No need to panic

Lakers fans should chill out, enjoy their summer

Don't believe the hype.

For Lakers fans, that’s the theme of the week.

Take some ginseng. Do some yoga. Enjoy the So Cal sunshine.

Yes, things might seem as topsy-turvy right now as Gov. Gray Davis’ political career. But it’s way too early to draw any conclusions -- good or bad -- for the Purple & Gold.

A week that began with the highest of highs -- the possibility that Gary Payton and Karl Malone would sign in L.A. as free agents -- ended with the lowest of lows -- the weekend arrest of star guard Kobe Bryant on a warrant accusing him of felony sexual assault.

Both developments would have seemed unthinkable just weeks ago.

Now the ground is shaking under the feet of many Lakers fans as if the Big One itself had arrived.

For those L.A. fans, here’s some advice: Take a deep breath. Relax. Wait.

The likelihood of Payton and Malone joining forces with Shaq and Kobe next season is still a longshot.

Meanwhile, Bryant is innocent until proven guilty, and right now these are just allegations.

Over his seven NBA seasons, Bryant has been a model citizen. There is nothing in his past to indicate he’d be the type to be involved in an incident such as this. As Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak said in a prepared statement, the charges are "completely out of character."

Bryant has not spoken publicly as of Monday, but he reportedly told Lakers officials the charges were "bogus." Only time will tell, but the list of pro athletes who have been acquitted in high-profile cases in recent years is a long one: Kirby Puckett, Allen Iverson, Chris Webber and Juwan Howard, to name just a few.

As for Payton and Malone both taking less money to sign with the Lakers, believe it when you see it. While the latest reports say the Glove would be willing to play for a contract starting at the midlevel exception (roughly $4.8 million), it could be a negotiating tactic by his agent to leverage a better deal elsewhere. Ditto with the Mailman, who claims he’d consider signing with the Lakers for the $1.5 million veteran’s minimum if Payton comes aboard.

Players usually go where the money is. For Malone, that’s back to Utah. For Payton, it’s a sign-and-trade with Milwaukee, making a deal with the Blazers or Heat more likely since they have more tradeable assets than the Lakers.

It’s possible that Payton, soon to turn 35, wants to win a ring badly enough to take less money. His agent is on record as saying his client won’t stay in Milwaukee, and signing with the Lakers would enable the Glove to return to his West Coast roots. But it’s also possible that Payton wants to make as much as he can before he hangs up his sneakers, and a good way to drive up his demand in Portland is to talk openly about joining forces with its hated rival, the Lakers.

Malone, meanwhile, has had a much-ballyhooed dalliance with the Lakers before. As a free agent during the summer of 1999, he spoke wistfully of playing alongside Shaq in L.A. Ultimately, he chose to take the bigger payout with the Jazz.

At this time of year, the NBA news vacuum tends to blow events out of proportion. Two summers ago, everybody said Webber was headed to the bright lights of New York City. Last summer, the big news was the possibility of Iverson heading to the Big House.

Neither happened, making all the rampant speculation a big waste of time. The future of the Glove and the Mailman -- as well as the outcome of Bryant's legal issues -- will be determined in due course.

In the meantime, Lakers fans should chill out and enjoy the sunshine.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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