Malone not ready to retire, plans on joining Lakers eventually

LOS ANGELES -- Karl Malone told the Los Angeles Lakers he's not ready to play, but he didn't rule out returning sometime this season or beyond.

"Karl's not playing, but he's also not retiring," Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said Friday. "He's leaving his options open. Nothing's carved in stone.

"He will be 100 percent physically in the next couple months and his skills are obviously still great. He still could play this year. Anything's possible -- the door is still open."

The 41-year-old Malone, the second-leading scorer in NBA history, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in late June. Malone opted out of his $1.65 million contract with the Lakers at season's end, making him a free agent. Several teams, including San Antonio, Minnesota and Miami, expressed interest.

Malone and Manley had lunch with Lakers owner Jerry Buss on Thursday to let him know Malone wouldn't be at training camp, but that he wouldn't sign with another team, either. Buss offered Malone an unspecified job with the Lakers, Manley said.

The Lakers open camp Tuesday at the University of San Diego. Their first preseason game is Oct. 12 against Seattle in Anaheim, and they open the regular season Nov. 2 at home against Denver.

Manley said if Malone does return to play in the NBA, it would only be with the Lakers. "He doesn't want to move his family," the agent said.

After playing 18 seasons for the Utah Jazz, Malone joined the Lakers before last season in search of his first championship. He took a pay cut of about $18 million to sign for $1.5 million.

Lakers spokesman John Black said last week it was his understanding that Malone was at least a couple of months away from being ready to play.

Regarding Buss' offer of another position within the organization, Black said: "I think he was flattered and is inclined to accept, but nothing has been decided."

Malone played in 1,434 of a possible 1,444 regular-season games with the Jazz, but missed 40 games with the Lakers -- 39 after tearing a knee ligament Dec. 21 against Phoenix.

He returned in March, and played a key role as the Lakers reached the NBA Finals before losing to the Detroit Pistons in five games.