LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Add Karl Malone to the list of talent leaving the Los Angeles Lakers (news) because of Kobe Bryant.
The 41-year-old forward told the Los Angeles Times that he will not return to the National Basketball Association club once he recovers from off-season right knee surgery due to comments made by Bryant in a Monday radio interview.
"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 said. "I want to be there but he doesn't want me there
"It's not about the Lakers. It's about your main guy saying he doesn't want me," Malone told the newspaper. "I'm a big enough man to understand that so I'm going to get on with my life and I've got a great life."
Bryant said in a radio interview that "it's not really fair to hold (Malone's status) over the guys' heads that are here. You can't sit up here and speculate for the remainder of the season whether or not he's going to come back."
Malone, a 14-time All-Star and the number two all-time scorer in NBA history, joins star center Shaquille O'Neal, now with the Miami Heat (news), and nine-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson as departing largely due to Bryant.
"It's pretty obvious with what happened with Phil, Shaq and now Karl there is a pattern of tearing people down. This was a clear statement," said Malone's agent Dwight Manley. "Karl is furious and irate and said this is unacceptable."
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, who had been negotiating with Manley about Malone's return, now finds talks cut off for good.
"It's unfortunate he would make such a decision based on the reason given," Kupchak said in a statement. "Kobe Bryant's interview ... basically reflected his personal opinion that Karl would probably not return to play this season."
Malone, who lives six blocks from Bryant in a gated community at nearby Newport Beach, is expected to decide next month whether or not to retire or return to the NBA.
"Kobe Bryant doesn't want me to play for him and it's his team," Malone said. "You have got to be wanted and he doesn't want me there.
"No disrespect to anyone but this wasn't an equipment guy saying this. This is the player who you gave your franchise to. I can read between the lines."
Jackson has said he felt he could not continue to coach the Lakers with Bryant on the team. O'Neal was angry with Bryant over comments to police that O'Neal bought off police to make problems vanish. That feud sparked O'Neal being traded to Miami.
"I would have quit my job before I traded Shaquille O'Neal," Malone said.
Malone still has hope of capturing his first NBA title after seasons of frustration with Utah and a near miss last season when the Lakers lost to Detroit in the NBA Finals (news - web sites).
Among the clubs interested in Malone is San Antonio. The Spurs have the NBA's best record at 16-3 and could meet the Lakers in the playoffs provided Bryant can lift the Lakers, 10-7 into the Western Conference's top eight.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Add Karl Malone to the list of talent leaving the Los Angeles Lakers (news) because of Kobe Bryant.
Talent! What talent?! He didn't have it in the first place! He was out most of the time in the last season anywayz, and besides he's 41-years-old his career was long over. He was only in it for the ring.
"Forget shaq and forget Malone, the lakers will do fine on their own!"
Karl Malone should have retired when he left Utah! He was never any good to us anyway! Kobe, do your thing. These are the rebuilding years...its gonna take a while to get us back to the team that we were before but in 3 years(give or Take( we'll be back to contend for that championship!!!!!!!!!!!
