Commentary
After all the recent articles and statements appearing  in the media, and from fans around Utah about Karl Malone taking less money when he was with the Jazz. I felt it was time to state the facts, and my opinion...

During the '96 and '97 finals runs, Malone made 5.1 million, and Stockton made 5 million. You can see how that ranked with the rest of the top players those years. They were a steal salary wise. (notice that Stockton made more than Malone in the 95-96 season.)

97-98
1. Michael Jordan (Chi) ..... 33,140,000
2. Patrick Ewing (NY) ....... 20,500,000
3. Horace Grant (Orl) ....... 14,285,714
4. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) ... 12,857,143
5. David Robinson (SA) ...... 12,397,440
6. Alonzo Mourning (Mia) .... 11,254,800
7. Juwan Howard (Was) ....... 11,250,000
8. Hakeem Olajuwon (Hou) .... 11,156,000
9. Gary Payton (Sea) ........ 10,514,688
10. Dikembe Mutombo (Atl) .... 9,615,187
11. Reggie Miller (Ind) ...... 9,031,850
12. Chris Webber (Was) ....... 9,000,000
13. Shawn Kemp (Cle) ......... 8,600,000
14. Larry Johnson (NY) ....... 8,460,714
15. Derrick Coleman (Phi) .... 8,002,800
16. Kevin Johnson (Pho) ...... 8,000,000
17. Latrell Sprewell (GS) .... 7,770,000
18. Anfernee Hardaway (Orl) .. 7,580,000
19. Elden Campbell (LAL) ..... 7,000,000
20. Danny Manning (Pho) ...... 6,833,333
21. Robert Horry (LAL) ....... 6,000,000
22. Allan Houston (NY) ....... 6,000,000
23. Shawn Bradley (Dal) ...... 5,940,000
24. Grant Hill (Det) ......... 5,850,000
25. Otis Thorpe (Van) ........ 5,700,000
26. Glenn Robinson (Mil) ..... 5,510,000
27. Clyde Drexler (Hou) ...... 5,500,000
28. Tom Gugliotta (Min) ...... 5,500,000
29. Steve Smith (Atl) ........ 5,400,000
30. Sean Elliott (SA) ........ 5,333,333
31. Dale Davis (Ind) ......... 5,273,333
32. Jason Kidd (Pho) ......... 5,223,333
33. Karl Malone (Uta) ........ 5,118,578
34. John Starks (NY) ......... 5,112,500
35. A.C. Green (Dal) ......... 5,095,088
36. Christian Laettner (Atl) . 5,050,000
37. Kenny Anderson (Por) ..... 5,010,000
38. Brian Grant (Por) ........ 5,000,000
39. John Stockton (Uta) ...... 5,000,000
40. Vlade Divac (Cha) ........ 4,833,333
41. Tim Hardaway (Mia) ....... 4,800,000
42. Glen Rice (Cha) .......... 4,702,000
43. Harvey Grant (Was) ....... 4,671,875
44. Jim Jackson (Phi) ........ 4,600,000
45. Dennis Rodman (Chi) ...... 4,500,000 [rumored]
46. Ron Harper (Chi) ......... 4,560,000
47. Toni Kukoc (Chi) ......... 4,560,000
48. John Williams (Pho) ...... 4,550,000
49. Antonio Davis (Ind) ...... 4,500,000
50. Jamal Mashburn (Mia) ..... 4,433,334
51. Kendall Gill (NJ) ........ 4,400,000
52. Billy Owens (Sac) ........ 4,225,200
53. Isaiah Rider (Por) ....... 4,210,000
54. Jeff Hornacek (Uta) ...... 4,195,000

