Kevin McHale: Mailman heading to Miami

[Evilmav2]

McHale's spin: Mailman heading to Miami

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...ports-headlines

By Harvey Fialkov
Staff writer
Posted July 27 2004

MIAMI · Is the Mailman relocating to South Florida? At least one Hall of Fame power forward seems to think so.

"Regarding the possibility of signing free agent Karl Malone, Timberwolves vice president Kevin McHale said he hears the veteran power forward will sign with Miami," longtime columnist Sid Hartman wrote in Monday's Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, and Heat General Manager Randy Pfund admitted they've had ongoing discussions involving the 14-time All-Star.

Malone, who turned 41 last week, is recovering from minor knee surgery and the removal of bone spurs from the middle finger of his shooting hand.

"There's no news to report -- yet," Manley said.

Malone left the Jazz after 18 seasons and took an $18 million pay cut to play with the Lakers in what he thought would be the best shot at his first NBA championship.

However, Malone missed 40 games with the first serious injury of his career and limped along in the playoffs. The Lakers lost in five games to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals and traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Heat in the offseason.

"I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade. "It is very disheartening."

Malone averaged a career-low 13.2 points and 8.7 rebounds last season, but his offensive role was vastly reduced with O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton on the court.

Pfund has said it could be a while before Malone decides whether to retire or continue to chase a ring and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Malone trails Abdul-Jabbar by 1,459 points (38,387 to 36,928).

O'Neal said he has reached out to several of his former teammates to join him in Miami, including Malone, free agent forward Robert Horry and forward Bryon Russell.

If Malone joined the Heat, it most likely would be for the veteran's minimum $1.1 million or the $1.6 million salary exception. It would probably end the Heat's pursuit of Horry, because the power rotation of O'Neal, Michael Doleac, Udonis Haslem and Malone would seem enough.

"I think so, if it happened," said Horry, regarding joining Malone in Miami. "Who knows what's going to happen. I can't say. I'm taking all offers and am not putting any team on top of the list. [Miami] wouldn't be bad at all."

The Heat continues discussions involving free-agent small forward Eric Williams, according to his agent Mark Bartelstein.

[sike]

yet again, players prove they want to play with Shaq.

[Big Boy Laroux]

malone just wants to play with shaq... but without kobe.

[vinnieponte]

and who wouldn't want to play with shaq, he is the best out there, and when he comes here, he will run all over us just like every time before. I wish we could of got him, yet now we must rely on bradley & booth, I hope I'm dreaming and about to wake up.

[Usually Lurkin]

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed coattail-riding.

Ah, Karl "coattails" Malone. He always delivers (to someone who can get it done).
It's so encouraging, with the way sports are these days, to see the fierce determination with which Malone is trying to get someone else to win a championship for him.

[capitalcity]

I don't care where Malone goes - as long as its not San Antonio.

Bruce "Lee" Bowen and the Mailman would make the best kickboxing tandem in the league.