Malone's Visit Stirs Up Practice

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakerep10oct10,1,5
925004.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

SAN DIEGO - Jerry Buss saw Karl Malone arrive at Laker practice and
immediately moved from one end of the arena to the other to sit next to his
former power forward.

Coach Rudy Tomjanovich, showing similar hospitality, said he would be
"rolling out the red carpet," if Malone decided to return to the Lakers,
which Malone did for a day, in a sense.


Kobe Bryant and Malone also embraced, and Bryant pretended to spar with
Malone's son, Karl Jr. Malone felt Bryant's biceps - Bryant has gained 12
pounds since last season - and they shared a private laugh.

Malone shooed away reporters - "I ain't doing nothing . talk to the guys
that are doing something right now," he said - but his presence was the main
event at Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said before training camp that Malone was not
fully recovered from knee surgery and was moving in a "retirement-bound"
direction. If Malone decides to come back, however, it would be with the
Lakers, Manley said.



Malone's appearance was simply a one-day visit, Kupchak said.

"It's not really a sign one way or the other," he said. "We expected him to
come today. A week or two ago, Jerry and he met, and they kind of talked
about coming to practice today. It's just a visit. It's not a bad sign, but
I wouldn't say it's an indication of anything he's thinking of doing."


"I've never seen him when he didn't look great," Kupchak said. "I told him
to go over there and pick up a bag [of practice uniforms] and get dressed
and he said, 'I'm not in basketball shape right now.'

"He may think he's not in great shape, but he looks pretty good to me."


"I'm definitely going to see where he's going while he's down this way,"
Laker forward Devean George said. "We're going to try to soak him up, hold
on to him as long as we can before he gets away."

Center Chris Mihm was elbowed in the right ear during practice and
temporarily lost hearing, but he continued to play.