Malone Says He May Take Game Overseas

Karl Malone said Thursday that if the National Basketball Players Assn. is decertified and the NBA lockout delays the season, he may play in Europe.

The Utah Jazz forward, who voted to support the union, said that, at 32, he does not want to risk losing a season.

“I may be pretty close to signing an agreement overseas,” said Malone, who is beginning his 11th NBA season.

Jazz officials would not comment, either on Malone’s statement or on how his playing in Europe might conflict with his contract. Malone has three years left on his agreement with the Jazz.

Malone blamed NBA agents for the lockout.

“If the agents were running this business, I would quit playing today,” he said.

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The NBA players’ association is seeking to halt an antitrust lawsuit against the league until the decertification vote is settled. The motion, filed Wednesday in federal court in Minneapolis, asks Judge David Doty to delay any rulings in the case, including ordering an end to a 62-day lockout, until the National Labor Relations Board has counted the votes and approved the results.

Players voted Wednesday on whether to dissolve the union or allow it to continue to represent them. A vote for the union is considered a vote to accept a new labor agreement with the NBA. A second voting day for players who couldn’t vote earlier is set for Sept. 7.

Golf

Colin Montgomerie, leading European money winner and winner of last week’s German Open, shot a four-under-par 68 and was a stroke behind eight co-leaders after the first round of the European Masters in Switzerland.

The group at 67 included Mark Mouland of Wales, Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, Domingo Hospital and Jose Rivero of Spain, Barry Lane, Steven Richardson and Peter Mitchell of England and Eduardo Romero of Argentina.