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| Tuesday, August 28 Users: Payton might need to leave for Sonic success |
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Gary Payton is a beloved figure in Seattle, but some fans do believe that the Sonics would be better off without him. Others say that the veteran can't change and shouldn't, that his stats speak for themselves.
In discussing the Summer Spotlight on the Sonics, we posed this question: Is this the year Payton lets someone like Lewis share the glory, thus making the team more dangerous? Here are some of your responses:
Your Sonics Feedback Heck no!!! Gary Payton has been a self-centered player ever since he came into the league. He says he wants to win but he is not willing to make the sacrifice to win. He seems to have the attitude that as long as he gets his 23 points, 8 dimes and 2 steals he feels he is doing his part and if his teammates cannot follow suit that is their problem. Payton no doubt is a first ballot Hall of Famer. And he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. What separates Payton from the other great point guards is that great point guards make their team better and Payton has failed to do so ever since Shawn Kemp and Coach George Karl left the Sonics. If Payton has not changed his attitude yet I find it hard to believe that he ever will.
Jermaine Robinson
Payton will share the spotlight for one reason -- because he will not be able to help it. Rashard Lewis has really started to come into his own and should have a monstrous season statistically. The problem clearly lies in underachiever Vin Baker and the highly overpaid Calvin Booth. I mean Booth is sooooo overpaid that Cuban didn't think twice to match that offer. Even with GP and the high-schooler running the show, this team will not make the playoffs in the Wild, Wild West. Poor Nate McMillan will remain Sleepless in Seattle.
Samer Salim
I don't think Payton will ever hand over the reigns. Eventually the reigns will have to be taken from "The Glove" and the man (young man) to do it will be Rashard Lewis. He is a rising star and has freaky athletic ability. He can score, rebound, run the break, finish on the break, pass the ball, and he has solid range with his jump shot. Vin Baker has been a bust since he was acquired and will be this year and next, and so on and so forth. The team will ultimately be more dangerous if Lewis gets more touches, Baker leaves town, Payton learns to share, and Desmond Mason develops range and accuracy on his jumper. This team could potentially win 50; but the Lakers are still the team to beat (or try to beat).
Brandon
In his heyday Payton was a great team player. He had a supporting cast that included, but was not limited to, Shawn Kemp. The organization has traded and essentially stripped the team around him and then they complain that Gary is not a team player. If I were Gary I would want out as well. The Sonics went from championship contention to missing the playoffs. I would love to see Gary get with a serious contender, but also I would love to see the Sonics start pursuing the younger team. Lewis is extremely fun to watch. I hated to see Patterson's energy traded, but with his record it was an easier pill to swallow. Vin is another story. He had maybe one good season with the Sonics. He's not worth his contract and no one wants him. I am afraid the Sonics are stuck with him.
Jeremy
There will be NO YEAR that Payton lets someone else share the glory. He has proven over the years that he has to be the man. We can count out the years that Shawn Kemp shared the spotlight because they were the best team in the league, and even GP didn't want to screw that up. He also had George Karl and his large ego, so the two biggest heads in the NBA cancelled each other out and they made it to the Finals. Once Karl and Kemp left, it became "Gary's team" and Gary wanted to prove it. He's still trying to prove it. Ruben Patterson had a few amazing first halves last year. GP wouldn't let Patterson continue lighting it up in the second half. This happened many times last year. Rashard Lewis is intimidated by GP -- no way he's rocking the boat. Ask anyone close to the Sonics, heck, even ask the players, and they'll tell you that the locker room and feel of the team would be much better without the Glove. This team will remain on the bubble as long as Gary Payton is on it.
Bill Wright
In answer to the question, I would have to say yes: Payton will share the spotlight this year. I think the reason he hasn't the past three, maybe four years since the first year of Baker, was because the team had no one else to go to. Baker is a dud but he is stuck in Seattle for the rest of his contract barring a stupid move from another owner, but it's not likely. If he can play anywhere near where he played the first year, then the Sonics are back in the pack. Granted LA and Sacramento (and possibly San Antonio) are still the top dogs in the league, but if Baker can step up and Payton share the ball, then a spot in the middle of the bracket come playoff time is very likely. Bottom line is this: Payton will give all he can on the floor. If there is someone on the team that can help him out, then I think he will utilize that. But he needs someone to step up to the challenge. Lewis? Baker? Booth? Whoever, but somebody PLEASE!!!
Rob Ackerley
Man, Gary Payton is going to play like Gary Payton, he isn't going to change his game so people think he's nice. He's been doing it for ages. He's just the same 'ol G. This is the year Rashard Lewis breaks out, and becomes a player that scores a lot of points. If he averages something like 18 a game, which he probably will, then Payton's 8 assists last season is going to go through the roof this season because he'll finally have someone to pass to that can actually score. If all goes to plan then the new-logoed Sonics will have at least 50 wins and all this Payton stuff will be long gone.
Simon
I think Payton is going to do what the team needs to do to win games, and if that's letting someone else share the glory then he'll do it. Face it, he's a winner and he's not going to let his team miss the playoffs again. Plus you can't blame him for all that's wrong with the team. He does whatever it takes for them to win and with what management has done over the past few years you can't blame him for stressing out and trying to do too much.
Brandon
Payton will let nobody share the glory with him. Why do you think nobody wants to play with him? It's one thing not wanting to play with a 4 or 5 man, but when the point guard on the team is the cancer, you've got huge problems. This guy had problems with Westphal, and was suspended. Then this guy got suspended by McMillan, who was supposedly his boy when they played together. He obviously alienated Nate, as well. If Rashard Lewis is smart, he'll bolt as soon as he gets the chance. Maybe he'll sign with NJ and play with Jason Kidd, who knows how to dish the rock, not be a jerk like GP.
George Karpontinis
You can call Gary a selfish player, and sometimes he is. There are a lot of smart people out there who say he's a bad teammate. But the thing with Gary is that you can't say he doesn't have heart. He's the epitome of work. The fact that he gets mad at teammates, and that they don't like him is that he pushes them harder than anyone ever has. He wants to win so much, he can't stand to see people underachieve. The bottom line is that he CAN share the limelight -- in fact he's done it before (see: Shawn Kemp). He wanted to with Vin Baker, but that didn't work out as they had planned. And he WILL if Lewis proves that he is ready. But Payton knows he can't give up the ball to someone that isn't ready, or isn't able. If Lewis is ready, Payton will let him know, if not, then well, we're gonna see a lot more of last year all over again.
David Perez
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