Just this past December, Kobe Bryant was asked as part of a feature story if he has any relationship with former teammate Karl Malone. Bryant's response? "Zero."

Can you blame him? There was a story in 2004, when the stars were Los Angeles Lakers teammates, that Malone made inappropriate comments toward Bryant's wife, thus Kobe's silent treatment of the Hall of Famer. So, how does Malone feel about Bryant?

While making an appearance on HuffPost Live on Wednesday, Malone said he doesn't have any ill will toward Bryant, but if Kobe is willing, he would knuckle up and shoot the fair one with him anytime. 

"We had a little issue," Malone said during part of the segment. "I don't hold grudges...I love Westerns. I'm old-school Western. Back in the day, when you had a beef, you didn't go get guns and knives...we just go back in the back with no cameras and knuckle up. Get it over with."

Malone also used the segment to remind Bryant that he is willing to get it on at anytime so that they can move past the drama once and for all.

"It's a standing offer," Malone continued about giving Bryant the option to fight and let what's bothering him off his chest. "Look, I don't want no trouble. I don't have a problem. People say whatever they want to say and that's great. I'm 6-foot-9, 272 [pounds] to be exact. I'm not hard to find. I don't want no trouble. But if something got to go down, I'm not playing fair."

In passing Michael Jordan for third on the NBA's all-time scoring list this past December, Bryant only trails Malone (36,928 points) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points). 

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(Photos from left: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway, Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)