Glove Shows Zero Love For Celts



The Boston Herald's Mark Murphy reports on Gary Payton's reluctance to report to Boston.

Gary Payton's agent yesterday questioned comments by his client in a Southern California newspaper that the guard may ``quit'' rather than report for duty with the Celtics this fall.

     ``Right now he's thinking about what is best for his family but there is no timetable right now,'' Aaron Goodwin said of Payton, who was dealt from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Celtics two weeks ago as part of a six-player swap.

     According to Goodwin, Payton has not made up his mind about playing for the Celtics.

 Payton was quoted in yesterday's Riverside Press-Enterprise as saying that the Celtics, ``ain't going to get nothing. It's about respect. (The Lakers) didn't respect me. Why should I respect them?''

     Payton also told the paper that he wanted to be traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Clippers or the Houston Rockets.

     Goodwin expressed surprise that Payton, so quickly after returning from the weeklong cruise Friday, had time to give an interview.

     ``I talk to Gary every day, and the situation has nothing to do with Boston,'' Goodwin said. ``The issue is one, that this all occured while he was on vacation and two, that this (trade) occured after he was assured by the Lakers that they wanted him to stay.

     ``Those are the bigger issues. The Lakers didn't keep their word to him. But right now he hasn't even digested the fact that he's been traded. He respects the Boston organization, and he sees this as a good opportunity.

     ``But the Celtics and Lakers were both aware that he wasn't going to be back in time to take the physical. I wanted to give him the opportunity to come back and discuss this with his family. The stunner here isn't playing for Boston. The stunner is what the Lakers did.''

     Goodwin said that if the Lakers hadn't told Payton they wanted him back for next year, the 36-year-old veteran would not have exercised the $5.4 million option on his contract.

     According to the agent, the Oakland native would have then looked into returning ``home'' by pursuing an opportunity with Golden State.

     Payton, on the other hand, told the Press-Enterprise that he was willing to forfeit the final $5.4 million.

     ``I don't care about that,'' Payton said. ``If it goes down, I'll quit. I can go on and do something else.

     ``I wasn't going to Boston to take a physical. 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.''

     One aspect is clear, however. Payton is furious with the Lakers.

     ``They used me so they could get other players,'' he said. ``Boston is going to lose out on this. They ain't going to get nothing.''

Not that I have any experience in such matters, but given Payton's history of getting angry at his employers, coaches, teammates, etc., perhaps Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers could've sought some assurance that the Glove was willing to accept the trade? There had to be some way of doing so without tampering.

It would be shame if anything was implied by Payton and Rick Fox preferring to retire rather than play for Boston (though unlike Barry Bonds, Fox has spent more than a little time in the city).

Posted: Mon - August 16, 2004 at 05:57 PM      

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