Miller's OK with Malone (deseretnews)
http://deseretnews.com/dn/jaz/
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http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595066377,00.html
Miller's OK with Malone
By Brad Rock
Deseret Morning News
Remember when Larry H. Miller said, "I don't need Karl (Malone) in my life.
I'm getting along just fine"?
Remember when he referred to Malone's behavior as "kindergarten" and "rookie"?
Remember when Malone called Jazz management "cowards" and said he "always
knew (leaving Utah) was the right thing to do"? When, after the skit that
mocked teammate Kobe Bryant, he said, "I will never, ever forgive them for this.
No class at all"?
Remember when Miller said Malone had " . . . done a lot of damage. So let's
just say justice will be served"?
Remember when John Stockton showed up to be measured for a statue that will
reside outside the Delta Center, but Malone begged off? Said Miller: "So if he
doesn't care enough to get measured, I don't care enough to pay $250,000 to
have a statue made."
Remember when they made up, sort of, in March when Malone came to Salt Lake
City for a Lakers-Jazz game? Even so, Miller only said he felt better about
things, not that he was pacified.
Consider him pacified. Time has passed, both Miller and Malone have cooled
down, and Malone's statue is going up. It will be joined by one of Stockton at
the southeast corner of the Delta Center, next February or March.
"Oh yeah. That has never really been in question," said Miller this week.
"I was frustrated that John showed up so readily (to be measured) and Karl
didn't, but he and I worked through that. No matter whether you get frustrated
or even angered by it — which I feel I'm past now — you can't ignore what
Karl did for this franchise for 18 years. No matter how you measure it, it was
remarkable, incredible."
The renderings will be 1 1/2 times life size and feature each player holding
a basketball. Stockton will be delivering an assist and Malone catching the
ball and dunking.
That talk about denying Malone a statue was merely the usual fussing between
the two.
"The positives outweigh the negatives," said Miller on Wednesday.
"I don't know how you measure it — whether it's 1,000-to-one or what — but
I would be selfish and small-minded if I did not recognize what he did."
Nearly one year after Malone decided to leave Utah and pursue a championship
in Los Angeles, both his and Miller's objectives are developing on schedule.
The Jazz have sold more season tickets in six weeks than they sold in six off
season months last year. They have three first-round draft picks and $30
million in salary cap money. It's a foregone conclusion they will be better
next year than their 42-win season last year.
Meanwhile, Malone appears on track for his championship.
"Karl is still a good player," continued Miller, "and he would have, just
by his presence, commanded more minutes, and we wouldn't have been able to
develop as much as we have. So it was a win-win situation."
That wasn't guaranteed last summer. The Jazz wanted Malone, but not at the
nearly $20 million he had made previously. Malone wanted a championship but
could see the Jazz weren't on that track. So Malone left to play for the Lakers
at a paltry $1.5 million.
"I had a problem with it early on," said Miller, "because I felt he was just
riding other peoples' coattails."
But when Malone was in Utah in March, the two talked. Miller told Malone if
he were a contributing factor in a Lakers' run, fine, enjoy the ride. Turns out
Malone has been just that.
"Actually, I think he's done it in two ways," said Miller. "One is — who
would have thunk, right? — he's been a stabilizing force . . .
"The other way is that he's had some big games for them. He's made a lot of
difference in those games. So I actually feel OK about it."
In fact, he feels monumental.
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