‘Payton Place’ a real soap opera

WALTHAM, Mass. — Gary Payton’s offseason was marked by a cross-country trade, a missed deadline for taking a physical and an arrest for investigation of driving under the influence. Now the people who run his new team, the Boston Celtics, are eager to see the point guard on a basketball court.

They expect to get that chance Monday when players report for training camp, even though they have had little contact with Payton, and his agent raised doubts he will appear.

“I think he will” report, Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

But Payton’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, said Ainge’s expectation that Payton would show up on Monday is “incorrect,” according to Goodwin’s spokeswoman, Alexandria Boone. She said Goodwin told her that he had no further comment.

New Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who saw Payton this month in Las Vegas, is hopeful Payton will report on time.

“We literally bumped into each other because I hadn’t tried to call,” Rivers said. “Danny’s done a great job of talking to his agent. I don’t think I need to get involved in that. I have to coach the guy.

“I put two and two together. He’s working out every day and he’s under contract with the Celtics so he’s working out for something,” he added. “I don’t worry about it. I think things are going to work out.”

On Aug. 6, the Celtics obtained Payton and Rick Fox from the Los Angeles Lakers for Chucky Atkins, Marcus Banks and Chris Mihm. The Celtics also received a conditional first-round draft pick and cash in the deal and sent a second-round pick to the Lakers. Fox, beset by injuries last season, is expected to retire.

Ainge visited Payton at the player’s California home on Aug. 9 and talked regularly that month with Goodwin. But when Payton missed an Aug. 13 deadline for his physical, the trade was amended. The Celtics gave the Lakers forward Jumaine Jones instead of point guard Banks and regained the second-round pick.

And on Aug. 28, Payton was arrested by the California Highway Patrol and is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 15.

Payton, 36, would give the Celtics an aggressive point guard who can lead the running game that Rivers wants and play tight defense. With the Lakers, he played in the shadow of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant in a slowdown offense that accommodated the two stars, who often were at odds.

“My gosh,” Ainge said, “the coaching staff in L.A. managing Kobe and Shaq has been a nightmare. Gary Payton was an angel compared to Kobe and Shaq.”