ESPN-Insider, Gary Payton to L.A.

Lakers Dynasty 2000 · by **Lakers Dynasty 2000** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 8:45 pm

ESPN- Insider isn't much of an authority in my opinion, but I want to believe this, and GP is a West Coast person and he and Kobe are tight.

They report Gary Payton is telling friends that he won't sign with Milwaukee next season, and that he wants to play for the Lakers. If that doesn't work out he is looking at San Antonio, Portland and even Minnesota.

To support this, the Bucks are working out every point guard available in pre-draft camps.

Please sign him Mitch. Dr. Buss, open the Bank.

LakersGyrl2003 · by **LakersGyrl2003** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 9:10 pm

Dayam... this is a great insight... I hope Mitch doesnt pass this one up, he's a vet, and is hungry as eva!

pltan · by **pltan** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 9:20 pm

I like the thought of GP at our point, but if we get him with our MLE, what does that leave us with in terms of picking up a PF? And isn't the PF position more critical to us than the PG?

Lakers4PEAT · by **Lakers4PEAT** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:41 pm

good question..our PF spot is empty, Lakers already are gona cut Samaki Walker..and Horry may be out of LA..which leaves us w. no real PF's

by **triple j** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:51 pm

we havnt had a real solid PF for years,and things havnt turned out too bad,now have they. i'd be willing to play a dead body at PF if it meant we had a chance to get payton.

Lakers4PEAT · by **Lakers4PEAT** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:15 pm

triple j wrote:we havnt had a real solid PF for years,and things havnt turned out too bad,now have they. i'd be willing to play a dead body at PF if it meant we had a chance to get payton.

Yes but we still need two PF's, since most likely Horry and Walker gona be gone. How much $ do we have leftover for the PF spot if we sign GP? And I'd honestly much rather get Gilbert Arenas than GP, just because GA is on the rise and he's only 21...many more years to come w. KB and GA in the backcourt

Snakell Beast · by **Snakell Beast** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:33 pm

Like I said in another post, if it were up to me I would try to swing the Terry Ratliff deal in Payton's or Arenas' stead because JT AND Theo gives us TWO quality players and we have no more issues with dead bodies @ PF plus we don't have to worry about Payton getting old or cranky or not being able to get a decent PF...

Snakell Beast · by **Snakell Beast** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:35 pm

We would also still have the MLE for a player like Clark, Mourning or even a guy like Lamar Odom...

Seawell · by **Seawell** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 12:35 am

If we can land Payton then we could use one or both of our picks on PF's. Besides the PF spot, we've been getting torched at the point for way too long. If nothing else Payton would help the rest of the world realize that Troy Hudson and Mike Bibby really aren't that great.

#1_Kobe_fan · by **#1_Kobe_fan** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:12 am

thats a tough one to call the GLOVE or Arenas... in the Glove we have a proven allstar but in Arenas we have a budding star with a long future ahead. Arenas does lack the GLoves defensive prowess but he more than makes up for it in Speed. As much as I would like to get Payton... I would rather have Arenas because he can grow old with KOBE long after SHAQ retires....

KOBE OUR REAL MVP :bow:

GoldenEye · by **GoldenEye** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:15 am

#1_Kobe_fan wrote:thats a tough one to call the GLOVE or Arenas... in the Glove we have a proven allstar but in Arenas we have a budding star with a long future ahead. Arenas does lack the GLoves defensive prowess but he more than makes up for it in Speed. As much as I would like to get Payton... I would rather have Arenas because he can grow old with KOBE long after SHAQ retires....

KOBE OUR REAL MVP

Forget about Arena, he will never come for the MLE ...

pltan · by **pltan** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 2:27 am

triple j wrote:we havnt had a real solid PF for years,and things havnt turned out too bad,now have they. i'd be willing to play a dead body at PF if it meant we had a chance to get payton.

Last season we had Walker playing it and he was ok. Grant the year before. Sure...not 'real solid', but they did their job.

This season with Walker out of favour and Horry picking up the slack, it didn't look good for us at the PF spot.

So as Lakers4Peat said, Walker is definitely gone. Rob may stick around, but can't be expected to play as a starting PF. Call me crazy but I'm just personally more worried about the PF position than PG.

ZenMaster · by **ZenMaster** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:56 am

...I feel BOTH spots are of supreme importance. They have been our weaknesses for way too damn long. I know some of this may belong in another thread, and tho I LOVE Fishman's heart, I think all the wear and tear of the playoff games over the years have finally taken their toll on him. Players just blow by him now. He would be FAR more effective coming off the bench, he would be more rested, and we would be much better off as a team. Either that or use him as trade bait. Don't forget, guys, we can always do a sign-and-trade too, re-sign Walker and/or Horry and get 1 or 2 SOLID big men in return. Plus our draft picks. PLUS the $1-1.4 million veteran exceptions (yes, there are more than one). It's not like all we have is a mid-level ex., we have PLENTY of weapons at our disposal if our lunkhead of a GM would ever stop to realize it. :man7:

clublakers · by **clublakers** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 5:12 am

Good run in here players.. all good points.

