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Home > Gary Payton Articles > Dormant Payton Winds Down
By Jason Lieser
Palm Beach Post, April 29, 2007
MIAMI - As Gary Payton prepares for what could be his last appearance at AmericanAirlines Arena, he knows he's unlikely to set foot on the hardwood after pre-game warm-ups.
Payton has scored more points in his career than Larry Bird, but at 38, he's essentially a spectator in Miami's first-round series against the Chicago Bulls.
Payton started 28 games in the regular season, and had career lows in most categories, including 22.1 minutes per game. He played 14 minutes in Game 1, but hasn't checked in since.
And he sounds like he's had enough.
"This is a lot different than last year," Payton said with a big exhale, sounding relieved to air his dismay. "All my career I've been playing a lot, but this year it's been cut back and that's a hard change to make."
Payton's disappointment in the transition from all-world to all-but-retired is understandable. In 17 seasons, he's made nine All-Star teams and eight all-defensive teams, won two gold medals and ranks among the top six all-time in assists and steals.
"When you look at the '90s, you've got John Stockton, Jason Kidd and then Gary," said Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, who had Payton for eight seasons between Seattle and Milwaukee. "His win-loss record, his performance, his defense ... probably the best player I ever coached."
Payton secured the final jewel of his legacy with the Heat's NBA championship last summer, and earned his share by hitting big, late-game shots against Dallas in the Finals.
But it was his final conquest. Even before the Bulls jumped out to a 3-0 lead, Payton sounded relatively indifferent about repeating.
"I love the game, but I got my championship last year," he said.
Like his teammate Alonzo Mourning, Payton refuses to give a definitive answer on his status for next season. He almost retired after last season, and said he already made the decision on 2007-08 back in October.
"That's going to come in the next couple months," Payton said. "I already know ... but I'm waiting until I put the right pieces together to let everyone know. The way everything is going, I feel very comfortable that it's the decision I'll make."
Heat forward Antoine Walker would be surprised if his longtime friend laced it up for one more season.
"I think this will be his last year," Walker said of Payton. "He hasn't said it, but I think it will be."
And Payton's not the only one mulling life after basketball. Mourning turned 37 this season and has battled numerous ailments throughout his 14 seasons.
"I think Alonzo is close to saying, 'forget it,' and laying back," Payton said, recalling a discussion he had with Mourning in March. "He opened the doors at his new house, felt the wind blowing in and thought, 'Why would I leave this?' I'm thinking the same way."
Payton's got his own dream house waiting in Las Vegas, and retirement holds an admittedly unfulfilled challenge: fatherhood.
Full-time basketball players are usually part-time dads, a familiar truth for Payton and his four children. Missing his kids' birthday parties, games and school events has haunted Payton.
Every year, his son Julian, 9, hopes Payton will break from the hectic NBA schedule to attend "Dads and Doughnuts" day at R. Guild Gray Elementary school in Las Vegas.
"If you have a son that's crying because you're not coming, how would you feel?" Payton said. "You want to say that you'll be there, but you can't."
If Payton does hang around basketball beyond this season, it will probably be in high school gyms watching Gary II, who's a high school basketball star.
"People always say he's Gary Payton's son, but then they never see me at the games," Payton said. "I don't want that. I want to be a regular."
That would relegate Payton back to his current role, a spectator, but surely his heart would be far more attached than it is on the Heat's bench.
"I'll miss joking with them and having a good time," Payton said of his teammates, "but life goes on. When these guys were 7 years old, I was the man in the NBA. I'm fortunate to play with them, but they're fortunate to play with me, too."
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