# Would Gary Payton be interested in a Laker uniform? (merged)



## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

*Would Gary Payton be interested?*

I know he's a Cali guy so he probably wants to come back out West. Out of all the FAs this is the guy I want the most. He's a natural PG and yet he has the size the PJ wants. He's a little old at 34-35 but he's got that veteran savvy and he still hasn't won a ring so you know he'll be hungry. This is one guy I'd love to add. PJ Brown is also a must. How would this lineup look?

Payton
Kobe
George
Brown
Shaq


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## Muffin (Feb 11, 2003)

If GP is willing to play at the exception salary. This line-up would almost guarantee a title next season. I know GP has a lot of $$$ already but it all boils down to what's more important to him. LAL can't afford to pay him no more than that. They won't be able to afford PJ after signing GP to the exception. The best they could do is somebody like Horace Grant or MJ :laugh: for the 1 million veteran pay.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

Did any of you see him on FoxSports last night? I heard he was on the BDSSP and mentioned the possibility of him in a Laker Uni next yesr. I didn't see it, but hope one of you did and confirm what he actually said.

Peace.


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## Ice (Jun 8, 2002)

Yeah he was on the best damn sports show period last night talking about where he's gonna play next season. He specifically talked about LA and Milwaukee, saying how much he wants a title and what better place than with Shaq and Kobe with the lake show!

Pinball you're the only one i've seen thinking Payton would be better for the lakers than an established power forward. And i agree with you, he's exactly what the lakers need. The third scorer to take the pressure off of shaq and kobe. He would be the primary ball-handler and he would be the one creating shots for his teammates. Kobe can now use his energy on scoring playing defense and hitting the glass. With Payton and Kobe the lakers would have arguably the best defensive backcourt in the league, and the best overall backcourt in the league, PERIOD!!!


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

as long as he's willing to come cheap, Welcome GP!
Thanks for the info, Ice.


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## Lakers-14xChampions (Jan 17, 2003)

I also confirm what Ice said. Gary Payton said he would like to play with his boy Shaq. Tom Arnold got all excited, and told Payton he could move right next to him and Shaq, and would love for him to be with the Purple and Gold next year. Payton would be awesome in a Lakers Uniform, as long as we could get him at a fair price. But I also feel we need to adress the PF position. Horry was outplayed by Duncan, Garnett, and Wallace all year. I think Howard would fix that problem! Later!


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## Ice (Jun 8, 2002)

Well it would probably take the whole 4.5 mil exception to sign Payton leaving no money left over to sign a power forward. Maybe Zo can be signed for the veterans minimum. That would be a frontline to be reckoned with they'd dominate the low block, own the boards, and block and alter alot of shots they'd have a huge intimidation factor! But i don't know if he's even an option for the lakers, and who knows what he has left after missing the last 2 of 3 years with kidney disease. 

Personally i think the answer lies in the draft. Its pretty deep and has a number of power forwards that could be solid starters in the leauge. There are several options for the lake show West, Beasley, Cook, or Rickert. I'd take Rickert he's long and rangy with a polished offensive game. And he's added 10 pounds to his 215 pound frame recently. He's light years ahead of any other power forward the lakers have had the last 4 years and he's compliment Shaq very well. His finesse to Shaq's power.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

If Payton is willing to come I would rather have him than a PF. Because, I think that Walker can be a decent starter for us.

C-Shaq
PF-Walker
SF-George
SG-Kobe
PG-Payton.

Lakers want to keep Fish as a backup. I wouldn't mind trading George for a higher draft pick.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

I didn't think he would be willing to sign for the Lakers for that low. If he is, I'm all for it. we can draft PF in the draft in stead or some High School Proespect like Outlaw or Lang...

If collison is available, that would be amazing


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## nalz (May 12, 2003)

I'm an LA fan from Seattle...I would love to see old man glove run the show in the Lakers...even better than have a good PF...

First of all we can address the 3rd scorer problem, I love Fish is just that he got all beaten up when he guards fast point guards.
Fish can come out and play to shoot threes...

What about getting Malone with the veteran minimum? Isn't that a possibility too?

The only thing is if we sign Payton, Shaq wont get much help so he has to get better and reach his usual form...

