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After exercising his $5.4 million option to remain with the Lakers, Gary Payton now wants out of LA. So now let's recap everything for you: 1.) Gary Payton takes less money to play for the Lakers knowing full well they run the triangle offense, that in all likelihood he'll be 4th (or at best 3rd) option, and that he's expected to play the great defense which earned him the nickname "The Glove."
2.) Payton complains about the triangle, being the 4th option, and plays porous defense all season which culminates in Chauncey Billups becoming NBA Finals MVP. At one point in the season he says "I didn't sign up for this s---."
3.) Payton chooses to exercise the $5.4 million option (around the time Shaq had demanded a trade and the Lakers expressed committment to Kobe) because his play was so lackluster that no one will give him more money, and because he likes Rudy Tomjanovich.
4.) Payton asks out because Shaq is officially gone, but he wants a buyout so that the Lakers will still pay him money and he can make up the rest by signing with any team he wants as a free agent.
Hey, Gary, how about some consistency? How about understanding reality? If Gary Payton really wants out, LAist would certainly not miss him in a trade. But if there's no team is interested in giving up value for Payton (entirely possible) then we'd like Payton wearing purple and gold, because, well, that's what he signed up for.
