PAYTON'S AGENT: LAKERS DIDN'T 'KEEP THEIR WORD' GUARD WOULD HAVE OPTED OUT IF NOT MISLEAD.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

In an e-mail sent over the weekend, Gary Payton's agent blasted the Lakers' handling of the Aug. 6 trade that sent Payton to the Boston Celtics, comparing it to the notorious dealings this summer between Carlos Boozer and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The message, sent Saturday by Aaron Goodwin and confirmed by his office Monday, charged that the Lakers knew Payton would react negatively to the trade and would not be able to report to Boston by Friday to take a physical, as Payton was vacationing with his family.

Goodwin also said Payton decided not to opt out of his contract in June only after being given assurances by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak that he wanted Payton to return for a second season in Los Angeles.

Had the Lakers ``expressed anything other than the desire for (Payton) to return,'' Goodwin wrote, Payton would have opted out, become a free agent and tried to sign with the Golden State Warriors, returning to his hometown of Oakland.

Payton failed to meet a one-week deadline Friday afternoon for all players involved in the trade to report for a physical with their new team, prompting criticism of Payton from some parties and the Lakers organization from others.

The trade was to be voided as a result but the Celtics and Lakers reworked the deal with Boston taking back point guard Marcus Banks plus its 2005 second-round pick and the Lakers getting forward Jumaine Jones instead.

``It's unfortunate that you all have such a negative image of Gary,'' Goodwin wrote. ``The Lakers did not keep their word to him, and that is the reason why he is upset. It's no different than Boozer and (his former agent Rob) Pelinka lying and using the Cavaliers.''

Goodwin added: ``It's a big blow to him, and he is dealing with it accordingly. Boston knew his timetable as did L.A.''

With Kupchak on vacation this week, the Lakers had no comment Monday. Kupchak previously said the Lakers did not pursue a Payton trade until one was brought to them by the Celtics. Payton also reportedly sought a contract buyout after Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Miami before backing off that request.

But the charge that the Lakers lied to Payton like Boozer lied to the Cavaliers - coming from one of the most powerful agents in the sport - carries weight in NBA circles.

Boozer reportedly broke a promise to re-sign with Cleveland last month after the Cavaliers allowed him to become a restricted free agent. He signed a six-year, $68 million contract instead with the Utah Jazz. Pelinka, who also represents Kobe Bryant, dissolved his relationship with Boozer amid the controversy surrounding the deal. In a phone interview Monday night, Goodwin said he believed the Boozer and Payton situations were analogous.

``When you decide not to exercise your rights to free agency, you're making a sacrifice,'' Goodwin said. ``And I think a team should honor that sacrifice.''

Goodwin added that the Payton should not be blamed for failing to report to Boston, thereby costing the Lakers the second-year point guard in Banks that Kupchak had coveted.

``Payton was not 'pouting,' '' Goodwin wrote in the e-mail. ``He just didn't have enough time to think this entire situation through. He was on vacation, returning on Friday. The Celtics and the Lakers were fully aware of the situation, judging by the fact that they called me on my vacation more than a dozen times each.

``Gary was very hurt by the trade, he gave up his rights as a free agent only after being assured by Mitch Kupchak that the Lakers wanted him to return. Mitch knew that Gary would react negatively to being traded to an East Coast team, he has always made it clear that he did not like the climate of the East Coast.''

On Monday, Danny Ainge, the Celtics' executive director of basketball operations, spoke with reporters in Boston about the trade, saying Bryant pushed for the Lakers to get center Chris Mihm - ``Kobe really chipped in to get Chris,'' Ainge said - and that he still was uncertain about Payton's future.

``There's no timetable and no rush,'' Ainge said of a decision by Payton. ``We're very hopeful Gary will play for us. If Gary doesn't show and decides to retire, then that's it. But we haven't entertained any what-ifs.''

Ainge also said he attempted to smooth over the hurt feelings suffered by Banks, who was excited about joining the Lakers when he was introduced along with Mihm and Chucky Atkins a week ago.

``Though Marcus will still tell you that he isn't sure what happened,'' Ainge said, ``he's still excited to be coming back. From the perspective of a 22-year-old kid, it gets very emotional.''

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

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