We ain't talking 'bout no playoffs there even with Oden- Payton/Walker

[Eggcentric at aol.com]

< Some Celtic types were a bit bewildered by comments from Gary 
Payton and Antoine Walker Friday. The former Celts weighed in on 
the team’s prognosis and weren’t all that promising.
     Payton said the Celtics won’t make the playoffs even if they get 
Greg Oden, and he intimated that the team is interested mainly in 
selling tickets. Walker used a bit more colorful language to say the 
C’s won’t be that good even with a top draft pick.
     Asked about the statements of his former players, Rivers said, 
“Me and Gary had a great relationship. Still do. I don’t worry about 
things like that.”
     Danny Ainge skirted the issue.
     “I have no comment,” he said. “I’m a fan of Gary Payton. Always 
have been. Gary is entitled to his opinions.
     “It doesn’t matter what my response is. I wish Gary, Antoine and 
the Miami Heat well in the playoffs.” >
     - Bulpett 4/8/07

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Payton: Oden no savior
By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff 4/6/2007

Don't count Gary Payton among the masses who think Greg Oden 
will be Danny Ainge's messiah in June's NBA Draft.

"All [Oden's] going to do is bring fans in here," the Miami Heat
point guard said in the locker room before tonight's game. "That's
it. That's all they want. We aren't talking about no playoffs here.
They're not going to the playoffs. If they're sold out that's good.
They want to make their money."

"If they get Oden they still ain't going to do [crap], period" said
Antoine Walker, sitting just a few feet away.

The two former Celtics were very candid in assessing the state of 
the team they left for the greener pasture of an NBA championship.
According to Payton, there's only one way to make the Celtics a
winner.

"Go out there and get some veterans," said Payton. "If you get some
veterans in here to play with Paul (Pierce), then you're going to
have a basketball team. You can't have seven young players on a team
and expect to win. That doesn't happen. It's just like when we were
here. He had veterans and we won the division and we went to the
playoffs."

"It's not knocking the young guys, but that's just the way basketball
is. Because eight young guys, you get in crucial basketball games,
they don't know how to finish. Now if you put them together for six
or seven years, that's a different story. They grow older together."

Payton acknowledges Danny Ainge can't give away his young players 
for nothing.

"[Ainge] can't do that," said Payton. "Then he'll lose his job. You
have to give people opportunities to play. In two or three years
they're going to have a good season because they're going to start
knowing each other. Don't just give up on anybody. You have to go in
there and make the right deal."

"But in another case, you have to understand that you have to get
some teachers. You can't have a young guy teaching a young guy. He
hasn't been in the league, he hasn't been in playoff games. How much
experience do they have? So you have to have a veteran up in here to
have the experience to work through that kind of stuff and show them
how to play."

Unlike, say, Los Angeles, another of Payton's former teams, the
Celtics have a more difficult time attracting free agents and
building a winner.

"This is Boston," said Payton. "Some people want to go to a different
city. The weather is a big part of this too. The city is a big part
of this. You all have to see this summer, see what happens. He'll
make some moves. If he gets the No. 1 pick, he's going to have to
trade some of these guys to get some veterans around Oden. 
Oden's not going to come in here and be Shaquille [O'Neal]."

Payton also offered his thoughts on Paul Pierce.

"Paul's getting older," said Payton. "He's getting frustrated. He
wants to win, or at least get an opportunity to at least win a
championship. It's just like Kevin Garnett. Sometimes you have to
move on. And if that's the case you have to do it. For Paul you can
get a lot of people [in a trade]."

Payton acknowledged Pierce's contract extension would be an issue in
any potential deal.

"That's a problem, too," he said. "Nobody is going to pay that type
of money and get rid of their whole team. Nobody's going to trade
four or five players for one guy. Then you're going to have to
rebuild your team. That isn't worth you doing."

Despite his openness, Payton made it clear he didn't harbor any ill
will toward the Celtics.

"They'll be alright," said Payton. "Danny will make the right moves,
and if Doc's here, he'll help him out. If Doc's still the coach or
whatever they're going to try to do, he's going to help them out. Doc
is a good guy where he knows what kind of players to get. Hopefully
they can do it."




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