4. Gary Payton and 3. Karl Malone – 2003-04 season
Most Lakers fans remember that both Gary Payton and Karl Malone donned Lakers’ uniform at some point, but they still find it hard to believe that it actually happened.
The Lakers were coming off a 2nd round defeat to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2002-2003 that ended the Lakers run of 3 straight championships. The Lakers who were limited by the salary cap rules but were able to sign both Malone and Payton with their salary exceptions. Malone and Payton, both in desperate pursuit of their first championship before their long careers came to an end, took far less than their market value.
Payton struggled picking up the Lakers triangle offense and adjusting to not leading the offensive sets as the lead point guard. In addition, Payton’s defense no longer resembled anything close to the D that he played early in his career that earned him the nickname of The Glove.
Malone on the other hand flourished in his role with the Lakers and was an integral part of the Lakers run this season. What plagued Malone was a knee injury which limited him to appearing in just 42 regular season games. Malone was able to return in time for the playoffs and helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals where they faced major underdogs, Detroit Pistons. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Malone hurt the same right knee and labors through the first 4 games of the series. Without a healthy Malone, the Lakers were run off the floor by the Pistons, losing in 5 games.
Malone retires after the season after he and Kobe have a spat involving Kobe’s wife Vanessa. Payton went on to play 3 more seasons, ending his career with the Miami Heat where he won his first championship in the 2005-2006 season.
Malone gets the higher ranking because he was slightly more despised than Payton by Lakers fans and his 18 year tenure as a Utah Jazz makes the sight of him in a Lakers jersey more peculiar.