Payton News

From Thursday's ESPN Insider:
The Lakers need a power forward in the worst way, but at first
blush it appears point guard Gary Payton is their first choice -- if
he'll play for the mid-level exception. While some within the Lakers
organization are still pushing for the team to add a player like Karl
Malone, P.J. Brown or Juwan Howard, owner Jerry Buss is enamored with
Payton.
Malone was in L.A. on Wednesday talking with GM Mitch Kupchak about
ending his career there. Like Payton, Howard and possibly Brown,
Malone appears to be willing to take the mid-level exception in hopes
of winning a championship.
One place Payton probably won't land is Indiana. Recent reports
have pointed to Payton agreeing to a sign-and-trade that would would
send Al Harrington and Austin Croshere to Milwaukee in return for The
Glove.
Not true, according to Pacers president Donnie Walsh. "I'm not sure
where that's coming from," Walsh told Insider. "We've never talked
about a trade. I think that Milwaukee will either sign him and keep
him, or he'll go to the West Coast."
While Walsh won't deny trying to find a new home for Croshere, he
claims that Harrington isn't for sale. Harrington has been working at
IMG all summer, has dropped his playing weight down to 240 and appears
to be in the best shape of his career.
"He's not just a pretty good player," Walsh said. "He's got the
chance to be a great player."