ESPN is reporting that Gary Payton has been traded to the Boston Celtics along with former C Rick Fox and a protected first rounder for Chris Mihm, Chucky Atkins and Marcus Banks.
I don't understand the trade from L.A.'s perspective. I mean, the Glove was AWFUL last year, but it was because of the system he was playing in. A scoring point guard is useless in the triangle -- that's what the two-guard and big man are for. Payton was lost and blew up like a crybaby in the playoffs. But he could have thrived this year without Shaq and the Mailman clogging the lane. We could have seen the slash-and-dash Gary of old. Now we may see him with the Answer in Boston.
Mihm is a bad passing, no emotion Vlade. Maybe the Lakers know Vlade isn't effective more than 25 minutes a game, so they'll use Mihm as his crutch. But Atkins is useless and Banks wouldn't make some teams' rosters. Fox is an over-the-hill salary throw-in that may not get 12 minutes a game in Boston. Payton is the only player that matters in this trade. We'll see what they can do up in Boston...
For this to make sense for L.A., there must be another trade -- maybe Kidd to L.A. But the Lakers have no players anyone would want not named Kobe. Four Hall-of-Famers to one in just two short months. As a diehard Kings fan (who is praying Webber and Stojackovic will both nut up and shut up), I couldn't be happier. Stock up on the crappy white guys, Lakers!
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