96-97

1. Michael Jordan (Chi) .... $30,140,000
2. Horace Grant (Orl) ...... 14,857,000
3. Reggie Miller (Ind) ..... 11,250,000
4. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL) .. 10,714,000
5. Gary Payton (Sea) ....... 10,212,000
6. David Robinson (SA) ...... 9,952,000
7. Juwan Howard (Was) ....... 9,750,000
8. Hakeem Olajuwon (Hou) .... 9,655,000
9. Alonzo Mourning (Mia) .... 9,380,000
10. Dennis Rodman (Chi) ...... 9,000,000
11. Dikembe Mutombo (Atl) .... 8,013,000
12. Chris Webber (Was) ....... 8,000,000
13. Elden Campbell (LAL) ..... 7,000,000
14. Kevin Johnson (Pho) ...... 7,000,000
15. Latrell Sprewell (GS) .... 7,000,000
16. Otis Thorpe (Det) ........ 7,000,000
17. Danny Manning (Pho) ...... 6,833,000
18. Derrick Coleman (Phi) .... 6,739,000
19. Anfernee Hardaway (Orl) .. 6,655,000
20. Dale Davis (Ind) ......... 6,508,000
21. John Stockton (Uta) ...... 6,000,000
22. Clyde Drexler (Hou) ...... 5,500,000
23. Sean Elliott (SA) ........ 5,333,000
24. Dino Radja (Bos) ......... 5,313,000
25. Antonio Davis (Ind) ...... 5,200,000
26. Shawn Bradley (NJ) ....... 5,130,000
27. Grant Hill (Det) ......... 5,025,000
28. Larry Johnson (NY) ....... 5,004,000
29. Tom Gugliotta (Min) ...... 5,000,000
30. Allan Houston (NY) ....... 5,000,000
31. Vlade Divac (Cha) ........ 4,718,000
32. Charles Barkley (Hou) .... 4,695,000
33. Karl Malone (Uta) ........ 4,657,000
34. Danny Ferry (Cle) ........ 4,643,000
35. Glenn Robinson (Mil) ..... 4,640,000
36. Christian Laettner (Atl) . 4,500,000
37. Steve Smith (Atl) ........ 4,500,000
38. Jason Kidd (Pho) ......... 4,408,000
39. A.C. Green (Dal) ......... 4,315,000
40. Kenny Anderson (Por) ..... 4,175,000
41. John Williams (Pho) ...... 4,151,000
42. Harvey Grant (Was) ....... 4,111,000
43. Chris Dudley (Por) ....... 4,100,000
44. Glen Rice (Cha) .......... 4,002,000
45. Rik Smits (Ind) .......... 4,000,000
46. Brian Shaw (Orl) ......... 4,000,000
 

The NBA back then had no CBA (collective bargaining agreement) or luxury tax. The Jazz could sign any player that was a free agent, at any price they cared to. During these years, they only carried 12 players on the roster. Neither Stockton's or Malone's salary kept them from signing players, and there was room on the roster to do so.

In all fairness, the Jazz payroll these years, was in the middle of the pack of the rest of the NBA teams.  In the 98-99 season Karl Malone made  $6.1 Million, Greg Ostertag made 4.3 million.

97-98

Team Total Salaries
1. Los Angeles Clippers .... $24,493,625
2. Toronto Raptors ......... $24,748,405
3. Detroit Pistons ......... $24,876,625
4. Vancouver Grizzlies ..... $25,637,110
5. Milwaukee Bucks ......... $25,919,828
6. Denver Nuggets .......... $26,518,960
7. Cleveland Cavaliers ..... $26,677,290
8. Boston Celtics .......... $26,800,500
9. Charlotte Hornets ....... $27,006,013
10. Dallas Mavericks......... $27,268,948
11. Portland Trailblazers ... $27,786,719
12. Minnesota Timberwolves .. $27,787,780
13. Houston Rockets ......... $28,086,350
14. New Jersey Nets ......... $28,504,567
15. Utah Jazz ............... $28,505,442
16. Sacramento Kings ........ $30,046,350
17. Atlanta Hawks ........... $30,133,827
18. Philadelphia 76ers ...... $31,420,520
19. Golden State Warriors ... $32,856,469
20. Miami Heat .............. $34,641,186
21. Los Angeles Lakers ...... $36,304,083
22. Phoenix Suns ............ $36,937,876
23. Seattle Sonics .......... $37,592,175
24. San Antonio Spurs ....... $38,846,163
25. Indiana Pacers .......... $39,162,273
26. Washington Wizards ...... $40,718,075
27. Orlando Magic ........... $43,954,299
28. New York Knicks ......... $53,974,881
29. Chicago Bulls ........... $61,330,670

