Gary

Payton

The Trail Blazers and Heat can use sign-and-trades to get Payton a bigger contract, but the Lakers may still be the favorite to sign him.

''He could have taken a lot more money to go somewhere else,’' said agent Aaron Goodwin. ''But he’s going to Los Angeles to follow his dream.’' It’s possible that Karl Malone will follow Payton to Los Angeles.

Jiri Welsch will back him up at point guard.

Payton may play with a brace on his broken right thumb initially, but he doesn’t expect it to be too much of a nuisance.

Not the best game for Payton, but the more telling sign was that the Celtics struggled when GP went to the bench with foul trouble. Someone is going to have to step up behind Payton. Bringing in Boston College alum Troy Bell would be nice from a PR standpoint, but the Celtics say they like the 15 players on their roster.

GP is expected back today.

Coach Doc Rivers isn’t so sure he will go along with Payton’s desire to play, not wanting to risk further injury. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Marcus Banks get another start.

Right now, the possibilities range anywhere from GP starting tonight, to missing an extended period of time. “If Gary can’t go, it just hurts us in so many ways that will not show up on paper,’' said coach Doc Rivers. “But we’ll deal with that as it comes. At his age (36), hamstrings are a scary injury, and I’m not going to put him out there unless he’s 100 percent because if you don’t and he goes out and tears it, then you’ve lost him for the year” [not to mention can’t trade him]. Marcus Banks and Jiri Welsch would split point guard duties if Payton can’t go.

''We talked about it the last time I was up in town, and if nothing happens by (today’s NBA trade deadline) I’m sure we’ll talk again,’' agent Aaron Goodwin said yesterday. We can see why the Celtics would want to keep GP around for the rest of this season, but it wouldn’t seem to fit Danny Ainge’s long-term plans to bring him back, unless he’s already convinced that Marcus Banks and Delonte West are both nothing but reserves.

A first-round pick would be enough to get it done. The C’s aren’t really interested in bringing in more players; if they trade Payton the whole point will be to give more playing time to Delonte West and Marcus Banks.