LOS ANGELES -- Gary Payton will remain with the Los Angeles Lakers next season, exercising a $5.4 million option despite struggling throughout his first year with the team. "It's something we expected," Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday. Payton, who turns 36 next month, had until Wednesday to make a decision. Payton's decision assures the Lakers of having at least one of their four stars back next season. Kobe Bryant opted out of his contract late last week to become an unrestricted free agent and Shaquille O'Neal has requested a trade. Karl Malone, who joined the Lakers last summer, has said he will only play next season if 100 percent healthy. He re-injured his right knee during the NBA Finals and will learn in the next couple of weeks how severe it is. Payton joined the Lakers last summer, taking a huge pay cut in hopes of winning the first championship of his career. But the Lakers were beaten in five games by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, and Payton struggled -- shooting 9-of-28 and averaging 4.2 points. The nine-time All-Star admitted after Game 2 against the Pistons that he had lost his confidence. Payton had a difficult time with the Lakers' triangle offense, but started all 104 games the team played -- 82 in the regular season and 22 in the playoffs. He averaged 14.6 points -- his lowest since the 1992-93 season -- and a career-low 4.2 assists in the regular season and 7.8 points and 5.3 assists in the playoffs. He averaged 18.3 points over his first 13 seasons. Payton's decision to return was no doubt made easier by the Lakers' announcement Friday that Phil Jackson wouldn't be back as coach. Asked during the playoffs about playing for Jackson, Payton refused comment. The triangle offense is one that revolves around passing and spacing, while Payton likes to run the offense himself. "I'm more of a (guy who) wants to handle the ball, control the ball, penetrate, get eight or nine assists and take 10 or 11 shots off floaters and runners," he said before the finals. "That's my game. I'm not a shooter. I'm more of a scorer." Payton played more than 12{ seasons with the Seattle SuperSonics before being traded to Milwaukee during the 2002-2003 season. He played 28 games with the Bucks. Payton joined the Lakers as their midlevel exception for $4.9 million. One of his best performances came in his very first game, when he had 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a 109-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, which Bryant sat out with a sore knee. Bryant, in Colorado Tuesday for a hearing in his sexual assault case, can't sign with anyone, including the Lakers, until the middle of next month at the earliest. To trade O'Neal would be extremely difficult because he is under contract for $27.9 million next season. General manager Mitch Kupchak has said he hopes O'Neal can be persuaded to stay. Black wouldn't comment on the coaching search. Former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich was reportedly meeting with owner Jerry Buss and Kupchak on Tuesday to discuss the job. Kupchak said Monday he planned to interview more than one person and fewer than 10. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=1826322
Did anybody expecy him to not exercise the option with the season he had, especially the playoffs. Nobody would offer him close to $5 million for that type of play.
Couple this, with the strong possibility that Kobe stays in LA and the Lakers roster gets reloaded with some talent from a Shaq trade, and its looking like Rudy is almost a lock to be the next coach.
"It's something we expected," Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday. Payton, who turns 36 next month, had until Wednesday to make a decision. Doesn't sound very pleased .
I think you may be reading a little too much into it, it's just a spokesman. Payton's value pales in comparison to Kobe and Shaq, whom the Lakers are probably much more concerned about.
I really hope so but LA would be stupid to keep Payton and not Fisher. I want to hear some Fisher quotes about his situation. We need to find out his opinions about the teams and how much he wants and for how long. He seems pretty loyal to LA, but he'd be perfect for us this year.
Gotta think that trading Shaq is a long shot, since getting equal value (another superstar) is a very hard proposition. Also since Shaq's salary is so way out there, it will require more players to make happen. This would gut the other team so bad that they could years from making the playoffs. Given Shaq's age and his already declining output, by the time Shaq and his new team got to the playoffs his impact therein might not justify the trade. Also gotta think Rudy would prefer to keep Shaq; he might even make it a tacit part of his contract with the Lakers. Shaq has gotta see that Rudy knows how to build an offense around a big man, since he done it before with great success.
Only problem with Rudy T keeping shaq is that Kobe doesn't want an offense revolving around the big man. I'd hate for Rudy to have to put up with that drama. He deserves better
Just goes to show you...no matter how much you've made already or how much you want a ring....it still comes down to how much you make now. Oh well glad to see he will be holding back the lakers org.
