Just saw this...Payton wants out of Boston, and directly states that he would prefer a move to either Houston, Minnesota or the Los Angeles Clippers... ================= http://www.pe.com/sports/lakers/sto...s_14.a0e91.html Payton, 36, remains the property of Boston. In a phone interview Friday, Payton said he would retire before reporting to Boston. "I wasn't going to Boston to take a physical," he said. "I ain't going to move my family no more. I can't take my family to Boston. It ain't no disrespect to Boston." Payton said he'd prefer to play for Houston, Minnesota or the Clippers. ================== Payton's $4.5 million salary this year is covered by our trade exception of $5.4 million...would yall consider bringing him in...if worse comes to worse, Boston woul want a PG in return, so we could offer Lue plus a pick of some sorts...Ward and Sura cant be traded until December 15th...but if Payton could be had for either the TE or Ty Lue, I think the Rockets should heavily consider pulling the trigger...
The fact that he doesnt want to move his family any more basically shows me why he is intrested in the clippers it was kind of weird to read that he said he might want to go there because they are not title contenders. The rockets if they get payton I will say they are the favorites for the title. Dont know why minnestoa would want him since they have hudson just resigned and cassel as well as the rookie they drafted. Then hoiberg can play a little point the sam cassel and payton back court didnt work in milwalkie well it basically would not work very well here either.
Payton won't come to the Rockets. Carroll Dawson has said it himself that the Rockets are set now in the backcourt and getting Payton would basically be a slap in the faces to Sura and Ward. There are a lot of players who are unwilling to play for the team they got traded to, but hardly any of them get their wish and get traded. Payton should just realize that and stick to Boston.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The rockets if they get payton I will say they are the favorites for the title.</div> That's a bold statement. Houston just looks great to a lot of people because they have that fresh new look. The fact of the matter is that McGrady isn't much of an upgrade on Steve Francis. In my opinion, Houston will be better, but favorites for the title is a stretch. You have no idea what their chemistry will be like, and chemistry is the most important element in winning a championship. This year the Lakers had the best players but no chemistry; meanwhile, the Pistons had a mediocre group, but they were all hardworking, played great team basketball, and had great chemistry. There's no telling how McGrady and Ming will play together. Houston is not going to be the franchise of the future that everyone is hoping for. It's not like they traded away their worst player for McGrady; Francis was the glue that held the Rockets together. McGrady is not much of an upgrade. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Payton won't come to the Rockets. Carroll Dawson has said it himself that the Rockets are set now in the backcourt and getting Payton would basically be a slap in the faces to Sura and Ward. There are a lot of players who are unwilling to play for the team they got traded to, but hardly any of them get their wish and get traded. Payton should just realize that and stick to Boston.</div> What did you expect Dawson to say? The Rockets still have holes in the backcourt? He's not going to put down his own team; he's going to try to be as positive as possible in situations like these. That doesn't mean he'd take Sura or Ward over Payton. That'd just be stupid. If Payton is there for the taking, why not go after him? He's still got one or two good years in him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">What did you expect Dawson to say? The Rockets still have holes in the backcourt? He's not going to put down his own team; he's going to try to be as positive as possible in situations like these. That doesn't mean he'd take Sura or Ward over Payton. That'd just be stupid. If Payton is there for the taking, why not go after him? He's still got one or two good years in him.</div>Payton saw his last good moments with Milwaukee two seasons ago, and he didn't submit to his role in LA, which was to be a veteran passing presence. Instead of being just that, he did not play with any heart, was not a leader, and when he fizzled in the playoffs, he refused to face the fact that he was done and kept taking badly-advised shots and tried to reinstate himself as the man. Saying that he couldn't fit in the triangle is true, but will he fit in JVG's slow-tempo, half-court offense? He could have fit very well in LA with Rudy T, that was why he opted to stay with the Lakers. Now, he doesn't like his situation in Boston, and wants to leave, but what makes him think he'll fit in Houston? I'd rather not have the chance to find out.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SHADOW:</div><div class="quote_post"> We dont need Payton, we need Mutombo.</div> I second that If GP didn't play well in the Lakers system, would coming to the Rockets be any different? I mean, he needs to be on a team that runs the floor, somewhere he can push the ball up the court instead of walk the ball up the court and dump it into the big guy. Adding GP to the Lakers didn't really make them much better, so I don't see how the Rockets could be considered "favorites for the title". On the subject of TMac vs Francis... I think TMac is a huge upgrade over Francis. Mainly because the Rockets can have a true PG now who can make the right decisions on the floor instead of dribbling out the clock and then forcing a bad shot or turnover. Plus, I'll take a 6'8" scoring guard over a 6'3" scoring guard any day.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">That's a bold statement. Houston just looks great to a lot of people because they have that fresh new look. The fact of the matter is that McGrady isn't much of an upgrade on Steve Francis. In my opinion, Houston will be better, but favorites for the title is a stretch. You have no idea what their chemistry will be like, and chemistry is the most important element in winning a championship. This year the Lakers had the best players but no chemistry; meanwhile, the Pistons had a mediocre group, but they were all hardworking, played great team basketball, and had great chemistry. There's no telling how McGrady and Ming will play together. Houston is not going to be the franchise of the future that everyone is hoping for. It's not like they traded away their worst player for McGrady; Francis was the glue that held the Rockets together. McGrady is not much of an upgrade.