The Gary Payton Rule

Jerry Stackhouse to the New Jersey Nets in a potential deal involving Jason Kidd and Devin Harris?

A possibility if both parties cooperate and crunch up the right figures.

Stackhouse being released and the Mavericks welcoming him back with open arms?

Yet another possibility, given Stackhouse's relationship with Mark Cuban and the Mavericks organization.

So right now, this is all said in a hypothetical tone.

Let's say it did happen, the trade goes through and the Nets were even nice enough to release Stackhouse on or before March 1, 2008 in order for him to still be eligible for the playoffs.

Wait! Wait! Wait!

Enter. The Gary Payton Rule.

The aforementioned rule is unofficially named after then Boston Celtic-Atlanta Hawk-Boston Celtic Gary Payton when he was moved a few years ago (2005) by Boston in order to re-acquire Employee #8 Antoine Walker (whom they chose not to resign anyway at the end of the season). The newly acquire point guard was immediately released by the Hawks and the next thing you know, three days later, Payton is back in Bean Town.

Now those leprechauns sure earn their pay over at Boston.

So back to the "Gary Payton Rule."

Since the summer of 2005, players who are traded and then waived by their new team are forced to wait 30 days before re-signing (while only a spell of 20 days during the off-season) with the team that had just let them go.

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Now playing: Jars Of Clay - Mirrors & Smoke
via FoxyTunes

Kidd: 6th All-Time in Assists

You know that you have been watching the game of basketball for quite some time when players that you grew up with (When Kidd broke into the league in 94', I was 18) start climbing to the top of several NBA career lists.

One such veteran is New Jersey Nets point guard Jason Kidd who is amidst his 14th season in the NBA. ESPN.com reported that Kidd "entered Wednesday night needing eight dimes to pass "The Glove" for sixth on the career list. He finished with 13 assists against the Pistons, upping his career total to 8,972 dishes."

89 dimes to go for 5th place.

You can bet that's going to happen this year too.

Career assists

John Stockton 15,806
Mark Jackson 10,334
Magic Johnson 10,141
Oscar Robertson 9,887
Isiah Thomas 9,061
Jason Kidd 8,972
Gary Payton 8,966

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Now playing: Jars Of Clay - These Ordinary Days
via FoxyTunes

In the Triple-Post Offense..."Point guards are like trophy wives."

This is an excerpt from an article I read in 2004. It talks about how Los Angeles Lakers free agents Gary Payton and Karl Malone have adjusted to the triple-post offense (triangle offense).

"After spending his entire career with the ball in his hands, once Karl Malone was hurt and the Lakers stopped running, GP was reduced to being the fourth option on a team that didn't need him. The way the triangle offense works, point guards are like trophy wives -- just stand there, look good, and occasionally, we'll let you launch an open 3-pointer."