More GP to the Lakers news

June 21 — Free agent point guard Gary Payton says he won’t make any decision on his future until after Thursday’s NBA draft, but he doesn’t have any doubts that he could fit into the Los Angeles Lakers’ triangle offense,
“I’m just going to chill,” Payton said Thursday, according to the Times. “I’m going to see what’s happening. I need a championship.

One thing is certain for Payton, however. He isn’t concerned about learning Phil Jackson’s triangle offense if he comes to the Lakers.
“I could work with anything,” Payton told the newspaper. “That ain’t nothing to me. Me and Phil will sit down and work and talk. I think I could do anything, to sacrifice anything and be right there. Everybody talking about there ain’t enough balls and ain’t enough shots [for Payton and Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant]. Remember the Warriors with [Run] TMC? They were all averaging 20. I think we’d all do the same thing

He's waiting to see what happens June 21st. The rest of waits to see what happens July 1st.

With that statement, I'm feeling better and better about our chances of getting him. However, I don't want to put my hopes to high. I'll be happy and satisfied when he signs on that dotted line and holds up that Laker jersey during his first Laker press conference.

If we get Gary, this will be huge!!!! This will solve a lot of problems. This will make our defense stronger, our bench better, give us a 3rd scorer, and another option in late game situations. Remember how this year, in late game situations, Kobe got double and triple teamed cause they knew Shaq wasn't going to hit a 3 or a jumper. This won't happen anymore with Payton on the floor. Also consider the fact that every backcourt the Lakers see, the Lakers will have the size advantage, and will use it. If we get Gary, I see a lot of guards getting posted and abused by Gary and Kobe. This will also open up shots for George and hopefully Phil will let Medvedenko start at pf and he will have open 15 footers, where he is deadly.

Getting a quality point guard is a pririty over the power forward position because a healthy and a physically fit Shaq can always guard the PFs of the West. Getting a third scorer, a great passer, and great defender in Payton is a huge addition.

KOBE-ONE.... let me add... PAYTON would also give us another badly needed BALL-HANDLER to free up KOBE

Gary Payton is the man...it'd be nice to see him in a Laker jersey...however, Gilbert Arenas might me a wiser selection. The Laker backcourt would be set for the next 10 years.....Young is the answer for Laker gaurds...veteran Power forwarded are needed...

i tend to disagree. I think we will be hard pressed to get arenas to come to LA especially the way his agent is talking. I also think that if we draft well we will be much better served with a vet like GP showing our young guys the ropes, rather than arenas doing the same job after being in the league for 2 years. GP has a few good years left in him still. With him and Kobe our back court would be unstoppable.

Agree that Payton is not done yet. At age 34 he can still play great and contribute a lot to the table. Heck, Jordan was still dominant at 34. Like Jordan, I can see Payton dominate the game more with his intelligence and experience, just like MJ.

I can't wait for the GLOVE to talk some smack to the likes of Bibby, Parker, Kidd, Francis and Nash.

I can't wait to see Payton shut up Ruben Patterson, Van Exel, and Bruce Bowen. No one can out talk the GLOVE!!!

I also can't wait for the GLOVE to shut-up all these western conference gaurds that had been lighting us up for years!!!! If the Glove comes and thats a big IF, I say he can play for the next 4 years for us at a competitive level. I can see KOBE and GLOVE continue on the "DOOBERMANS" nickname left by Jordan/Pip.

