Party planners

With Payton, Malone on board, L.A. can count on a parade

Set up the traffic cones on Figueroa St.

Tell Mayor Hahn to clear his calendar.

Get Mark Madsen some dance lessons.

For if Gary "The Glove" Payton and Karl "The Mailman" Malone sign as free agents in L.A. -- as expected -- the folks in L.A. might as well start planning another victory parade.

With Payton and Malone joining Shaq, Kobe and Phil Jackson, the question might not be whether the Lakers win the 2003-04 title. It might be whether they break the Bulls’ all-time record of 72 wins in a season.

"They have the drawing power to [attract top free agents], and it seems they got the two guys they wanted," Magic GM John Gabriel said Wednesday. "It sounds like they’ve executed their plan."

Actually, it’s still a bit premature to say the Glove and the Mailman definitely will be in L.A. next season.

Free agents can’t sign until July 16, and Malone still has to agree to a contract that would pay him around $1.5 million next year -- some $17 million less than he made a year ago. No matter how badly he might want to win an NBA title, that’s a daunting pay cut. Especially when it also means he won’t get as many touches to help him pursue Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record.

Until the Mailman signs on the dotted line, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak won’t be sleeping easy.

Also, the defending champion Spurs still might have some say in the 2004 title race. If San Antonio can sign Jason Kidd and another quality big man, such as Brad Miller or Alonzo Mourning, it would give them a fighting chance. With Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili on the other end of Kidd’s passes, the Spurs certainly would have the depth to contend.

But assuming Payton and Malone do the expected and sign in L.A., the Lakers definitely have to be considered the heavy favorites.

"It’s an outstanding situation for the Lakers," said former NBA guard and longtime NBA coach Kevin Loughery. "They add two veteran players and two guys who want to win a championship."

Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Payton/Malone acquisitions are that they fill two of the Lakers’ biggest needs. Even during L.A.’s run of three consecutive titles, Shaq and Kobe often had to offset their team’s disadvantages at power forward and point guard. Malone and Payton instantly turn those areas of relative weakness into strengths.

The Glove and the Mailman also should help ratchet up L.A.’s defensive toughness, a sore spot a year ago. With Shaq unable or unwilling to move his feet as much and L.A.’s aging cast of role players unable to get out on shooters, the Lakers weren’t able to make stops as consistently. The telling stat was that they finished last in the NBA in 3-point field-goal defense.

With Malone inside to handle all those elite Western Conference power forwards, Payton and Bryant will be freer to roam the perimeter and stay out on shooters. Shaq won’t pick up as many cheap fouls. When teams try to pick-and-roll, L.A. will be able to switch and not worry about the smaller Derek Fisher getting abused.

"A backcourt of Kobe and Payton would probably be as good a defensive backcourt as we’ve seen," Loughery said.

Of course, this all sounds good on paper. Any number of issues could derail this Lakers juggernaut, among them Bryant’s pending criminal case, Malone’s willingness to share the rock and, most of all, Shaq’s commitment. If the self-described Most Dominant Player doesn’t get back into top shape and return next season with his usual fire, it doesn’t matter whom else the Lakers acquire.

As Gabriel said, "What makes them the favorites is still the big guy. And I don’t mean Karl Malone."

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

 

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