Malone Responds to Death Threat

Utah Jazz star Karl Malone intends to carry a handgun on road trips following a death threat he received in New Jersey last week.

“From now on, I’ll be packing,” Malone said in Salt Lake City.

The threat came at Continental Airlines Arena last Friday, when Utah beat the New Jersey Nets, 122-115. In response, security at the arena was tightened.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Tuesday that the threat rattled him. Malone, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, told the newspaper he has little faith in security at NBA arenas.

“Not until somebody gets shot or something like that--and it’s going to happen, I’m telling you--are they going to do something about it,” Malone said. “And I’m not going to be one of those ‘uh-oh’ kind of guys.”

Malone’s decision poses numerous security problems.

Utah’s “concealed carry” law is relatively lax and only one other state--Arkansas--recognizes it. Concealed weapons laws otherwise vary and some states--California and New York, particularly--allow concealed weapons only under the most stringent supervision, if at all.

Provided Malone secures the necessary permits, he would probably require special permission to carry a weapon even on a chartered flight. Some flights ban them entirely.

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The head of the NBA Players Assn. said Latrell Sprewell was poorly prepared for his recent television appearances and did little to shine his tarnished image.

Billy Hunter said the union--which represented Sprewell in his arbitration case--could have helped prepare him for the interviews, but was never asked.

“I would have probably--hopefully--better prepared him,” Hunter said. “I would have probably been a little more selective in terms of what shows I permitted him to go on and be interviewed.”

The tour was scheduled by Sprewell’s agent, Arn Tellem, who didn’t return calls seeking comment.

Sprewell spoke on several shows, including CBS’s “60 Minutes,” after an arbitrator reduced his NBA-imposed suspension and reinstated his contract with the Golden State Warriors. He had been suspended for attacking his Coach P.J. Carlesimo.

Hunter’s biggest complaint was over Sprewell’s contention that he grabbed, but didn’t choke Carlesimo, something Hunter called splitting hairs.

“It probably doesn’t play too well with some people,” he said.