The right decisions for Payton and Malone?
07/10/2003
Codding Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
So it looks like Gary Payton's going to sign with the Lakers on July 16, and many seem to think that Karl Malone may soon follow.
Reportedly, the Spurs, Kings, Mavericks and everybody else in the NBA are already shaking in their sneakers.
On some experts' scorecards, the Lakers instantly vaulted back to the top of the league when Payton verbally agreed to sign; if Malone follows GP to LaLa Land as expected, many claim the Lakers will roll to their fourth title in five years virtually unscathed.
Bull.
Oh sure, signing a nine-time All Star and nine-time All-Defensive First Team selection makes sense.
On paper.
And bringing in the second-leading scorer in league history and arguably the greatest power forward of all time seems like an excellent move.
On paper.
And the fearsome foursome of Payton, Malone, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, all likely bound for the Hall of Fame, has the look of invincibility.
On paper.
But as we all know, games aren't played on paper... unless we're talking about Tic-Tac-Toe or Hangman. No, NBA games are played on the court, and that's exactly where Phil Jackson's all-world lineup could potentially run into some trouble.
Let's face it, despite their success the Lakers haven't exactly been the epitome of team harmony the past four years. Kobe wants to be the man. Shaq thinks he's already the man. Shaq thinks Kobe shoots too much. Kobe thinks Shaq weighs too much. And Kobe and Shaq think the rest of the team isn't carrying its weight.
And now you're going to throw Gary Payton and Karl Malone into the mix? We're talking about two guys who took 18.3 and 15.9 shots per game last season, respectively, two guys who've hoisted a combined 41,846 attempts in 2,461 career games, two guys who've averaged better than 20 ppg a total of 24 times over the past 18 years, two guys who last averaged fewer than 16 ppg in 1993 and 1985. Hell, by himself Malone's outscored Kobe and Shaq by more than 5,000 points during their respective careers (36,374 to 31,133), albeit with far more games under his belt, and incidentally, the last time he averaged fewer than 20 a night was his rookie season of 1985.
In other words, Payton and Malone are used to getting their shots, and the Lakers think they'll play nice with Kobe and Shaq, who themselves shot the ball 42 times per game last season, simply because they're veterans who want to win a championship? Dream on.
Haven't we learned yet that, while egos have become as much a part of professional sports as knee injuries and beer vendors, a team with too many egos historically collapses under the weight of its own expectations? Throw one pit bull into the backyard with a bunch of dachshunds and there's no question who the top dog is. Throw two pit bulls into the same backyard and while they may butt heads occasionally, there still should be plenty of bones to go around. Send in a third pit bull and suddenly that backyard seems a little two small. Add a fourth pit bull and, well, you've got problems.
Just imagine what would've happened if Payton and Malone had both been in LA last season when the Lakers started the year 11-19. These aren't quiet, easy-going guys we're talking about here -- these are two strong-willed veterans who've never been shy about voicing their opinions to teammates, coaches and members of the media, no matter what they have to say or who they're saying it about. Start the season 11-19 and you can bet they're going to start popping off about what -- or, more likely, who -- the potential problems are.
Just imagine what would happen if, with Payton and Malone in uniform, the Lakers start this season with a losing record while Kobe continually fires 30 shots a night. We already know that Shaq's not afraid to tell people when he feels he's not getting the looks he deserves. But now, if Bryant's one-man show makes another appearance this year, not only will he be taking shots away from The Daddy, but he'll also be stealing them from The Glove and The Mailman.
Which, while we're on the subject, brings up a secondary question: Doesn't Kobe now need a nickname? Maybe... The Felon? Or perhaps The Wrongfully Accused?
Now certainly, I'm not suggesting that the Lakers shouldn't sign Payton and Malone, two guys who would instantly fill LA's biggest holes while sharing an almost insignificant slice of payroll, but let's hold off on the parade planning for a bit. We've seen this happen before, teams suddenly finding themselves loaded with veteran talent and leadership, and just as suddenly they find themselves loaded with ongoing conflict and losses.
It happened to the Portland Trail Blazers. And the New York Mets. The Redskins, the Hawks, the NY Rangers, the Seahawks and the Lakers' Staples Center roommates, the Clippers, just last year. To name a few. All teams that brought in proven, veteran players who had not just succeeded, but excelled, in other cities and with other teams, only to watch their prized acquisitions crash and burn right along with the lofty expectations that came with them.
Granted, these are all unique cases, and maybe the foursome of Shaq, Kobe, Payton and Malone can flourish where others before them have failed, but forgive me if I'm a little skeptical.
Of course, the truly remarkable thing about all of this is, after years and years of hearing athletes claim with straight faces that "it's not about the money," not only have we finally witnessed a marquee player give up the bling for a shot at the ring, but we may actually see two of the NBA's biggest names choose a potential championship over guaranteed dollar signs. Amazing and, without a doubt, highly commendable.
Unfortunately, we'll soon likely discover that Payton and Malone would've been better off latching on with teams that needed them to get behind the steering wheel rather than becoming underpaid backseat drivers. Because make no mistake about it: Even if/when GP and Malone sign, the Lakers will still belong to Kobe.
Or is it Shaq... ?
And conversely, it may become unmistakably clear that instead of luring two future Hall of Fame occupants, the Lakers would have been better off with two complementary players who are used to doing the unpublicized dirty work and would've been glad to do it for a championship-caliber team. Guys like maybe Speedy Claxton, Kenny Thomas or P.J. Brown, whose 10 points, 10 rebounds and smooth demeanor would fit nicely into the Lakers' two-star system.
Then again, I could be way off. The new-look Lakers could take control of the West from day one this season. They could clinch home-court advantage and the top seed in early April. They could obliterate the Bulls' single-season wins record. Next June, we may see Gary Payton and Karl Malone hoisting the championship trophy over their heads for the first time in their illustrious careers.
But I doubt it. And history says they shouldn't count on it either.
Questions/comments? Send all e-mails to jcodding@bullz-eye.com.