The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Free agent Karl Malone, the NBA's second-leading all-time scorer, agreed Thursday to join the Los Angeles Lakers, giving them a lineup with four superstars.

"We've agreed to it; he's going to become a Laker," Malone's agent, Dwight Manley, said Thursday. "In his mind, he's already a Laker."

Malone joins a starting lineup expected to include Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and another newcomer, Gary Payton, a nine-time All-Star who agreed earlier this week to play for the Lakers.

Even though Payton and Malone have reached agreements with the team, the first day free agents can sign contracts is not until Wednesday.

The Lakers, who won three consecutive NBA titles before losing to eventual champion San Antonio in the second round this year, probably would have been a clear favorite to win it all next year merely by getting Payton. Malone makes them even more imposing.

"They have a Hall of Fame team in the making," New Jersey Nets assistant coach Lawrence Frank said.

Neither Malone, a two-time league MVP, nor Payton has played on an NBA championship team. Both were willing to take big pay cuts to have a shot at a ring with the Lakers.

Malone, who made $19.3 million last season, reportedly will get the veteran's minimum salary of $1.5 million with the Lakers.

Malone, who turns 40 on July 24, made it to the NBA Finals twice, in 1997 and 1998. Both times, the Jazz lost to Chicago.

Malone averaged 20.6 points last season to lead Utah in scoring for the 17th consecutive year. His average of 7.75 rebounds was the team's highest for the 18th straight year.

Although Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller was sorry to see Malone go, he understood his championship hopes.

"I don't think it's in me to deny him that, even if I could," Miller said Thursday. "If you've got to go with the odds, that's not a bad place to go."

• A decision on whether to charge Kobe Bryant with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Colorado on June 30 will not be announced until next week, district attorney Mark Hurlbert's spokeswoman said.

NETS: Team president and general manager Rod Thorn denied reports that All-Star point guard Jason Kidd demanded coach Byron Scott be fired in order to re-sign with the team.

The New York Post and the Record of Bergen County, N.J., cited unnamed sources in their reports.

"I want to reiterate that this was an erroneous story without merit - Jason Kidd has never asked nor demanded that Coach Scott be fired, and to be portrayed otherwise is an injustice to Jason as well as Coach Scott," Thorn said in a statement.

Kidd is debating whether to take a reported $99 million, six-year offer from the Nets or to accept an offer from the Spurs for about $5 million less.

KNICKS: Willis Reed returned to New York on Thursday in the newly created position of special basketball adviser.

Reed, 61, was formerly the senior vice president of the New Jersey Nets.

Reed, who was the captain on the Knicks' NBA championship teams in 1970 and 1973, will be involved in player scouting, recruitment and evaluation. He also will advise on decisions regarding basketball operations.

A Hall of Famer who played 10 seasons with the Knicks, Reed coached the Knicks for parts of two seasons in 1977 and '78, compiling a 49-47 record.