You guys are dreaming. I am a die-hard Lakers fan and I have this to say: forget Payton. He wants more money than we will spend. He has a huge ego (granted he has the game to back it up, but this is not what the Lakers need right now). The primary concern for the Lakers should be the power forward position. Juwan Howard is clearly the most talented free agent available. PJ Brown is like a slightly taller version of Samaki Walker. He has no shot whatsoever. If you want to create space for Shaq down low and Kobe to drive the lane, then bring in a PF who can shoot. This is the argument in favor of Malone who would have been nice a few years ago but now hardly rebounds at all and is ancient in pro basketball terms. Howard is 30, scores 18 a game (this will of course drop to 15 or so on the Lakers) and grabs 7.6 rebounds. Remember that one of the keys to the Lakers success in the first two championships was the scoring PF position - AC Green and Horace Grant both consistently knocked down the open 12-18 footers and we have been sorely missing this ever since. True, Howard could work on his defense but he has a big body, and has the desire to prove himself on a championship caliber team. He already made his money, so now he wants a ring. Payton is too obsessed with himself to play third fiddle on the Lakers. Howard is not. He will do what it takes for the team. People who think that Shaq will guard the other great PF's in the West are sorely mistaken. He never has and never will. Have people forgotten that we are also weak at the small forward position. Rick Fox is out for at least six months and if George goes down with another ankle injury we are pretty cooked. Any suggestions? If we had Howard, we could possibly move Medvedenko to backup 3. He is another incredible scorer and might be s a ring. Payton is too obsessed with himself to play third fiddle on the Lakers. Howard is not. He will do what it takes for the team. People who think that Shaq will guard the other great PF's in the West are sorely mistaken. He never has and never will. Have people forgotten that we are also weak at the small forward position. Rick Fox is out for at least six months and if George goes down with another ankle injury we are pretty cooked. Any suggestions? If we had Howard, we could possibly move Medvedenko to backup 3. He is another incredible scorer and might be better suited on defense for that position.

Your argument was sounding pretty good unitl you came up with the Slava to the 3 theory. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!

I understand your worries about GP and his attitude. But his upside is much higher than his downside. He can post the other point guards in the league, play great defense, and can be that third scorer that we desperately need and missing since Glen Rice left. We were totally dominated by the PG/SG/SF combination of the Spurs that included Ginobli, Parker, Jackson, Bowen, and Claxton. We only had Kobe, Fisher, and Devean to face those guys, and Pargo and Shaw are physically limited to handle those guys. The PG/SG position is more of a priority than PF. Remember we won titles with the likes of AC Green, Horace Grant, and Samaki Walker at PF.

What we truly miss is a Ron Harper type player. A veteran guard with valuable experience!!!!
And Payton fits that bill.


And what's up with your take that Shaq will never guard a PF. Is your daddy Phil Jackson, because if not, then you can't say that he will never guard a PF. Regardless of position you should put your best post defender against the best post player of the opposing team. I would put A HEALTHY AND DETERMINED Shaq on Duncan any day, instead of Juwan on Duncan.

WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE, WOULD YOU WANT JUWAN TO GUARD DUNCAN OR SHAQ TO GUARD DUNCAN????

IF YOU PICK JUWAN THEN YOU'RE ON CRACK, BUDDY!!!

Kobe one, the Slava idea, at the 3 isnt that bad of an idea. He can shoot, and get to the basket. He isnt that bad of a defender, and he will have a size advantage on some small forwards. I think whatever he gives up on D, he will be able to make up on O with his deadly jumper. Cause he will be open all night, and realistically, he could start at pf/ or f. I'd much rather see this line up, if we got the glove. KOBE PAYTON SHAQ GEORGE MEDVEDENKO. Bench Fisher, Rush, Pargo, Fox, Horry, Madsen & whatever we pick up in the draft. With this team, our only weakness would be power forward. With Medvedenko knocking down open j's, those pf's are for once going to have to play D. This is something we havn't seen 4 a while in this position. Slave will is good enough to get some stops on D, and if he trades baskets, then so be it, I can deal with him getting beat every once in a while.

Look, we have an MLE and an LLE, so we can get two quality free agents. I say we get GP and Adrian Griffin. We can draft two young PFs and try to get a cheap veteran minimum Power Forward for depth or just start Slava and resign Horry/Madsen. As long as we get A few Power Forwards that could come in for us as rookies and have a chance to contribute some and learn the system, we will be fine. I really want Juwan Howard, but then what do we do for a point guard? Honestly, at least Slava can keep up with the opposition offensively, can you say the same for D-Fish anymore? And Antonio Daniels or Speedy Claxton (if we can even get them) aren't going to make too big a difference...We need to focus on getting quality talent in the upcoming draft for our front court and hope they work out. The draft is deep. If we can lure a player like Posey or Dre Miller for a temporarily low LLE contract, then I am all for it, but we must figure we have to get a guy like GP and hope the right PFs come in via the draft and that Phil will have some freakin' faith in Slava...