BOSTON (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers resumed their makeover Friday by trading Gary Payton and Rick Fox to the Boston Celtics 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 Western Conference champions.
The teams were once among the NBA’s fiercest rivals, but Boston has fallen on hard times since winning its 16th championship in 1986. Since then, the Lakers have won five titles and lost three times in the Finals, including this year’s upset by the Detroit Pistons.
Payton and Karl Malone took a large pay cut to join the Lakers as free agents last summer, each All-Star hoping to win his first championship.
Despite struggling through his first year with the team, the 36-year-old Payton exercised a $5.4 million option to come back for another season.
Fox was a Celtic for six seasons before joining the Lakers and winning three NBA titles. He has averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over his career.