Guest MrRant Report post Posted July 8, 2003 Aaron Goodwin, the agent for Gary Payton, told ESPN.com Tuesday afternoon that Payton has chosen to sign a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite L.A.'s financial limitations. The Lakers, well over the NBA's $40-plus million salary cap, were limited to offering Payton a starting salary of $4.9 million for next season. It is believed Payton will sign a multi-year deal with the dethroned champions on July 16, the first day teams are permitted to formally sign free agents. "He could have taken a lot more money to go somewhere else," said Goodwin, referring to efforts by the Portland Trail Blazers to acquired Payton in a sign-and-trade with Milwaukee. "But he's going to Los Angeles to follow his dream." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest razazteca Report post Posted July 8, 2003 When is the signing day July 16? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrRant Report post Posted July 8, 2003 I believe so Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rob Van Dam Report post Posted July 8, 2003 the NBA is dead, Long Live the Super Powers: The Los Angeles Lakers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest razazteca Report post Posted July 8, 2003 The West is strong, the Lakers will not just walk all over the competition, maybe during a trip to the East but not in the Midwest or Pacific, well maybe the Clippers and Warriors but thats it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest jimmy no nose Report post Posted July 8, 2003 If they are already over the salary cap before signing Payton how are they still going to sign Malone? There has to be some kind of limit somewhere isnt there? I don't know if Gary Payton is going to be able to play like a real point guard which he will have to with Kobe on his team. Most of his career he has been almost a shooting guard rather than a point guard. I guess he'll have to accept his role on the team though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest GameCop Report post Posted July 8, 2003 Well, Karl Malone's signing is now a lock. DAMN. A starting all-star team? This should be illegal... Edit: Malone said he would sign for the Veteran's exception (1.5 million) if Payton signs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Deebo Report post Posted July 8, 2003 If Malone joins, the Lakers seriously shouldn't lose more than 5 games all season. DAMNIT!@@ FUCK THE LAKERS!@!@!!@!@ AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest razazteca Report post Posted July 8, 2003 They will lose 4 to the Spurs and 1 to the Magic I feel sorry for Medavenko and Rush they will ride the bench and will be lucky if they get 5 minutes all season. I think the Lakers could end up like the Blazers, instead of papers and blunts it will be Stacker2 and Bengay cream. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Yeah, this will help the league a lot. Not. Great, so now all the focus is back in just one city so we can rehash the extremely boring 1996 Bulls campaign where Jordan and Co. trampled the league for 72 wins and skipped to the championship. But hey, at least the Laker fans will be happy, right? Fuck the rest of us might as well start trying to watch other things. There'll be only 82 interesting games in the NBA next year. Lakers vs whoever they are playing that night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted July 9, 2003 I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. I have a feeling that either GP or Malone, both of whom are known for their physical conditioning (GP has missed like 5 games in his career due to injury. Malone has missed probably less than that), will blow out their kneee or something early in the season and this Lakers All-Star Team won't ever really gain steam. Now if that does happen I hope it's Malone who goes down, since 1) I can't stand him, 2) I hope he doesn't get to break Kareem's record, and 3) as a Seattle native and Payton fan I'd like to see GP get a real shot at a title before he retires, but seeing Malone with the trophy would make me sick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Yeah, but they'd be role players on this team. Hope they enjoy riding Shaq and Kobe's coattails to a title. The Lakers now have 2 Mitch Richmond 2K4's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest starvenger Report post Posted July 9, 2003 The Lakers, well over the NBA's $40-plus million salary cap, were limited to offering Payton a starting salary of $4.9 million for next season. It is believed Payton will sign a multi-year deal with the dethroned champions on July 16, the first day teams are permitted to formally sign free agents. OK, so the Lakers are WELL OVER the salary cap, yet they're STILL allowed to sign free agents? Fuck you, Stern... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kingpk Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Yikes. Well, this kills what's left of my interest in the NBA. With all those egos fighting for playing time and my sense that Shaq really doesn't have the heart for the game that he used to aren't going to be good for the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Human Fly Report post Posted July 9, 2003 This makes the Lakers big favorites to win the title obviously, but if the Spurs sign O'Neal or Kidd who knows what could happen. The Lakers still don't have a starting All-Star team though as they have nothing at SF but garbage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NaturalBornThriller4:20 Report post Posted July 9, 2003 It may make them the favorite, but that doesn't mean they are to win the championship. Remember back when Houston had Drexler, Pippen, Barkley, Olajuwon ? They