by Andrew on Sun Feb 16, 2003 6:38 pm
To me, there's no easy answer to this kind of question.
It's nice to see players finish their careers with the same team they started their career playing for (Magic, Bird), because it's rare in pro sports. Even back in the days of Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain, it was not uncommon for players to finish their careers for a different team than the one they originally played for.
But...
Gary Payton is, as we are all aware, still a great player, capable of putting up impressive numbers on any given night. It wouldn't be good to see him relegated to a secondary role in Seattle (due to a "new direction" but at the expense of wins), and since rebuilding is generally a youth movement, GP would be pushed aside, despite the fact he's still a valuable asset to the team. If this is the scenario, it would be better to trade him.
There would be some bad press, some talk about loyalty and foolishness for sending Payton packing, but it would satisfy both parties. Payton would be able to continue playing his game, perhaps on a team that has a better chance at winning the championship. He would no doubt be able to solidify some teams as championship contenders if traded there. Seattle meanwhile would be able to get younger and rebuild as they please.
But...
Seattle might benefit by keeping Payton around as part of a transition period in the rebuilding a process - the idea of keeping the old guard (no pun intended) around until the replacement is trained and ready to take over. Payton too could wind up like Ewing and Olajuwon - traded to a team where he must play second fiddle, or where his talents might be wasted due to a deep roster and/or different playing style (though Payton is in much better condition than Ewing and Olajuwon were towards the conclusion of their careers).
It is therefore a tough question to answer, and one I think that is best answered by GP himself. I believe he has earned the right (and may even have a clause in his contract, I'm not sure) to have the final say on any trades and potential destinations. Whichever option he feels most comfortable with - playing out his career in Seattle at the expense of a title shot, taking a lesser role on another team, or being the man elsewhere - he should be allowed to choose.
If it were up to me, I'd wait until the end of the season, when his contract expires. It might be easier to work out his future then, though it would probably be more advantageous to Seattle to look at making a decision before the deadline. But like I said, Payton has earned the right to decide his future, and Seattle should respect that.