Gary Payton Interview

[Andrew]

One of the latest Ball Don't Lie features over at Yahoo! NBA is an interview with Gary Payton, which you can check out here. It's a pretty good read, he talks about Seattle's chances of getting another team, the state of the NBA and the old Sonics days with Shawn Kemp.

[[Q]]

yay gary payton

[Andrew]

Speaking of Payton:
Rondo Responds Well From Payton's Remarks

Payton compared Rondo to players who ride superstars to rings while doing little more than waving towels from the bench.

"I respect the man's game, I'm just saying, man, he got put into a situation," Payton said in November.

I have a lot of respect for Gary Payton but I'd have to disagree with him there. Obviously Rondo found himself in a favourable situation the same as the rest of the Celtics when their Big Three was assembled, but he played a fairly prominent role behind him. It's a bit hypocritical of the Glove as well, given what he and Malone did with the Lakers in 2004 and his role on the Heat in 2006. Everyone on the team has a role to play, by Payton's criteria it would seem everyone but the Finals MVP can be accused of riding the superstars and having an easy path to a championship ring.

[The X]

yep, GP is quick to forget joining Lakers & then Heat....I guess at least he did help the Heat win the Finals, although I think the whole Heat team just rode on Wade's back....

as for Rondo, I thought he was more valuable to the C's getting their ring than Payton was to the Heat....I think Rondo did very well to solidify his spot as the team's starting PG....the fact is if he hadn't of performed like many other young players might not have, then he would've been either buried on the bench after they traded for a starting PG, or found himself traded elsewhere....

[Chaoot]

Hmm, it seems Kemp was already cut before the season in Italy, due to 'misunderstandings and delay's joining the team' . I wonder how old that interview is...

[Andrew]

as for Rondo, I thought he was more valuable to the C's getting their ring than Payton was to the Heat....I think Rondo did very well to solidify his spot as the team's starting PG....the fact is if he hadn't of performed like many other young players might not have, then he would've been either buried on the bench after they traded for a starting PG, or found himself traded elsewhere....

Agreed. I find it a little strange that Payton criticised Rondo like that, it's not like Rondo is credited as being one of the top point guards in the league, an up and coming player sure, but he's never in the discussion with Chris Paul and company so he's hardly overrated.