Silverdale

I know Boston fans would love to have GP back But I pose this question and Would like honest answers.

Do you really think that the whole GP situation is fair and in the interest of the league?

I think it is BS that Teams are being allowed to Basically come out and LOSE on purpose to pick up draft picks. Example-Cavs trying for Bron and ATL giving up Shareef, Jason Terry, Sheed, and Antoine for basically nothing in return. I dont like how the Celtics can basically get Walker for Absoulutly nothing. They trade GP for him then get Walker and just get Payton back when he gets released. It seems fishy to me and I tend to believe that there was a prearanged deal. That is NOT good for the league because players are basically getting out of one place to go to another for free! Do you guys see what Im saying? Atlanta gives Walker to Boston for nothing and just gets even worse than they were before. Everyone knows it. Its obvious they are becoming a worse team. I think this situation should be looked into. Just my random thoughts.

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The idea of trashing a season with an eye on a high draft pick is absolutely ludicrous. Why one would even mention it is ignorant beyond belief.


"You have to win in this business. Nothing else matters, other than life or death. You have to win and you have to win the next week and the week after that. This is the culture of professional football, it's who wins." - Al Davis



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AoK-TripleDouble

I thought that at first but man its part of the game, part of the stratigy, its just the NBA i think its fine but not very entertaining....i know i would hate it though if the Celts through the season, i wouldnt know wat to watch on TV.

But yes i do agree in some way but its all part of the game man

Truth34

No, I don't see a problem with it at all.

First of all, there is no guarantee the Celtics will get Payton, although the Mavericks might get Alan Henderson.

But, here's why it is OK:

a) If a team wants to suck, that is on them. It is up to an organization's fans to hold that team accountable. Atlanta is trying to get better through youth. Nobody goes to watch their games, but they are trying to add young stars to market around Josh Smith.

b) A team that does this can be punished severely on lottery day. Only two teams who had the worst record have ever won the lottery. Boston lost on purpose in an attempt to get Tim Duncan and lost. There are no guarantees.

Bottom line: If the Hawks want to do this, they should be allowed to. All 29 teams will get a shot at Gary Payton. If Atlanta doesn't want to support a loser, they should contract the team or move the Hawks back to St. Louis.

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agoo101284

I don't think its a problem. You have to think about this from Atlanta's point of view. They know that there's no way in hell that Antoine is resigning there and he's going to be gone. Who can offer for him and who would offer something they want for him? Could they have gone to New Orelans and tried for Baron Davis? Perhaps, but I don't think it would have worked out. So what do you do if you're Atlanta? Keep Walker, and let him walk and get absolutely nothing for him, or try to find something to get for him?

Clearly, you take the first rounder and retain the cap room that Walker would give you.

Also, what's wrong with sucking to its fullest extent? Its not like Atlanta was a threat to make the playoffs with Walker. They've been awful and they were going to continue being awful with Walker out there. Why not get the best offer available and improve your own draft standing?

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ATLien

About the Sheed/Theo/SAR trade.. After Atlanta made the trade, they started playing BETTER with Bobby Sura-Jason Terry-Stephen Jackson.. In fact, if Atlanta would have just kept Ratliff and Rahim they probably would have won the #1 draft pick and been able to get Dwight Howard instead of Josh Childress. Would you rather have integrity and be stuck with drafting a role player, or no integrity and get the next superstar big man? Maybe it's just me, but I'll take the latter.

And since when is a pick that is going to be in the late teens-early 20s "nothing?" To me, that is very much something.

aquaitious

I think that it was a good move for Atlanta, they weren't gonna be winning anything, so why not just let the young guys play? Payton wasn't going to help Atlanta very much, nor is Atlanta a contender, so it was a lose-lose situation for both of them.

Now you have to hope that the Hawks want to keep their talent (which I think that Belkin will) and let them develop. As well as keep the salary number low so that at one point (3-4 years) they can go nuts and challange.

Fenway

I agree with you it should not be allowed to happen. The Walker trade was fine because salaries matched but this prearranged deal to get a player back is dirty. Maybe the next bargaining agreement with fix this.

banner17

It is against the collective bargaining agreement to prearrange a deal to get a player back. If there is an investigation and it is shown that there was a verbal agreement with $$ terms for Payton's return, the Celtics can plan on being handed a similar penalty as Minnesota received for the Joe Smith debacle.

whiterhino

Gary Payton was never going to play for Atlanta, the Hawks new this when they made the deal, he was an expiring contract they just wanted to keep thier cap room open...GP would never have reported to the Hawks....he would have retired first and he said as much himself.
As for the Hawks getting nothing, they got our 1st round draft pick, and since we are not Pheonix or Miami or Seattle or San Antonio it will be a decent one. They are in rebuild mode, they can't afford to play a big star big bucks when he won't even be playing anymore by the time their young core matures. I actually think what they are doing in Atlanta is not half bad. They have GREAT young talent in Josh Smith, Josh Childress, Donta Smith, Royal Ivey, Al Harrington and Boris Diaw. Smith will be the face of that franchise for the next 15 years and since he grew up in Georgia it's likely they can keep him there. Now this year they will have a top 5 pick and a pick from us to add to that. It's very possible that with that and a key signing or two in the off-season that Atlanta could be respectable very soon. They have a plan, they are not just sucking to suck forever.

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