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

When a team has gone through massive change, like the Rockets have, isn't it better to have more stable players that know their roles, that don't have to make big adjustments to their games, and are not going to rock the boat too much (like Lue)?

Last season Payton had to adjust to being the number 1 option to be the number 3 option on the floor. On this team, he would have to adjust to being the last option on the floor (behind Yao, Mcgrady, Howard, and JJ). Just seems like a problem waiting to happen. Yao has to adjust to being the man. Mcgrady has to adjust to having a second star on his team. Howard and Taylor are going to have to adjust to playing fewer minutes than they ever have in their careers. Then you have Payton adjusting from being the number 1 option just two seasons ago to being the last option on the floor. Is it really worth all the potential problems just for maybe 2 or 3 more wins?

Lue may not be the solution at point guard, but he's closer to being the ideal point guard on a team with Yao and Mcgrady than Payton is. Even if Lue is not the long-term solution at the 1, whoever ends up being the permanent point guard will probably be similar to Lue (stable point guard that can spread the d and contribute +10ppg). Why not let Yao and Mcgrady used to playing with a point guard like Lue.

 

Hold on...

Is there any evidence that LaFrentz will be completely healthy at that start of training camp?

 

Payton wouldn't be the LAST option. But, he wouldn't be the first option either. This is way oversimplifying it, but we'll be playing the inside/out game, and his initial job will be to quickly get the ball upcourt, without turning it over, and passed well to Ming or McGrady, who will be the first options, and when either get's double teamed, passed to the other as the second option. If they aren't open, then Yao or McGrady will get it to the other options that are most open. If Payton is open, he'll get the ball.

He's not going to be the last option, unless he's never open.

 

You know, I believe that some of you people just talk to hear your head rattle.

Payton was plugged into a system that wasn't right for his game.

Francis's numbers dropped in JVG's half court system. Does that mean he's through as a player? Some players & some systems just don't go together.

If Orlando uses a wide open run & gun type of offense, I believe that Francis is going to put up some monster offensive numbers. If they don't, he'll struggle again.

Payton will have a similar run of success (or failure), depending on what system his new team runs. If you look at his entire career, his stats have been extremely consistent every year, with the exception of last year. The triangle offense does not fit his game or take advantage of his strengths.

In 14 years, Payton has missed only 7 games & two of those were when he got traded from Seattle to Milwaukee. That's 5 games in 14 years. That's incredible!!!

His FG% has been consistently 45-47% every year. His rpg have been consistently around 4-5. Up until last year, his apg were always up around 7-9, & for the 6 years prior to last year, was around 9apg.

His steals did drop about .500 spg, but his minutes dropped by 6 per game, for a total of about 400-450 minutes lost for the year.

Also, as was pointed out already, Payton's a/to ratio is awesome.

He may not be a spring chicken anymore, but the man can flat out play basketball. With Yao & McGrady's quiet demeanor, this team is going to need a leader that's not afraid to get in a man's face & tell him when he's messed up.

As I said before, if CD can trade for Payton & Mutombo, while only giving up Piatkowski/Lue/TE/future Draft pick(?), he qualifies for "Executive of the Year" in my book.

Payton's Career Stats

 

Good comeback

 

a) if we take on too much salary in getting payton (i.e. TE for payton) and that stops us from getting mutombo (if we don't throw in AG and wilks) i don't wanna do this.

b) i'm not sure i wanna do it anyway. what does payton do better than lue? lots of things. what does lue do better than payton? shoot 3's. 38.3% career versus 32.1% for payton. what will our pg be doing a lot of next year with yao and tmac drawing the defense? shooting 3's?

am i little uncomfortable having 3 backups at the role and would having payton perhaps be more comforting even if he doesn't fit well? maybe. is it worth him possibly being a malcontent all over again or not fitting in? i don't think so. it's close, but i lean to not getting him. every time payton posts up that's a possession the defense thanks us for not giving it to tmac and yao. every time he bricks a 3 lue wouldn't have, that's 3 points we don't get. defensively, if he liked having big men who can't or won't show on the pnr, then he'll love it here also. as of right now, i'd just as soon not get payton, especially if it means no mutombo.

