# Suns Get Payton Too?



## Jammin (Jul 3, 2005)

> Arizona Republic (scroll down) (registration might be required): "The Grant pickup did not cease efforts to land swingman Michael Finley as a means of soothing the departure of Joe Johnson, whose trade to Atlanta should close Friday... The Suns also have engaged in talks regarding free-agent point guard Gary Payton, who has publicly expressed interest in backing up Nash."


http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0816suns0816.html

This seems like it would be an amazing pick up for the Suns. Adding alot of depth after the pick up of the defensive minded Grant.

Thoughts/Comments?


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## deannahum (Aug 7, 2003)

adding him is much more important then having Finley IMO... because we dont have nothing more than LB to backup Nash... and we all know what happens when Nash is out...

we have plenty of players at the 2-3 spots... but we sure miss a good 3-point shooter off the bench


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## sunsaz (Apr 18, 2005)

Putting myself in Payton's shoes, there is no way Payton would want to be a backup for anybody. Signing Payton would be a tremendous mistake. I would be more angry at Sarver for signing Payton than for letting Judas Joe go.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

Honestly Payton would be a good edition. He has already said he'd love to back up Nash. Key word BACK UP. I think Payton has finally realized he can't be a starter on a contender any more and would be more than willing to give it one last shot with the Suns. Hopefully though it won't take more than the 1.7 Million TE we got from the Voskuhl trade to get him.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

tempe85 said:


> Honestly Payton would be a good edition. He has already said he'd love to back up Nash. Key word BACK UP. I think Payton has finally realized he can't be a starter on a contender any more and would be more than willing to give it one last shot with the Suns. Hopefully though it won't take more than the 1.7 Million TE we got from the Voskuhl trade to get him.


I think I remember him saying somewhere he would like to backup Nash and also play alongside hiim because they could be a good duo. I would really like Payton in a Suns uni.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

I'd rather Finley. We need another 3 pt shooter. He can also go off for 20 pts on some nights.


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## Carbo04 (Apr 15, 2005)

I'd rather get both. J.J.'s replacement, and a backup PG.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

BaronMcGrady said:


> I'd rather get both. J.J.'s replacement, and a backup PG.


I rather get Smush Parker


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## Jammin (Jul 3, 2005)

You like smush too? I love that guy. If NBDL was on TV, I'd root for the Flame.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

tempe85 said:


> Honestly Payton would be a good edition. He has already said he'd love to back up Nash. Key word BACK UP. I think Payton has finally realized he can't be a starter on a contender any more and would be more than willing to give it one last shot with the Suns. Hopefully though it won't take more than the 1.7 Million TE we got from the Voskuhl trade to get him.


Good post.


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## ChristopherJ (Aug 10, 2004)

Air Fly said:


> Good post.


Losing JJ is tough. But if we could actually get GP and Finley to go along with Grant, we would finally have some depth coming off the bench.


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## PhatDaddy3100 (Jun 16, 2002)

AS gambo said today on the radio, it doesnt make sense becusae then we would have a ton of players int eh backcourt, and then getting Diaw would make no sense what-so-ever, IF we dont get finley i can see it happening, but if we do, I dont see it happening.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

PhatDaddy3100 said:


> AS gambo said today on the radio, it doesnt make sense becusae then we would have a ton of players int eh backcourt, and then getting Diaw would make no sense what-so-ever, IF we dont get finley i can see it happening, but if we do, I dont see it happening.


Diaw may not play much though so.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

Honestly guys, I don't see Finley coming here. And I'm not sure having Finley is worth taking minutes away from Bell and Jackson. I would rather try and sign a third string three point shooter to play behind Bell, Marion and Jackson and then sign a point guard to backup Nash. Of course, if you can get Finley for the vet minimum you must take it. My problem is when they promise him a starting role. I believe it will be only a matter of time before an outcry to bring him off the bench happens much like it did in Dallas, and will he be ok with that? Not only did he take very little money (by the way his current contract will not be paid in three years, it will be probably stretched longer than 10 years), but that starting role and starters minutes didn't completely come as promised either. The prospect of signing a star like Finley is overwhelmingly exciting, but we better be careful on what we promising him for sacrificing his money. It would be nice if this damn JJ trade would go through so the Suns can start talking TE.

Some third string bench shooter ideas: Casey Jacobsen, Eric Piatkowski, Jason Kapono, Morris Petersen

Other signings: Gary Payton, Earl Watson, Milt Palacio

Some of the guys aren't good players, but have potential to bring depth and defined roles to a team that already has their three stars.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

KidCanada said:


> Losing JJ is tough. But if we could actually get GP and Finley to go along with Grant, we would finally have some depth coming off the bench.


Finely would definantly help you guys, i dont want him in the East anyway cuz he'll sign with either Miami or Detroit then we Nets will be in big trouble...

Payton would be a good back up for Nash..


