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Jazz fined for mock phone call during Jazz gameSALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Jazz were fined by the NBA for a mock phone call that made fun of Karl Malone and teammate Kobe Bryant during a timeout of the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Utah last week. Jazz president Dennis Haslam confirmed Friday that the team had been fined, but would not confirm reports that it was $15,000. The NBA did not return a phone call seeking comment. ``There's really not a lot to say. We had an incident, we sent an apology and the NBA has fined us,'' Haslam said Friday. During a timeout during the game last Saturday, Jazz mascot ``Bear'' answered a fake call that was broadcast over the loudspeakers. The caller imitated Malone's voice and identified himself as ``Mail,'' saying he wanted to come ``home,'' L.A. fans were ``mean'' to him and the Lakers don't pass him the ball. The call ended with the impersonated voice saying, ``I guess it could be worse. I could be Ko...,'' stopping short of saying Kobe. Bryant had spent the previous day in Colorado, where he's facing a trial on a sexual assault charge. Malone, who did not attend the game, was offended that the Jazz alluded to Bryant's sexual assault case in part of a joke. ``For them to put that out there about him, that's disrespectful,'' Malone said before the Lakers' home game against Seattle on Wednesday night. ``I will never, ever forgive them for this. No class at all.'' Malone, who played 18 seasons with the Jazz, is on the injured list and did not return to Salt Lake City for his first game as a Utah opponent. Jazz spokesman Kim Turner, who also would not confirm the amount of the fine on Friday, said Malone's comments were the first negative feedback he had heard about the skit since the game. ``The Utah Jazz have extended an apology to the Los Angeles Lakers organization,'' Turner said Thursday, without elaborating. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Malone furious about mock phone call during Jazz gameSALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Jazz apologized Thursday for a mock phone call that made fun of Karl Malone and teammate Kobe Bryant during a timeout of the Lakers' game at Utah last week. Malone, who did not attend the game last Saturday, was offended that the Jazz alluded to Bryant's sexual assault case in part of a joke. ``For them to put that out there about him, that's disrespectful,'' Malone said. ``I will never, ever forgive them for this. No class at all.'' Malone, who played 18 seasons with the Jazz, is on the injured list and did not return to Salt Lake City for his first game as an opponent. During a stoppage, Jazz mascot ``Bear'' answered a fake call that was broadcast over the loudspeakers. The caller imitated Malone's voice and identified himself as ``Mail,'' saying he wanted to come ``home,'' L.A. fans were ``mean'' to him and the Lakers don't pass him the ball. The call ended with the imitator saying, ``I guess it could be worse. I could be Ko...,'' stopping short of saying Kobe. Bryant had spent the previous day in Colorado, where he's facing a trial on a sexual assault charge. ``That kind of stuff there is like pathetic. If an athlete would have did that, we'd have been talking about it for the rest of the year on SportsCenter,'' Malone said before the Lakers' home game against Seattle on Wednesday night. Jazz spokesman Kim Turner said Malone's comments were the first negative feedback he has heard about the skit since the game. ``The Utah Jazz have extended an apology to the Los Angeles Lakers organization,'' Turner said, without elaborating. Later in the game, Jazz owner Larry Miller was handed a cell phone for a second call from the fake Malone and was cheered when he promptly hung up. Miller did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday. Malone said he had no problem with the Jazz poking fun at him, but the Bryant reference was in poor taste. The Lakers return to Utah on March 8, and it is uncertain whether Malone will be able to play. His right knee has been slow to heal, and now it looks as though Malone will not be able to return until mid-March at the earliest. ``I guarantee you, I'll have the last say on this. You can print that. That little skit they did, it'll cost them. I guarantee you,'' Malone said. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Jazz sign Moore to 10-day contractSALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Jazz signed center Mikki Moore to a 10-day contract Wednesday. The 7-foot Moore, a five-year NBA veteran, has played in 154 career games, including 142 with the Detroit Pistons from 1998-02. He also played for Boston, Atlanta and New Jersey. This season, Moore averaged 0.5 points in 2.5 minutes in four games with the Nets. Moore's best season came with the Pistons in 2000-01, when he averaged a career-high 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 14.2 minutes in 81 games. He was expected to be available for the Jazz's game Wednesday night against Dallas. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Jazz Jan 2004 Archive
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