Payton to Miami

[JCSunsfan]

Gary Payton is going to sign with Maimi according to Hoopshype.

Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton on the same team. Hmmm.

I'd especially like to see how Williams and Payton get along.

 

[George O'Brien]

Gary Payton is going to sign with Maimi according to Hoopshype.

Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton on the same team. Hmmm.

I'd especially like to see how Williams and Payton get along.

Reports are he may have signed for a veteran minimum.

This is shaping up as an extremely combustable squad.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Lakers Failed with the Malone, Payton, Shaq and Bryant. I see the Heat failing worse with AW, J Dub, D Wade Shaq, Payton and company. Walkers soft and shoots too damn much, J-dub is Erratic and would fit in better on a And1 team and Shaq and Payton are 65, I predict the Heat might not even make the Eastern Conference finals

 

[CaptainInsano]

They will probably go pretty far but come finals or at least the final 4 they will self combust like the lakers did.

If that 5% chance of them working out does happen though then the spurs can say goodbye for another year or more to that dynasty dream.

 

[elindholm]

It's very difficult psychologically to put together a team with the sole purpose of winning a single championship immediately. Champions aren't built that way; instead a core goes through a growth period of at least a couple of years, with perhaps a single major addition added the summer before to put them over the top. But the core of the Heat, O'Neal and Wade, are starting only their second year together, and all of the new players are going to be facing a pressure unlike they've ever experienced. It would be one thing if most of them were still in their 20s, but as it is they'll have to face a sense of "now or never" all season long.

In a way, that's one of the good things about the Suns not getting Finley. Depending on Nash's health, the window of opportunity for the current Suns team is at least two years, probably three. That's frightfully short, but it beats the heck out of just one.

 

[George O'Brien]

It's very difficult psychologically to put together a team with the sole purpose of winning a single championship immediately. Champions aren't built that way; instead a core goes through a growth period of at least a couple of years, with perhaps a single major addition added the summer before to put them over the top. But the core of the Heat, O'Neal and Wade, are starting only their second year together, and all of the new players are going to be facing a pressure unlike they've ever experienced. It would be one thing if most of them were still in their 20s, but as it is they'll have to face a sense of "now or never" all season long.

In a way, that's one of the good things about the Suns not getting Finley. Depending on Nash's health, the window of opportunity for the current Suns team is at least two years, probably three. That's frightfully short, but it beats the heck out of just one.

Actually I think Finley would be a lot less of a problem than these guys. Fin is not known as a trouble maker. There are some really good reasons why Walker and Williams have bounced around and they aren't positive reasons.

The one big advantage to the Suns roster is that they have a lot of guys who are talented but not established stars. If they aren't doing really well, it is easier to put them on the bench or reduce their minutes without creating a flap. I had a very strong suspicion that Q resisted efforts to reduce his minutes even when he wasn't playing well.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I don't think that Payton will be an issue at all.

The only time Payton was a headache was when he was in Seattle. When you dominate a franchise for so long you pretty much can do what you want. He wasn't happy in LA but didn't really make waves.

In Boston he was a team leader, even on his second go around with the team. He helped keep the young guys in check.

Playing time shouldn't be an issue in Miami for him either. He will easily get 20 minutes a game there, and perhaps more. Williams is a career 30mpg per game guy, and Payton put in about the same this past season in Boston.

 

[tobiazz]

I don't think that Payton will be an issue at all.

The only time Payton was a headache was when he was in Seattle. When you dominate a franchise for so long you pretty much can do what you want. He wasn't happy in LA but didn't really make waves.

In Boston he was a team leader, even on his second go around with the team. He helped keep the young guys in check.

Playing time shouldn't be an issue in Miami for him either. He will easily get 20 minutes a game there, and perhaps more. Williams is a career 30mpg per game guy, and Payton put in about the same this past season in Boston.

Actually, I think Payton was complaining about the Triangle Offense and wanted Phil Jackson to change the offense or something ridiculous.

 

[elindholm]

Actually, I think Payton was complaining about the Triangle Offense and wanted Phil Jackson to change the offense or something ridiculous.

That sounds familiar to me too, although I couldn't remember for sure. I do recall at least one case where Payton complained about his number of shots after a loss, saying something about he couldn't really help the team with only a few attempts per game.

In any case, it was Malone who held that team together, and once he went down, they were sunk.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Shawn Marion complained about his shots after a loss, and he is far from a trouble maker.

Payton did hate the triangle, but it was never a big deal. I would hate the triangle too if I was used to being a star PG.

Either way, I don't think it will be a big deal.

 

[mathbzh]

Payton deserves great respect. But it is not anymore a great PG.
Now, he is just a good PG.
I do not think it will help Miami that much.

The Heat results will depend on the Shaq health.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Payton deserves great respect. But it is not anymore a great PG.
Now, he is just a good PG.
I do not think it will help Miami that much.

The Heat results will depend on the Shaq health.

He isn't the Payton of old, but he is more than capable of running an offense. Just look at last season in Boston for evidence of that.

If you call him a good PG why do you think he won't help Miami?

 

[mathbzh]

He will help. But not as he could have some years ago.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

He will help. Put not as he could have some years ago.

The same could be said for when they traded for Shaq.


Payton will be a big help for Miami. I would personally rather him running the offense over JWill.

 

[mathbzh]

I was a big fan of Payton because of his defensive skills.
I may have been a little bit excessive in my judgment.
He would still be able to help most teams.
He is just older now and we can see this when he faces younger/quicker PG.

 

[George O'Brien]

The question is how well Payton will handle being on the bench. He did not deal well with playing behind Fisher, even though Fisher was better at the triangle than he was.

 

[Joe Mama]

They will probably go pretty far but come finals or at least the final 4 they will self combust like the lakers did.

If that 5% chance of them working out does happen though then the spurs can say goodbye for another year or more to that dynasty dream.

I hate the Lakers as much as anyone, but they did not self combust two years ago. They had very little depth, and when Malone went down as the finals started they were screwed.

Shawn Marion complained about his shots after a loss, and he is far from a trouble maker.

Payton did hate the triangle, but it was never a big deal. I would hate the triangle too if I was used to being a star PG.

Either way, I don't think it will be a big deal.

Shawn Marion's complaints were lakes from a rowboat compared to the waves that Gary Payton made during that season with the Lakers. I was unhappy with Shawn Marion's comments mostly because of timing, but he probably only said 2-3 things about his shots. Half of those were just excuses for his poor performances against San Antonio. Gary Payton on the other hand bitched a good part of that season and wanted Phil Jackson to change the triangle to suit him.

Now I actually don't think Gary Payton will be a problem in Miami either. I think he'll be best when Shaquille O'Neal isn't in the game though because he's at his best when he takes his defender to the low post. If Shaq is down there you will get congested. I'm not a fan of Jason Williams, but his game seems to fit with Shaquille O'Neal a little better.

Joe Mama