</div> I believe they have to be considered favorites for the titles if they get him true you stated some good points. With saying we dont know what there team chemistry is gona be like, but we didnt know how the lakers chemistry would be like last off season yet we automatically said they were the favorites because they had 4 hall of famers. Then they did get to the finals so it wasnt completely wrong. I like francis better than tmac, but tmac is a difinite upgrade in scoring, size, and the fact that he has won two straight scoring titles helps. He will be a good upgrade if his work ethic is improved. Along with ming they could be the next shaq and kobe without the egos. Payton would give them one thing they are missing outside of a back up center which is a solid point guard. A combo of payton and tmac would be a good back court though I think he is past his prime payton was said to be probably the second best point in the league just two years back.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pure Skillz:</div><div class="quote_post">Payton would give them one thing they are missing outside of a back up center which is a solid point guard. A combo of payton and tmac would be a good back court though I think he is past his prime payton was said to be probably the second best point in the league just two years back.</div>The Rockets need a solid PG? Aren't Ward and Sura solid enough for your liking? When the Lakers won their last two championships, they had Derek Fisher starting at point guard and Lue backing him up. What we have now is a trio of Lue, Ward and Sura, which IMO, are better than the point guards the Lakers had at the time. History has proven that two primary scorers is just what you need to win championships. Look at LA during their three-peat with Kobe and Shaq, Chicago with Pippen and Jordan. Don't even talk about Detroit because they did have two primary scorers in Billups and Hamilton.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">The Rockets need a solid PG? Aren't Ward and Sura solid enough for your liking? When the Lakers won their last two championships, they had Derek Fisher starting at point guard and Lue backing him up. What we have now is a trio of Lue, Ward and Sura, which IMO, are better than the point guards the Lakers had at the time. History has proven that two primary scorers is just what you need to win championships. Look at LA during their three-peat with Kobe and Shaq, Chicago with Pippen and Jordan. Don't even talk about Detroit because they did have two primary scorers in Billups and Hamilton.</div> I'd be much more comfortable if we had a solid outside shooter like Brent Barry, but oh well. I do hope Van Gundy can loosen up the offense and player more of a transition game. Rockets basketball was pretty ugly last year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I'd be much more comfortable if we had a solid outside shooter like Brent Barry, but oh well. </div>Just to let you know, both Lue and Ward shoot over 40% from beyond the arc, so it's not like we're gonna be a bad perimeter team.
For all those haters out there, WAKE UP! Lue and Ward is a tremendous combo. Sura can play both guard spots, and so can gaines. Adding Mutombo, this team will be beasty.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Just to let you know, both Lue and Ward shoot over 40% from beyond the arc, so it's not like we're gonna be a bad perimeter team.</div> I just checked their stats. You're right, they aren't bad -- but I certainly don't think they're in the same class as a Brent Barry. They're *ok* outside shooters, not great. Lue shoots about 38%, and Ward shot around 37% for the Spurs in the second half of last season. And their fg% isn't much better inside the arc, and neither are great free-throw shooters, which would suggest their stroke isn't pure. Of course, Payton probably isn't much better in that regard. If only there were more Mark Prices in the league. They're a dying breed. Heck, I'd settle for a Matt Maloney.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SHADOW:</div><div class="quote_post"> We dont need Payton, we need Mutombo.</div> Please take my avatar off yours!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">I just checked their stats. You're right, they aren't bad -- but I certainly don't think they're in the same class as a Brent Barry. They're *ok* outside shooters, not great. Lue shoots about 38%, and Ward shot around 37% for the Spurs in the second half of last season. And their fg% isn't much better inside the arc, and neither are great free-throw shooters, which would suggest their stroke isn't pure. Of course, Payton probably isn't much better in that regard. If only there were more Mark Prices in the league. They're a dying breed. Heck, I'd settle for a Matt Maloney. </div> You're right. I know that Barry is a 50% shooter from three, but even he should have nights where he goes 1-10 or something. The luxury we have in two outstanding three-point shooters is that one can pick up the slack when the other one can't find his touch. With Sura, Ward and Lue, we have a really good three-man rotation at the point; Lue is more of an uptempo guard, Ward is a half-court guard, and Sura is sort of in the middle. In those three, we have a suitable point guard no matter what offense Van Gundy wants to run.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pure Skillz:</div><div class="quote_post"> The rockets if they get payton I will say they are the favorites for the title. </div> Woah, Leo. Your going out on a huge limb sayin that.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Booger:</div><div class="quote_post">Woah, Leo. Your going out on a huge limb sayin that.</div> I wouldn't really think we'd be contenders if we get Payton. Look at LA last season, they got Payton and Malone to try and play for a title. Some bandwagoners even predicted an 82-0 season for them. Look at their explosion in the playoffs. The reason I don't want Payton here is because he'd make us rework the little chemistry that we have after the McGrady trade. Two stars are enough for a run at a championship.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post"> Some bandwagoners even predicted an 82-0 season for them. </div> There must have been some serious sticky icky on that bandwagon . Anyway, GP needs to stop lyin. He said he wont move his fam again, and then says that he wants to go to Houston or Minny? He wants a ring, and needs to come out and say it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Anyway, GP needs to stop lyin. He said he wont move his fam again, and then says that he wants to go to Houston or Minny? He wants a ring, and needs to come out and say it.</div>That is considerably true. However, I don't blame him for wanting a ring, but what he should have done was opt out of his Laker contract and generate some interest in the FA market. Had he been a FA, things might look very different now; he might even have been a Rocket.
IMO we don't need GP in H-Town. Yao and T-Mac are gonna be our go to guys on offense and there isn't any room for another guy that wants to put up 20 odd shots a game. All we need is someone who can distribute the ball to our scorers and be able to hit the open long range jumper (3pt or otherwise) when the ball is kicked out to them. The PG's on our roster at the moment are more than suitable. We should be looking to spend our money on a solid backup centre rather than an unrequired PG.