won no championships. This of course was after Houston's 2 championship seasons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Just John 0 Report post Posted July 9, 2003 The only way the Lakers could not win the Championship with that line up would be if all those egos clashed. Mind you, that possibility is not unlikely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted July 9, 2003 A guy named Jordan was playing for Chicago at the time. No one like that in the league today. Have no fear NBA fans the good guys of the NBA the Spurs will defeat the Evil Empire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smark-Raving Mad Report post Posted July 9, 2003 If those two sign with the Lakers and O'Neal and Kidd move west, you might as well make the East the developmental league. As a Sixers fan, a part of me thinks this sucks (not that they'll be doing anything for years either way. Thanks for those contracts, Larry Brown). But there's also a part of me that wouldn't mind seeing a couple of super teams duke it out. And that's exactly what the Spurs and Lakers will be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted July 9, 2003 With the Malone signing looking very likely, the Lakers have assembled a starting five made up of individual superstars. There's absolutely no guarantee they'll play well together as a team, though. I'd laugh my ass off if Malone and Kobe fought over who got to hog the ball more while the team spiraled into mediocrity. ... OK, it's unlikely, but let a body have some hopes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest goodhelmet Report post Posted July 9, 2003 you know, this reminds me a lot of he houston rockets in the late 90's. OMG~! they signed scottie pippen, the rockets will be invincible with the most dominant frontcourt ever!!!!!!! frankly... the rockets were subpar. it also reminds me a lot of the 1969 lakers who acquired wilt chamberlain to join forces with west and baylor to finally win the rings. they lost to a broken down boston team in game 7 of the finals. y'know, payton, malone, and shaq (he's hurting) are all on the downsides of their careers and kobe will be returning from surgery (there is a question mark) so i am reserving judgment on this superpower until i see them play together Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dangerous A Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Didn't the 1969 Lakers lose to the Knicks in the finals in 7 games with the famous Willis Reed bit in game 7 or was that 1970? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Grand Pubah of 1620 Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Didn't the 1969 Lakers lose to the Knicks in the finals in 7 games with the famous Willis Reed bit in game 7 or was that 1970? In 1969 the Boston Celtics defeated the Lakers in 7 games to win the NBA Title. In 1970- The Knicks defeated LA in 7. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Keep in mind this is the first time Phil Jackson has coached 4 All-Star level players. Rodman was, but he had a specific job which he did his entire career. Malone and Payton may adjust to their new roles, but they might not. Often times a Leopard doesn't change on spots. On paper this looks like a Dream Team. But, games aren't won on paper...they're won inside your TV...copyright Kenny Mayne. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Spicy McHaggis Report post Posted July 9, 2003 Payton and Malone wouldn't sign for this little amount of money if they weren't willing to accept a role. Crown them now. If these signings happen, the Lakers are a 70-win team. This summer just got a whole lot better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vern Gagne Report post Posted July 9, 2003 It's easy to say that know. But let's wait for the season to start. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Polish_Rifle Report post Posted July 9, 2003 This is not good news to me but I feel better knowing that the Rocket’s Dream Team of Pippen, Barkley and Olajuwon fell way short of winning a title…stupid Gary Payton, why did he have to… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ripper Report post Posted July 9, 2003 The lakers won't win the pacific, let alone the championship. Paytons a great player and gives them another option, sure, but he still can't hang with about 90% of the points out west anymore. The Suns, Wolves, Kings, Mavs, Spurs, and Sonics will all take chunks out of the lakers ass during the season and one of these teams will offer them a quick death during the playoffs. You read it here first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Hass of Pain Report post Posted July 9, 2003 I smell the Bulls record of 72 wins now in jeopardy. Once the ink dries, the Lakers will have the second most dominant center ever, the best player in the game at 2 guard, one of the elite point guards in the league and arguably the best power forward ever. That, my friends, is what you call a traveling All-Star team. The Lakers are going to be so damn dangerous next year that it won't even be funny. They will be able to go big or go small and when Shaq and or Kobe get in to foul trouble, the Glove and Malone will can take the game over without missing a beat. When Payton and Malone need a breather, you got Derek Fisher and Robert Horry coming off the bench. If ego's collide, you've got the best coach in the game to cool things down. Sucks to be the rest of the league. If anything though, I can see this as a catalyst for sending Kobe the hell out of LA when he becomes a free agent. It's hard to continue to improve your game when you've got three other Dream Teamers on the court with you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
