For one dramatic, entertaining, and sometimes brilliant season, Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant were teammates. They shared a starting lineup comprised of four Hall of Famers -- Malone, Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton -- for a 56-26 Lakers team that bowed out of the 2004 playoffs in a five-game Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons. More than a decade later, drama still follows that team.
In a HuffPost Live interview Wednesday, Malone said he holds no grudges against Bryant for how their friendship soured. After that topsy-turvy 2004 season, Bryant accused Malone of making inappropriate comments toward Bryant's wife, Vanessa. Malone has steadfastly denied that fact, even telling USA Today then that he wouldn't "star in another Bryant soap opera."
While he doesn't harbor ill feelings toward Bryant today, Malone said he's still willing to sort things out between them.
"We had a little issue," Malone told host Marc Lamont Hill. "I don't hold grudges ... I love Westerns. I'm old-school Western. Back in the day, when you had a beef, you didn't go get guns and knives ... we just go back in the back with no cameras and knuckle up. Get it over with."
Hill pressed Malone if he offered Bryant that route to resolution.
"It's a standing offer," Malone said. "Look, I don't want no trouble. I don't have a problem. People say whatever they want to say and that's great. I'm 6-9, 272 [pounds] to be exact. I'm not hard to find. I don't want no trouble. But if something got to go down, I'm not playing fair."
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