Getty Gary Payton II poses for a photo at Portland Trail Blazers media day.
When it became clear that the Golden State Warriors weren’t going to get back to steamrolling the competition in 2022-23, fans who were already bemoaning the exit of, well… basically the entire second unit over the summer grew particularly loud.
Now that the team has fully descended into the realm of the sub-.500 and been gobsmacked by injuries, they’re probably dreaming of ways to rewrite that history altogether.
Of all the ballers whose pictures remain in the proverbial wallet of Dub Nation, however, Gary Payton II feels the most like “the one that got away.” Especially after a game like Wednesday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets, which saw the Warriors cough up a whopping 143 points.
And while Payton probably isn’t walking through that door — even as fans and members of the media alike try to dream it into existence — the Bay Area faithful may be able to watch their favorite son finally jump in with his new team in a matter of days.
B/R: Payton Is Eyeing Trail Blazers Debut Next Week
Bleacher Report‘s Chris Haynes just dropped on update on Payton, who began practicing with the Portland Trail Blazers earlier this month after going under the knife during the offseason. And it was a good one for those who have been pining for his unique brand of hoopage.
Wrote Haynes:
Portland Trail Blazers guard Gary Payton II hopes to make his season debut next week, league sources tell Bleacher Report. The defensive stalwart has been recovering from offseason surgery to a core muscle.
The organization thought he would have returned to action a month earlier, sources say, but Payton opted to take his time to heal not only physically but mentally. He will receive his championship ring Dec. 30 when the Trail Blazers visit the Golden State Warriors.
“Next week” would allign with the December 12 report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania, which asserted that Payton’s return to the NBA hardwood was “one to two weeks” away.
Payton Has Been Linked Back to Dubs as Possible Trade Target
As of December 15, Payton is officially eligible to be traded by the Blazers after inking a three-year, $26 million deal with him last summer. And a handful of reporters have already mused about the 30-year-old potentially being a target for Dubs president Bob Myers.
“Knowing what a good fit Gary Payton II was before leaving for a payday in Portland this summer, the Warriors even could look to swap [James] Wiseman to the Blazers to bring him back,” wrote Heavy Sports Sean Deveney last month.
Added The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami: “The Warriors would’ve loved to bring GP2 back, but almost $9 million a year was way too much with their luxury-tax issues. If they flipped Wiseman for Payton, though, it would save the Warriors money. And they know GP2 (if healthy) fits them perfectly.”
In 71 apperances (inclusing 16 starts) for the Warriors last season, Payton averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 61.6% from the floor and 35.8% from deep. The Dubs held opponents to just 102.3 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.