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> Honestly guys, I don't see Finley coming here. And I'm not sure having Finley is worth taking minutes away from Bell and Jackson. I would rather try and sign a third string three point shooter to play behind Bell, Marion and Jackson and then sign a point guard to backup Nash. Of course, if you can get Finley for the vet minimum you must take it. My problem is when they promise him a starting role. I believe it will be only a matter of time before an outcry to bring him off the bench happens much like it did in Dallas, and will he be ok with that? Not only did he take very little money (by the way his current contract will not be paid in three years, it will be probably stretched longer than 10 years), but that starting role and starters minutes didn't completely come as promised either. The prospect of signing a star like Finley is overwhelmingly exciting, but we better be careful on what we promising him for sacrificing his money. It would be nice if this damn JJ trade would go through so the Suns can start talking TE.
> 
> Some third string bench shooter ideas: Casey Jacobsen, Eric Piatkowski, Jason Kapono, Morris Petersen
> 
> ...


Great points. Especially the Finley starting one. Koko also said that. I just want him as a spot up shooter. Altho he may mesh well here and be a good fit like Nash was last yr. This team is different from those Mavs teams. But yeah we're better off looking at a shooter than him. 

I'd like it if the trade DON'T go through. But that's just me . I know it is inevitable. No way he comes back. I'd also rather have Marion and the cap space later on. Amare could attract a top 2 guard.


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## sunsaz (Apr 18, 2005)

Payton's ability is not my concern here. My biggest concern is his attitude. I think it's going to be hard enough on team chemistry not having Richardson in the locker room next year. But throw someone like Payton in there would have about the same effect as a pellet gun in an airplane: one errant shot would suck all the life out of it.

I just think it's going to be hard enough winning next year with who's left. We don't need to make a bad thing worse.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

True on Payton, it is a possibility. But you cannot deny that there is an on court need there. I wouldn't mind Watson. He has trouble because his shot is shaky at best, but he is a good on the ball defender and would probably do well in a running system. Watson would be a good roleplayer, but does he want to be a roleplayer? I like Lue for this team, but 16 minutes per game won't satisfy him. Same with Damon Jones. Dan Dickau could work in a sign and trade, but can he run the Suns offense? I doubt he'd compliment Nash well, since it's essentially the same type of (non)defensive player. Milt Palacio ain't good enough offensively. I don't think Barbosa is going to thrive as a PG, ever. And if Nash goes down for any reason, we don't have Joe to go to anymore. The though of Barbosa and Diaw running the offense for whole games is...ugh. Suns need a backup PG.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> And if Nash goes down for any reason, we don't have Joe to go to anymore. The though of Barbosa and Diaw running the offense for whole games is...ugh. Suns need a backup PG.



Proabably more than any thing else at this point.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

Hey Troy Bell was released. Don't know much about him, but I always thought of him as a pretty good player. How about going after him?


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

He was an awesome scorer in his college days. Doesn't look good for him. He actually didn't play for Memphis anymore. They cut him in 2004 and still had to pay his salary. He went to Europe and was cut from a Spanish team within a few months. Something must not be right with him to not make any team across the world, but I wouldn't hesitate to at least bring him in for a workout. Problem here is he's a scoring PG, and we have one of those in Barbosa.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> He was an awesome scorer in his college days. Doesn't look good for him. He actually didn't play for Memphis anymore. They cut him in 2004 and still had to pay his salary. He went to Europe and was cut from a Spanish team within a few months. Something must not be right with him to not make any team across the world, but I wouldn't hesitate to at least bring him in for a workout. Problem here is he's a scoring PG, and we have one of those in Barbosa.


Thanks for the info. Didn't know that he went to Spain that is interesting I always thought he was just buried deep on someones bench not getting a chance to play, but he is a scoring PG? I will pass on that one.


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## MOHeat (Aug 4, 2005)

He played on the Hornets Summer League Team this past summer


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## sheefo13 (Jul 13, 2002)

Kekai said:


> I rather get Smush Parker



Much agreed. Really no point to have Gary here when all you really need is a decent 3rd stringer.. Maybe even Anthony Carter...


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

sheefo13 said:


> Much agreed. Really no point to have Gary here when all you really need is a decent 3rd stringer.. Maybe even Anthony Carter...


AC!! nice a baller from hawai'i! I still rather have Smush though, is he signing with the Lakers?


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

Just find a way to trade Leandro.


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

Phoenix will likely only sign Payton if they lose out on the Finley sweapstakes, so don't expect Payton to sign until Finley is off the market.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Bringing in Payton is a bad idea. Someone already stated he will start crying about playing time. Plus hes a terrible 3pt shooter and all hes good for is throw alley-oops. But if we brought in Payton then Barbosa who is 4x better then payton will get less minutes. 

I think if we can't land Finley, we should get Casey back in a Suns uniform. Hes a good 3pt shooter and he did well last season.


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## shazha (Nov 20, 2002)

I dont think payton will help us. Just look at Kidd, when McDyess was playing for us. Sure he was great, but with Nash's offensive skills we're a different team. 

Payton cant stop up and shoot on a consistant basis. He needs the ball to be effective. We need to surround Amare, Marion and Nash with shooters and rebounder/shot blockers. 

We need Finley. And maybe Dan Dickau lol.


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