 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Pashure pemwaka wake neLakers, Malone akava mumiriri akasununguka. Akavhiyiwa ibvi munguva yezhizha ra2004, uye matambudziko evanhu nevatsigiri veLakers Kobe Bryant akaita kuti Malone asadzokere kune imwe nguva nechikwata. The New York Knicks vakatsvaka kusaina Malone nokuda 200405. Mukutanga kwaFebruary 2005, pamberi pe2005 NBA All-Star Game, mumiririri waMalone akataura kuti Malone aizosaina neSan Antonio Spurs. Murairidzi mukuru weSpurs Gregg Popovich akasimbisa kuti chikwata chake chaifarira kusaina Malone, kana akasarudza kutamba imwezve mwaka. 