Payton Rejoins Celtics

Gary Payton was back in Boston on Friday night, one week after he was shipped to Atlanta in a trade for Antoine Walker.

Payton, who re-signed with Boston on Friday after being waived by the Hawks, said he chose the Celtics over Sacramento and Phoenix.

“I thought Boston was the better fit,” Payton said before the Celtics played Charlotte. “With the young guys, I thought I was obligated to come back to them and teach them some more,” he said.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Payton started for the Celtics on Friday night, finishing with 10 points and four assists in Boston’s 104-84 win over Charlotte.

*

Jermaine O’Neal was put on the injured list by the Indiana Pacers, a day after he sprained his shoulder in a game at Denver.

The Pacers also waived forward Michael Curry and signed veteran free agent forward Dale Davis.

O’Neal, acquired by Indiana in a trade for Davis in August 2000, sprained his right shoulder on a drive to the basket in the second quarter against the Nuggets. He will miss a minimum of five games.

*

The Toronto Raptors put disgruntled forward Eric Williams on the injured list with a sprained right calf and activated forward Pape Sow.

Williams, who asked for a trade last month, hasn’t played in Toronto’s last three games and has averaged only 18.5 minutes a game since being acquired from New Jersey on Dec. 17.

*

The Detroit Pistons signed center Elden Campbell, whom they used off the bench to guard Shaquille O’Neal during last summer’s NBA Finals victory over the Lakers.

Campbell, who was traded to Utah on Jan. 21 with a future first-round pick for Carlos Arroyo, was waived by the Jazz and signed by the New Jersey Nets on Jan. 28. New Jersey waived Campbell this week.