You ain't had enough attention, Kobe?
Not that I'm a fan of Malone or anything, but you DO need a wide body down low and without Shaq…well, I like a more balanced league anyway.
Bryant Gets Irate Mail
Malone says he won't return to Lakers because of remarks made publicly and privately by star player. 'I want to be there but he doesn't want me there.'
By Mike Bresnahan
Times Staff Writer
December 8, 2004
Karl Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, will not play for the Lakers if he decides to play again because he is infuriated by comments made publicly and privately to him by Kobe Bryant.
Malone had been favoring a return to the Lakers, but that was before Bryant's comments Monday in a radio interview that his Newport Beach neighbor would retire.
Bryant also said it was tough for teammates "to be looking over their shoulder, wondering if [Malone]'s going to come back and then everybody is going to disappear." [P6: Kind of tough waiting to see if you're going to be outted by your franchise player too…]
Despite playing only one season for the Lakers, Malone, 41, said Tuesday he had developed strong feelings for the organization and its fan base, but insisted he would never again play for the Lakers. He also turned down a consulting job that was offered to him in October by Laker owner Jerry Buss.
"As much love as I have for the organization and for its fans, when your star player doesn't want you there, I take hints easily," Malone told The Times. "I want to be there but he doesn't want me there.
