All the speeches, tributes and ovations will be for John Stockton. All the intrigue belongs to Karl Malone.

When Malone takes the podium during the Salute to Stockton on Saturday night, he will join thousands of Jazz fans in saying farewell to the NBA's all-time assists and steals leader. Only he knows whether the Delta Center crowd is saying goodbye to him as well.

"It's going to be interesting to see his demeanor when he speaks, how long he speaks, how close in he lets people get to him," said Jazz owner Larry Miller. "I believe it will be a meaningful night for Karl, and to see how he reacts might be pretty telling."

More telling than anything the future Hall of Famer has disclosed to Miller.

At season's end, the pair agreed to meet and discuss Malone's basketball future, but Malone has not made that appointment. Miller hopes the meeting will take place this weekend -- Malone is back in Utah after spending much of May at his ranch in Arkansas -- but Malone's agent said that won't happen.