Payton will be a great addition the Lake show this season is so predictable...either Kobe driving in or dump the ball to Shaq and when Shaq is not at his best all the teams are just all over Kobe then we struggle....with GP we have another guy that will cause problems from the perimeter and remember that he's also the best post-up guard there is with JKidd

ciao


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Lakers Might Fit the 'Glove'*

Former All-Star point guard Payton appears to be near the top of list of off-season possibilities.

By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...,1,2767746.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba

Some highlites:

The new name with Laker management is Gary Payton, who is most definitely not a power forward, but is a free agent, and represents the range of off-season philosophies for a franchise still measuring the magnitude of its recent playoff failure.

The Lakers hope to rework their roster with a combination of their mid-level salary-cap exception (about $4.7 million), the lower exceptions (the highest of which is $1.4 million), trades and draft picks (Nos. 24 and 32).

While the Lakers have not ruled out signing Scottie Pippen, their interest in the 37-year-old guard apparently has waned. He is recovering from midseason knee surgery, struggled in Portland's first-round loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and has not played more than 64 games in a season in four years.

That has brought them to Payton, though it is five weeks before they can even make a call to him and seven weeks before they could sign Payton or any free agent.

There are the usual concerns about triangle compatibility and front-court needs and whether a 35-year-old man is really the defensive answer, not to mention Payton's willingness to cut his salary by two-thirds. But Payton is consistently one of the better defensive guards in the league and the Lakers, according to club sources, love his competitive spirit and his willingness to share the ball, critical if he were to one day stand with O'Neal and Bryant.

Payton averaged 20.4 points in 80 games, 52 of them in Seattle and, after a trade-deadline deal that sent Ray Allen to the SuperSonics, 28 in Milwaukee. He also ranked second in the league in assists (8.3 per game).


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## Juan (Jun 13, 2002)

I think Payton would be a great pickup for the Lakers. Even though he is going to turn 35, I still think he is better than Bibby, Parker and Nash. He plays hard and most important, plays great defense. We would not get burned at the point any more, he can also post up those other PG's so when Kobe or Shaq are on the bench we could go to him.


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## aznbusyboy (Apr 7, 2003)

i will trade george for any high draft pick


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Juan</b>!
> We would not get burned at the point any more, he can also post up those other PG's so when Kobe or Shaq are on the bench we could go to him.


He'd still get burned by lightning quick PGs like Marbury and Parker but I think he'd do a much better job against the average PG than Fisher. However, his offense is the biggest thing we need. He gives us scoring, passing, and an extra ballhandler.


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>aznbusyboy</b>!
> i will trade george for any high draft pick


Reverse it. Who would trade a high draft pick for George?


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## Juan (Jun 13, 2002)

> He'd still get burned by lightning quick PGs like Marbury and Parker but I think he'd do a much better job against the average PG than Fisher. However, his offense is the biggest thing we need. He gives us scoring, passing, and an extra ballhandler.


I think you are right but Payton would make those quicker point guards work harder for there shots, and Payton would also make them work harder on defense. Right now as it stands the other teams PG's are never ever guarding anybody so they all collapse on Shaq or Kobe.


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## realbullsfaninLA (Jan 8, 2003)

I met Gary payton outside of a restaurant in L.A. two summers ago.He told me then that he wanted to play on the west coast.He said he would LOVE to play for the Lakers.He also said that he'd be content with only playing 20 minutes a game,and he knew it was Shaq and Kobe's team.He never mentioned how much he'd be willing to play for,and I didn't think it was my place to ask him.He was REAL cool,and very approachable.

During that conversation,I also asked him who he'd take in the draft.He said he'd take that kid out of Chicago with the 1st pick.(Eddie Curry)


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Gary is staying in Milwaukee


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## venturalakersfan (Jun 10, 2003)

Payton should be the #1 pursuit for the Lakers. Even at 35 he is still a top 5 PG in the league, and put that with the #1 center and #1 shooting guard and it would be an impressive team. Even though the Lakers could only offer the MLE, they can dress it up to make it more attractive. Sign him for the MLE with a player option in year #4. If he is ready to retire, give him a balloon payment to send him on his way. Or, if Payton is planning on playing 4 more years, sign him to the MLE for 5 or 6 years, so he can still collect a paycheck after he retires. As for the PF position, draft West and sign someone like Popeye Jones or Tyrone Hill for the vet minimum. They can both rebound and play D. Better Payton and Hill than Fisher and Howard.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

*If Gary Payton signed with the Lakers...*

Could you actually IMAGINE how good the Los Angeles Lakers would be? They wouldn't just win the title, they would DESTROY everyone in their path. It would help even more if they got a decent PF.

