.</div> Yha man i agree with what both of you are saying, but still after playing a year with Kobe and Kobe being his best teammate he shouldnt go out like that and throw everything on Kobe. Its not right. OH and by the way Bdubb nice quote in youre Sig and so true too. Lets Go Lakers!!!
Well, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. I was getting tired of waiting anyways. What was he going to do, wait until we were fighting for a playoff spot? I think it's time to move on and start thinking about a PF, so we can move Odom down to SF and get on with the season. Wow, nice quotes in the sigs, guys...hehe.
Quote from Kobe... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"It's not really fair to hold it over the guys' heads that are here," Bryant said. "The guys that we have here are working hard, practicing hard every day. It's kind of tough for them to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if he's going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear. "They are here giving me 110 percent. It's really not fair for us to sit around and speculate how long this is going to go on. I mean, you can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he is going to come back. I mean, that's not fair to the guys that are working here." </div> That's what I've been saying the entire season ... I agree with Kobe 100% At any rate, I think Karl is totally overreacting ...
Ok this post is NOT meant to hate on Kobe. But you gotta admit, if Malone rejoins the Lakers, it ruins Kobe's master plan. Even though Malone is "washed up", if he came back people would always attribute some of their success (assuming they succeed) to Malone's veteran leadership. Kobe wants to run stuff, and with Malone around the media would twist his role and take away from Kobe's leadership. I really don't think that Kobe's comments were needed. If he knew that Malone wasnt coming back he should have told the team, not announced it to the media. Besides, his fellow Lakers are grown men, they are not little kids, they can think for themselves. Kobe has not reached the level of you-know-who, but he is getting their as far as talking when maybe he should let it go.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Ok this post is NOT meant to hate on Kobe. But you gotta admit, if Malone rejoins the Lakers, it ruins Kobe's master plan. Even though Malone is "washed up", if he came back people would always attribute some of their success (assuming they succeed) to Malone's veteran leadership. Kobe wants to run stuff, and with Malone around the media would twist his role and take away from Kobe's leadership. I really don't think that Kobe's comments were needed. If he knew that Malone wasnt coming back he should have told the team, not announced it to the media. Besides, his fellow Lakers are grown men, they are not little kids, they can think for themselves. Kobe has not reached the level of you-know-who, but he is getting their as far as talking when maybe he should let it go.</div> Kobe will always be subject to those who attribute some of the Lakers' success to other players. If Kobe and Odom win a ring together in the future, they'll put 50% of it on Kobe and 50% of it on Odom. That's how it's always going to be.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Ok this post is NOT meant to hate on Kobe. But you gotta admit, if Malone rejoins the Lakers, it ruins Kobe's master plan. Even though Malone is "washed up", if he came back people would always attribute some of their success (assuming they succeed) to Malone's veteran leadership. Kobe wants to run stuff, and with Malone around the media would twist his role and take away from Kobe's leadership. I really don't think that Kobe's comments were needed. If he knew that Malone wasnt coming back he should have told the team, not announced it to the media. Besides, his fellow Lakers are grown men, they are not little kids, they can think for themselves. Kobe has not reached the level of you-know-who, but he is getting their as far as talking when maybe he should let it go.</div> Yeah I think some parts of what you are saying are correct, but the thing is it is Kobe' job to run the team, he is the high commander on the floor and maybe someone is not playing 100% or does not have the best attitude because of the fact Malone might come and replace them and they are fighting for there spot and giving 100%. It is 18 games into the season for The Laker's and there not exactly running through dafildales and pritty flowers, they needed a decision soon and Kobe answered the question very modest and very in support of his team, what happens if Kobe got on and said if he wants to come back we will make room for him, nada Kobe probably would have destroyed what little confidence he had in the his team mates to gain the respect of a undecided team mate Malone. He could have said nothing or just blown it off, how would that have rolled over to the media, I mean we all know how espn, sportscenter, fox sports rolls things with players, I mean they easily add on there on things because they could do anything, I mean heck he could have said no comment and they could implement that by his actions Malone would come back. So really I would have answered the same and just rebuild with what you got and look for a true pf.
From LakersTalk: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Just heard Jim Hill's phone interview with Karl on the 6:00pm CBS sports.... Karl said .. "If the team leader thinks I'm a distraction, then I shouldn't be there. I have a life....I made sacrifices for this team, but if he thinks I'm a distraction..then I won't comeback." </div> So it looks as if Malone misinterpreted Kobe's statement. He though Kobe was referring to Malone as a distraction rather than the media's questions.
Cry me a river Karl Malone. Kobe has been taking heat all season long. The rape trial, the Shaq trade, Phil Jackson leaving, and now Karl Malone the latest Kobe victim. Gimme a break. Are these not grown men who should be able to settle their spats like adults and not cry to the media. Karl Malone has been waited on hand and foot by the Lakers and Kobe was the one trying to convince him to comeback making house visits, house calls etc. I look at this as a positive statement from Kobe, and it should help the team chemistry. Having Karl Malone would be nice, but he's wrong for not giving the Lakers a commitment either way. A player like Brian Cook deserves the minutes he's played and he's taking advantage of Malone not being on the roster. It's not the first time we've seen Karl Malone overreact and buy right into the media's spin on an interview.
I definately dont think Kobe meant to offend. But being around the media so long Kobe should know, how to answer those type of questions politically so to speak. His comments were way to long. So the more you give to a reporter the more they read into it. He should have kept his comments short & sweet. "Man I dont know really what Karl situation is right now. But we look forward to his return if or when he does come back. But at the same time, we have to go to war with what we currently have on our roster. And the guys around me are giving a solid effort every night out". Short, sweet, and to the point. And those comments are pretty much exactly what Kobe was trying to say. But they dont put it all out there, so the media can put their spend on it. Or so someone can read more into a situation, then is really there. Kobe great player but he doesnt really handle the media that well imo. The media always works him, instead of him working the media. Hasnt he learned from the Shaq situation that the media looks for any little statement to create a stir. Karl Malone overracted but I pretty sure after the media finish putting there spin on things. They made Kobe's comments come off as him basically saying its time for the Lakers to move past Karl Malone, which could be kind of offensive to Karl since all indications from his stand point was he wanted back in LA.
I'm glad that Kobe made those comments. Now I hope he will sign with the Spurs. We will give him two or three rings.
Very disappointed on how this when down. I didn't hear the interview but a lot of people that heard it say that KB didn't say anything bad that his comments are being taken out of context by the media. True or not I don't see KB and Karl fighing after what KM said, I would give-up a ring so KBs problems would go away, I can't see KB being rude to KM. KB maybe being use as a scapegoat so he can go play in SanAntown or maybe there all in it. Here's a little more of what could have happened: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">``Karl is furious,'' agent Dwight Manley told The Associated Press. ``He felt very disrespected and betrayed after personally being the first to stand up for Kobe over the last year throughout his rape charge and all he went through.'' Manley said remarks made by Bryant on Monday, coupled with what the agent called ``recent personal attacks made in private,'' led Malone to his decision. </div> Personal attacks made in private thats where things probably when down. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oD...ov=ap&type=lgns IS the Media having a great today hell yeah and its even better when KB is included.
I believe Karl is very pleased with the way things have turned out. Now he can use Kobe as the reason why he's not a Laker. Now he can go to a team that a favorite to win a championship this year like he did last year. If the Lakers were a favorite this year, this thread wouldn't exist.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Oneinpower:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm glad that Kobe made those comments. Now I hope he will sign with the Spurs. We will give him two or three rings.</div> You said it right, GIVE HIM.