Payton, Cassell, Caffey Charged

Hours after losing an NBA playoff game in New Jersey, Gary Payton, Sam Cassell and Jason Caffey of the Milwaukee Bucks surrendered to police in Toronto and were charged with assault for a fight earlier this month outside a strip club.

The three players, along with their lawyers, flew to Canada, surrendered at 6:30 p.m. EDT and spent a couple of hours at a police station. All three signed affidavits that allowed them to be released on their own recognizance. They are to appear in court May 30.

Payton, 35, is charged with three counts of simple assault -- equivalent to a misdemeanor -- while Cassell, 33, is charged with two counts and Caffey, 29, faces one count.

All three are expected to be in uniform when the first-round series resumes Tuesday in East Rutherford.

The players’ surrender “was part of an arrangement, they were here with their lawyers,” said Sgt. Jim Muscat of the Toronto police, who declined to elaborate.

He said the charges stem from an alleged assault of two women and two men by the three players outside the strip club.

Toronto police said both women had, at some point, been employed by the club. One of the men involved was a boyfriend of one of the women while the other was a club doorman.

Muscat said the alleged assaults occurred outside the club at about 2:30 a.m. on April 11. He said trouble began when one of the players got into an argument with one of the women. The situation escalated when the woman’s boyfriend became involved and the other two players, who had been waiting in a cab, left the vehicle.

From there, the doorman also joined the altercation. Muscat would not be more specific, saying other details will emerge in court.

Buck spokeswoman Cheri Hanson confirmed the three players went to Toronto to cooperate with authorities. She said all three would attend practice today.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the underdog Bucks, who face an off-court distraction in a series they already trail following their 109-96 loss to the Nets.

Payton was held scoreless through the first 3 1/2 quarters of Milwaukee’s loss, while Cassell scored 16 points. Caffey did not play.