But seriously, with Shaq coming back in shape, and Kobe's shoulder back to normal...they would/could be one of the best defensive teams EVER assembled.

Gary Payton and Kobe Bryant in the same back court! Can you even begin to fathom how much that would SUCK for any other team?! Having Kobe and Fisher is bad enough for opponents, but Payton as well?! WOW! They are both incredibly intense on offense and defense, and would combine to be the best back court in the league. Put Shaq next to almost anyone, and you've got the best front court in the league (unless JO or Brand sign with the Spurs).

The team would be INTELLIGENT, INTENSE, and they would stay calm and know what to do in key situations. I can't wait until July 1st gets here, so all the GP to LA rumors start getting louder and louder.

Come on Gary!!! Come to LA!

:yes:


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## pound me (Jun 10, 2003)

*long time sonics fan*

and as much as it hurts to admit, Payton isnt nearly the defensive player he used to be. HE's still better than anything you guys are running out there now, but his defense has slipped. But i still agree, GP + LA = WC


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

I, for once, don't want to see The Glove in L.A.
It would be plainly unfair to the rest of the league! 

:starwars:


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## aznbusyboy (Apr 7, 2003)

Gary Payton is on the Lakers most wanted list, and lakersfans most wanted list. if he joins the lakers, then the lakers will be nearly undefeatable.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: long time sonics fan*



> Originally posted by <b>pound me</b>!
> and as much as it hurts to admit, Payton isnt nearly the defensive player he used to be. HE's still better than anything you guys are running out there now, but his defense has slipped. But i still agree, GP + LA = WC


Well, yeah...he isn't as quick as he used to be, but definitely better than any other PG they have. lol


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Dont worry you can have him- the rest of the league wont mine- I dont see it as much of an upgrade over Fisher with how he is now


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*Payton Says He'd Fit in With Lakers*

Free agent point guard Gary Payton said he would have no problem fitting in with the Laker triangle offense. It's the constraints of the NBA's salary cap that could prevent Payton from coming to Los Angeles.

Payton was traded from the Seattle SuperSonics to the Milwaukee Bucks last season in the last year of a seven-year, $85-million contract. His most lucrative option would be to stay with the Bucks (who can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him) or to be part of a sign-and-trade deal. Because the Lakers are over the salary cap they can't offer him more than the mid-level exception, or $4.5 million.

"I'm just going to chill," Payton said late Thursday night while attending Nike's "Battleground" one-on-one basketball tournament in Bel Air. "I'm going to see what's happening. I need a championship.

"If a team fits me, that I'm going to have a championship, then I'm going to work with it. But other than that, Milwaukee's still the first option. If they can get somebody in the draft, I'm waiting until after the draft to see what's happening."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...1,2444647.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba


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## 888 (May 25, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Pinball</b>!
> 
> 
> He'd still get burned by lightning quick PGs like Marbury and Parker but I think he'd do a much better job against the average PG than Fisher. However, his offense is the biggest thing we need. He gives us scoring, passing, and an extra ballhandler.


you sound like the glove is already 60 years old, he might not be as quick as those 2 you mentioned but definately he will not get "BURNED" by those 2, hes still super quick, not that much off from those 2, even john stockson didnt get burned by those 2 so what makes you think the glove will have trouble on the defensive end against those 2 huh ??


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## 3PeatComplete (Jul 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>888</b>!
> you sound like the glove is already 60 years old, he might not be as quick as those 2 you mentioned but definately he will not get "BURNED" by those 2, hes still super quick, not that much off from those 2, even john stockson didnt get burned by those 2 so what makes you think the glove will have trouble on the defensive end against those 2 huh ??


Yeah, I don't think he'd get BURNED by Parker, he's quick but the kid isn't THAT good yet. Maybe Marbury cause he can light it up sometimes but I don't think Parker's at the point where he can burn Payton.


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## Skiptomylou12 (Jun 25, 2003)

the glove is called the glove for a reason and although hes 35 he can still get it done with his experience and his great defensive awareness, he wont' get burned by parker thats for sure, but marbury cna take payton i think


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