?He Was Our Leader?: Karl Malone, Who Caught Flak From Kobe Bryant Over Wife Vanessa, Kept Shaq and Lakers ?In Line?

The concept of superteams became popular over the past decade with stars from around the league teaming up to win championships. However, that concept had emerged long before. After achieving a 3-peat in the early 2000s, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to form a super team to get back to winning ways. The Lakers signed veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone to the team in order to guide Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. While it made them the favorites on paper, it didn’t end up as the Lakers would have hoped.

Recently, NBA legend Gary Payton made an appearance on the ?Breakbeat? podcast, where he revealed the exact impact of Malone and himself on the young and abrasive Lakers roster. Although Payton departed after just one season in LA, he saw a lot of what eventually turned out to be the final nail in Shaquille O’Neal‘s Lakers career.

Gary Payton on the superteam formed in Los Angeles

The host asked Payton about his time in Los Angeles and how his experience was playing with ?The Mailman.? He also asked Payton about his views on the failed super team and their loss to the Detroit Pistons despite having players like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Payton said, ?It was kinda hard because, you know, Kobe was going through what he was going through. And then we had Shaq going through his thing with Dr. Buss on getting a contract. So, we didn?t expect to have all of that, you know what I?m saying??

?We started off the season 18 and 2. Then all of a sudden Karl got hurt and that hurt us. When Karl got hurt, it put us back. Because he was our leader. He was the one that kept us in line. I was the one that was always with Kobe and then Karl?s with Shaq,? added Payton.

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?The Glove? went on to talk about all the injuries the stars suffered that really set them back. Despite those injuries, the Lakers managed to reach the NBA Finals where they faced off against the Pistons. What followed was one of the biggest shocks in NBA history as the superteam of LA fell to the gritty Pistons 4-1.

However, Payton looks back on his time in LA with pride. He was glad to take that experience with him and get to know the ‘Black Mamba’ more personally.

The beef between Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant

That season with the Lakers turned out to be the last in the legendary career of Karl Malone. However, that year was not without its drama. Malone and Bryant had developed a beef off the court due to Malone?s inappropriate comments about Kobe Bryant?s wife, Vanessa.

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Now, whatever may be the case, that surely must?ve hurt the overall team chemistry and their play on the floor. Yet the Lakers somehow managed to make it to the Finals. After the season got over, Malone announced his retirement. Payton went to the Boston Celtics and Shaquille O?Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.