While picturing Gary Payton running the show in Indiana is certainly intriguing, Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star believes that the temptation of trading for the veteran All-Star is best ignored.

The rumor seems to be a figment of the media?s imagination, yet people cannot help but talk about it.  While the Sonics are going no where fast out West, Indiana could be a potential NBA Finalist with a  veteran such as Payton at the helm.  But acquiring a player the calibre of Payton would no doubt cost the Pacers some of their valuable youth, and with the team already finding success is that a risk they really want to take?

"What do you make of all the speculation now about Gary Payton coming to the Pacers?" coach Isiah Thomas was asked after Tuesday's practice.

He paused, then answered. "Our team's pretty good right now," he said. Another pause. "What don't you like about our team?"

When you consider that the Pacers are off to their best start since entering the NBA out of the ABA Thomas? question certainly appears fair.  They are two games ahead of the team that went to the 1999-2000 NBA Finals only to be beaten by the Lakers, and at 27-10 haven already played through their toughest and most road intensive part of the season Kravitz believes that there is no reason why this team cannot win sixty games.

?Is Jamaal Tinsley the biggest question on this team? Absolutely,? writes Kravitz.
?When he's good, and he's been good since his recent benching, he can be good enough to hold his own against Jason Kidd and the like and give the Pacers a chance to win in the playoffs. When his mind and game are somewhere else -- last season's Nets series comes to mind -- the Pacers are in serious postseason trouble.?

But the truth is that Tinsley is only a second year player.  He still has a lot of time to go in the league and he also has a lot to learn, but there are a lot worse point guards in the NBA than Tinsley.

Think Celtics-Rodney Rogers last season.  Do the Pacers acquire Payton on a two month rental in a title-or-bust attempt?  With Brad Miller, Reggie Miller and Jermaine O?Neal free agents this off season along with Payton there is no way the Pacers will have enough to pay all three, especially when they paid hefty extensions to Ron Artest, Jonathan Bender and Jeff Foster this offseason.  The Pacers have already committed themselves to re-signing their current batch of free agent hopefuls.

"Do you feel like you can get to where you want to go in the postseason with Tinsley as your starting point guard?" Thomas was asked.

He didn't hesitate. "No doubt about it," he said.