I think the PG is more important than the PF because in Phil's system the PG needs to be a complete player (mind and body). We can toss a thug at the PF with little experience and only expect boards and D from him (although a reliable 15 ft set shot is always nice).

Gary, Kobe and Devean tag-team D'ing in the backcourt? Forget about it. We'll lead the league in steals. I say bring in Gary for the now and we'll talk about a young PG in 2006.

At PF we don't need an All-Star... Brian Skinner (as an example) would run for the LLE and Guy Rucker/Mark Madsen would run for the minimum. Shaq takes up so much room that burning jack on a scoring power forward would be a waste. It would be the same as putting a scoring guard opposite Kobe.

#1_Kobe_fan · by **#1_Kobe_fan** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 11:18 am

I really don't think any team in their mind would want to over pay for WALKER. After his performance this year with L.A. where all he was asked to was defend and rebound and he failed miserably. Why and who would want to give him a fat contract after his stint here. We can absolutely scratch him off as TRADE BAIT. If the world champions was not enough motivation for him to play hard what will he do to a mediocre team? I can see HORRY as a bait but I would rather he finish and retire as a LAKER.

KOBE OUR REAL MVP :bow:

Seawell · by **Seawell** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 12:46 pm

clublakers wrote: I say bring in Gary for the now and we'll talk about a young PG in 2006.

If we sign GP now and then get Raymond Felton whenever he leaves UNC we'll be set.

by **Guest** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 1:27 pm

i would love to get raymond felton, but my feeling is, whenever he leaves, he will be a high pick in the draft.

Seawell · by **Seawell** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:51 pm

Anonymous wrote:i would love to get raymond felton, but my feeling is, whenever he leaves, he will be a high pick in the draft.

You're absolutely right. I'm just hoping that by then we will be able to trade our way up.

Danny Ainge · by **Danny Ainge** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 4:59 pm

Felton is good but as aforementioned our top priority right now should be at PF. This is all contingent on whether Buss signs GP.

Kobe_One_Kenobi_8 · by **Kobe_One_Kenobi_8** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 5:58 pm

Come on Mitch please have the brains for this moment to sign GP. And Buss just open up your wallet, you cheapass!!!!!!

pltan · by **pltan** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:01 pm

Just curious, do you guys think GP can command a greater payout from another team to what we could offer him with our MLE? I personally would think so, but unsure. And yeah I know...it could be about the ring..blah blah, which could also be hot air. *shrug*

And finally, what do you guys think about GP in terms of team dynamics, should he come? I was under the impression he's got a serious ego, and hard to deal with, although no where near Rider.

Snakell Beast · by **Snakell Beast** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 10:15 pm

I say if we CAN get GP, we should even though I prefer Terry, Arenas, and Miller (andre). Gary's defense can't be overlooked and there are pleny of PFs (along with the development of Slava) that can mean we would come out ok and if we extended Horry, we could be just fine. I would prefer to get Antonio Daniels or Andre Miller with the LLe (and promise a hefty [and legal] extension once they finish their first season) and go for juwan Howard or PJ Brown (Malone if we HAVE TO) because then we have more time to develop Slava and the rookies we draft...

#1_Kobe_fan · by **#1_Kobe_fan** on Wed Jun 04, 2003 12:27 am

Yea... lets develop some of the more promising ROOKIES that we draft. Lets give SLAVA some P.T. and give some looks at the SF spots. I just can't wait till draft day. Lets hope we get someone mentioned here and not some unknown 3rd division player. We got lucky with George/Fisher but, we can't afford that risky of a pick this time around. Since MITCH is not a supreme judge of talent unlike Jerry West lets settling for the second best highschool in Travis Outlaw.... WTF am I sayin? highschoolers are always risky..... but its a risk that I would take.

Seawell · by **Seawell** on Wed Jun 04, 2003 12:31 am

Danny Ainge wrote:Felton is good but as aforementioned our top priority right now should be at PF. This is all contingent on whether Buss signs GP.

Felton will still be playing his sophomore season at UNC this year. He has not entered his name in the draft. This is just wishful thinking for the future when he is available. This would make sense to get GP now and then pick up somebody young like Felton when GP is on his way out.

#1_Kobe_fan · by **#1_Kobe_fan** on Wed Jun 04, 2003 12:37 am

FELTON will probably enter the DRAFT next year and will be a top 5 pick.
We can scratch him out of our list. We will probably be picking #29 in the draft next summer because we would be WORLD CHAMPIONS once again.

KOBE OUR REAL MVP :bow:

ESPN-Insider, Gary Payton to L.A.

ESPN-Insider, Gary Payton to L.A.

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