96-97

Team Payroll
1. Toronto Raptors ........ $18.63 million
2. Vancouver Grizzlies .... $18.64 million
3. Cleveland Cavaliers .... $20.37 million
4. Charlotte Hornets ...... $22.43 million
5. Miami Heat ............. $23.80 million
6. Milwaukee Bucks ........ $24.22 million
7. Minnesota Timberwolves . $24.35 million
8. Denver Nuggets ......... $24.57 million
9. Philadelphia 76ers ..... $24.77 million
10. Portland Trailblazers .. $24.90 million
11. Boston Celtics ......... $25.07 million
12. Utah Jazz .............. $25.27 million
13. New Jersey Nets ........ $25.43 million
14. Atlanta Hawks .......... $25.81 million
15. New York Knicks ........ $25.93 million
16. Los Angeles Clippers ... $26.04 million
17. Dallas Mavericks ....... $26.11 million
18. Houston Rockets ........ $26.28 million
19. Detroit Pistons ........ $27.21 million
20. Los Angeles Lakers ..... $28.83 million
21. Sacramento Kings ....... $29.08 million
22. Seattle Sonics ......... $30.30 million
23. Golden State Warriors .. $30.87 million
24. San Antonio Spurs ...... $33.18 million
25. Washington Bullets ..... $34.56 million
26. Phoenix Suns ........... $36.14 million
27. Indiana Pacers ......... $40.93 million
28. Orlando Magic .......... $45.05 million
29. Chicago Bulls .......... $58.27 million
 

When Karl and John re-negotiated their contracts, in 99-2000, Jazz owner Larry Miller made good on his promise, and made it up to them, by giving them market value. Malone 14 million, and Stockton 11 million. These contacts could not be re-negotiated down. The NBA does not allow that. When Stockton's contract, which was shorter than Malone's ended, he did sign for 8 million. The 4 million cut in pay did not go to bring in players, but was used so that the Jazz would not have to pay the luxury tax. Until this year, Malone could not take less than the contract called for. Were he and Stockton greedy? No, they were getting fair market value for their skills.

1. Shaquille O'Neal (LAL)    $17,142,858
 2. Kevin Garnett (Min)       $16,806,300
 3. Alonzo Mourning (Mia)     $15,004,800
 4. Patrick Ewing (NY)        $15,000,000
 4. Juwan Howard (Was)        $15,000,000
 6. Scottie Pippen (Por)      $14,795,642
 7. Hakeem Olajuwon (Hou)     $14,302,001
 8. Karl Malone (Uta)         $14,000,000
 9. Dikembe Mutombo (Atl)     $12,820,249
10. Jayson Williams (NJ)      $12,375,000
11. Rik Smits (Ind)           $12,250,000
12. Larry Johnson (NY)        $11,910,714
13. David Robinson (SA)       $11,592,683
14. Gary Payton (Sea)         $11,020,473
15. John Stockton (Uta)       $11,000,000
15. Chris Webber (Sac)        $11,000,000
17. Rasheed Wallace (Por)     $10,800,000
18. Shawn Kemp (Cle)          $10,780,000
19. Damon Stoudamire (Por)    $10,125,000
20. Mitch Richmond (Was)      $10,000,000
20. Rod Strickland (Was)      $10,000,000
 

During the last 4 years, the Jazz have had exceptions to sign other players, but they have gone unused half the time. (mid level exception.)

I keep hearing about how the Jazz have lost money the past 4 years, well here is a  link from Hoopsworld, which lists USA today and Forbes as it's source. Hoopsword link, you can make up your own mind.

In fairness to Malone, he was paid below market value until the 1999-2000 season. Same with Stockton. The past 4 years they have made fair market value. They cannot be blamed for the Chillcutts, Fuller or Amaechi's.

In equal fairness Jazz owner Larry Miller has a right to make a profit. It's a business, plain and simple. It's difficult for a team to make it in a small market like the Jazz are in, and profits are not as great as some teams like the Clippers who have a huge built in fan base of 7million within a 50 mile radius. The Mark Cubans are another story, and I am sure Larry Miller would love to be a billionaire also.

Love Malone, or hate Malone, it's your choice. Just don't blame Malone. It's unfair and cannot be justified in my opinion.

Figures from Patricia's site was used in the preparation of this commentary.