PE.com: Payton prefers Houston, Minnesota or the Clippers

I say we go for it...Even in his mid-30's, GP is better than anything we have at PG.

 

did i read correctly that someone actually wanted to "lure karl malone" here???

please lock this post immediately

 

interesting...

i like the idea of bringing in guys w/ chips on their shoulders and something to prove (jimmy jackson, t-mac). revenge is a great motivater.

remember when we got barkley and payton was interested in comming. i remeber some quote to the effect of "dream, clyde, charles and me...we would win a few games".

if all it costs us is lue than why not? lue isnt going to be a long term fix at the point anyway.

if gp is whining all the time than JVG wont play him.

 

I think it's funny that some of you keep saying, "Payton couldn't play for Jackson! Why does anyone think he'd fit with the Rocks??"

Could Van Gundy be any more different than Jackson as a coach? I think Gary would love being coached by him, just as much as Steve hated it. And if we can get him at such a low cost, why the hell not? As Clutch and several of the rest of us have said, we signed Charlie freakin' Ward to a 3 year deal (stupid, stupid, stupid!) as part of an apparent platoon at the 1 with Sura (who I like as a pickup, but not as a starting 1) and Lue. Lue is a good backup PG, but Payton is an elite point guard who, yes, is on the downside of his career, but in no way, shape or form as "down" as Charlie freakin' Ward.

If you can get him this easily, with so little risk (expiring contract and he sits if he b****es), then why in the hell wouldn't you? It would be weird having him in a Rocket uniform, but not any weirder than all the ex-Knicks we have on the team, on the squad or on the bench. And, for the love of god, STOP bringing up Karla, people. He'll never be a Rocket.

 

To paraphrase Johnnie Cochran:

If the Glove don't fit,
We don't need his sh*t.

 

We're talking about Tyronn Lue here, a guy who our coach does not feel is worthy of starting over Charlie Ward...

Considering that I now know our alternative is starting the season with Charlie freaking Ward as our starting point guard, hell yes I pursue Payton. It's just a one year risk. See if you can get them to throw in Marcus Banks and you're in business.

 

Quitten got a huge contract and was supposed to be a cornerstone player for the Rockets - to slide right in and do what Drexler did. He was also coming off back-to-back-to-back championships, still arguably in his prime.

Payton, on the other hand, has a 1 year MLE contract and nobody believes he'd be a star player coming off last season's burnout. Still, he's a much better player than our other PG options. And if things don't work out, he can be cut without any big loss, since he's not a cap eater and wouldn't cost us anything to trade for.

 

Concur. I don't think we need to latch onto every possible trade scenario likes it's the "obvious solution" to every woe the rockets have ever had.

 

What's the risk? Chemistry? Please, people. We have a brand new team...what chemistry do we have? Besides Chemistry, there is no risk!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't realize he played 82 games last season. Wow...there goes the 'too old' argument. He's still highly servicable.

If he gets hurt or he's otherwise a problem, we still have 14 other PGs on the roster. Who cares.

Wilks
Gaines
Lue
Sura
Ward

JJ can bring the ball up.
TMac can bring the ball up.

All these options are there now. Payton is an upgrade to every one of those options. But if Payton doesn't work out, I think we got options!!! Okay!

Go get him if he's cheap.

 

Isn’t the reason LA traded away Payton because he doesn’t get along with Rudy T? If he can’t get along with Rudy, that doesn’t bode well for him getting along with Van Gundy.

I like the combo of Lue and Sura at the point better. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each others game better than Payton, Sura, and Ward.

 

I would trade Lue for Payton RIGHT NOW!!! Payton will help shutdown the Western guards such as Bibby and Parker ....remember, when he play with the Lakers, Shaq is a lazy ass and would not go out against pick and roll ...that's why Fisher and Payton got burned everytime. So don't blame Payton for lack of defense...oh no...he's still got it. Putting Payton as a Rockets's PG would be sick...making it tough for outside to penetrate and if they do penetrate inside, we have Yao. So that combo of defense is going to be awesome to see. Payton is a competitor and so it's a right thing to be mad when ur not playing well...i wouldn't call it a cancer...i'll say he's a competitor and hate to lose. If he wants to be a Rocks, bring him in and trade Lue or Ward for him....he gives the team another option of posting up backing up guards like Bibby and Parker so as to give McGrady and Yao some rest. I mean if the plays going to Yao or McGrady is broking up and time is running out...Payton can always back down and post up and do his thing...that gives the ROcks just more options to me. He doesn't shoot welll...but he still have it. I think he just doesn't fit into the Lakers triangle offense...simple as that. Give him another crack and another chance and hope he will shine i think he will. Time to get him and trade Lue or someone else....i mean if we have to give away someone else other than Lue ....do it. Maybe the TE will do.

 

I would love it.

 

get it done CD. GP is worth the risk imo, esp if all it costs is Lue, whom I don't think the rox are going to keep next year anyway.

 

Payton got screwed IMHO. I mean, he excercised his option with the understanding he'd be a part of the Lakers. It's kind of like the team version of what Boozer did. It's allowed by the rules, but it's still wrong.

 

Jerk, slowing, attitude problem, disappeared in playoffs. I'd have to think long and hard about how bad our PG situation is before pulling the trigger on this.

 

No

Why? Is your logic that Rudy is an easy going guy and JVG is not? So you are saying Gary can't get along with any human being unless he is MORE easy going than Rudy? Maybe a defensive minded coach and player can get along just fine.

Really. Are you serious? Lue and Sura. In basketball, two parts don't equal a whole. One rounded player is ALWAYS more valuable than two players who combined stats are equal.

Gary has:
longevity (played 82 games last season)
playoff experience
statisically is a perfect fit (not too much...but still contributes)
is cheap (assuming Boston is desparate to dump him)
short contract (no risk)
Lue is expendable (he's not our long term solution)

This chemistry bit is worth the so-called risk every day of the week...when our options include Ward and Lue.

 

Actually, you can get a lot closer to Cochran's rhyme:

If the Glove don't fit,
he musta quit.

 

Bring him on. He already has demonstrated he is willing to sacrifice to win a banner by signing on cheap with the Lakers. He has several reasons for wanting to turn it up this year: Laker disrespect, the bad playoff performance, and let's not forget the Rudy T factor vis-a-vis the Rockets and his history with GP.

 

Gary Payton has been a cancer at every stop in his career.

With a brand new team, all willing to do whatever it takes to win, why would we want to bring in a malcontent like him?

No thanks,

DD