c) why are we trying to concoct really complicated deals involving payton? since boston was probably surprised payton won't play with them, they probably don't have any franchise shaking moves to make. get rid of him, don't make it cost too much, and give us a second rounder or something is what they're thinking. TE or lue for payton makes sense. trying to throw in 5 extra guys doesn't. actually, why does it always seem people try to dreamcast much bigger trades than either side realistically wants to take on?

d) raef lafrentz? someone said he's definitely worth his contract if healthy. not even close. i like my eleven million dollar men to be game breakers, guys who impact the game immensely. not guys who are solid role players. is blocking shots and hitting 36% of your 3's nice? yeah. is it $11M nice? hell no. is getting rid of mo's 3 years and 27 million to pick up 5 years and 55 million good? no. someone said we may have to make them take mo's contract and give us lafrentz. i'm pretty sure ainge won't need any guns to his head to trade raef. he would've been gone yesterday if he could get rid of him. trading for guys who are vastly overpaid and who's contract runs into the next century isn't a good idea, imho.

 

You know, francis 4 prez, I actually posted one of those scenarios about getting LaFrenz, but you make some good points. I think he would be a GREAT compliment to Yao for years. But, you are right, his contract stinks and he may not be worth it.

 

I think thats carrying it alittle too far

its not like we lack experience or the ball handlers, we just don't have a star point guard nor do we need one. I think Sura, Ward, Lue and Jimmy Jackson can share the point responsiblity just fine.

 

payton's problem is his ego...its not worth it and it will be a complete mistake if we go after this guy. we don't need someone like him on our team. what does he provide, outside of name value, that isn't offset by how his ego will hurt the team?

 

We don't have an NBA quality starter at PG, either. We should really be looking to upgrade; platooning backup PGs usually doesn't work.

 

payton's problem is that we are building a dynasty. We cannot waste one or two years on gambling a championship for him only. He's not on our long term plan.

 

I suppose Tyronn Lue is??

 

I'm sure he's referring to Charlie Ward.

 

CriscoKidd,

I'm a huge GP fan. From a fan standpoint, I soooo agree. But we need a backup for Meow Ming and Juwana-come-into-the-lane more than GP.

I can't imagine GP coming here without our new $5.58 TE being used. I want a biggie, first. Everything else is gravy. But get me a damn biggie first.

 

To be honest, I'd be more comfortable with Taylor and Spoon as my backup 4/5s than I would be with Charlie Ward as our starting PG.

 

Ward or Lue, we can always resign them. I think there are a good chance that we will resign Lue (Ward got his 3 year contract already). They're role players whom are very much neccessary for a dynasty.

In GP's case, he's not gonna think that he's a role player. If the Rockets cannot bring a ring to him the next year, he will jump ship. If the Rockets bring him a ring, he will think enough is enough, I get my ring and I'm ready to retire.

Frequently trading for star players will not bring championship. Remember the Dallas Mavericks? Cuban cannot hold a team stable for half a season and he'll never get a championship out of the mavs.

 

who said anything about Ward starting? And what difference does it make overall whether we get an aging HOF PG. TMac is going to control the ball. We need frontline defense. We have a TE. It should be spent on frontline defense.

I'm a huge GP fan. But screw that. We need defense.

Y'all realize that if we get GP, then we will not get Mutombo.

I mean...I'll take GP over Mutombo...but y'all understand....there is not enough TE to get both.

 

Sorry for interrupting, but where was I when you came back, hp?

Nice to see you.

 

yeah, you're interrupting Darkhorse. We need to go to a game again next time you are in town....but this thread is more important than catching up...you know what I mean?...email me.

I really am looking for CriscoKidd's response.

 

Nice to see you postin in the GARM again.

If it came down to Dike vs GP, then I guess I would have to go with Dike just to fill out the depth charts. But I don't think Dike to the rocks is a sure thing(tho neither is a GP deal), and if the celts are willing to practically give him away to us for nothing, then I say take it and run rather than waiting on a Chi deal that might not happen.

Get GP and a scrub c with whatever's left of our exceptions(1.5, MLE, whatever) like Steven Hunter, Scott Williams, Kevin Willis, hell even bring in Badianne, and I'm cool with that.