Getty Golden State Warriors guard-forward Gary Payton II signs autographs after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Against all odds, Gary Payton II has been a godsend for the Golden State Warriors this season. It’s a fantastic, eyebrow-raising statement to make but that doesn’t stop it from being true.
The baller — who has played for four teams in six years and was actually cut by the Warriors ahead of opening night, then re-signed — has been a key cog for Golden State this season. Moreover, he has established himself as one of the game’s ultimate energy players and elite perimeter defenders.
Alas, Payton and the Warriors could still find themselves parting ways this summer. The 29-year-old has definitely earned himself a hefty pay raise this summer, but the team’s bonkers luxury tax situation may preclude it from being the one to give it to him.
For his part, the Warriors star’s father — Hall of Fame point-man Gary Payton — believes that his son will do what’s in his best interest.
Payton on Payton
In a conversation with Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney, the elder Payton — himself a Bay Area native — made plain the fact that he wouldn’t prevent the Warriors upstart from pursuing other options. That said, he clearly believes the current partnership can continue to be a fruitful one.
“I would never tell my son not to explore something that would be better or would be best for him,” the legendary floor general said. “But I think he understands that Golden State is the best situation for him if there is playing time and they get it right. But if it doesn’t work out, he knows that this is a business and he has to move on.”
His best read on the situation is that the two sides would like to make their relationship a long-term one. Bringing that about is easier said than done, though.
“I think he wants to stay with the Golden State Warriors and I think the Warriors want to stay with him. But, as you understand, this is a business,” Payton said. “They’re capped up. They gotta pay Draymond [Green], they gotta pay [Stephen] Curry, they gotta pay Klay [Thompson], now they’re going to give [Jordan] Poole a lot of money. So I don’t know how that’s going to work out.”
Clearly, the Warriors have a lot of mouths to feed and Payton doesn’t have all the answers. He has faith that his son will make a good decision, though.
“Our agent is going to give him the best advice and do what he has got to do. But I don’t think my son is a dummy. Because he’s my son.”
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Join Heavy on Warriors!Some of Payton’s Numbers Are Jaw-Dropping
Payton finished the regular season with averages of 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. He also connected on a whopping 61.6% of his shot attempts overall and 35.8% from three-point range.
While that’s a more-than-respectable line for a bench guy, his advanced numbers are off the charts. Among players appearing in 55-plus games in 2021-22, Payton finished fourth in the league in steal percentage at 34.4. Meanwhile, he led the NBA with 5.2 deflections per 36 minutes.
On the other side of the ball, he was similarly No. 1 in restricted-area shooting (minimum 160 attempts) at 80.5%. Converting at such a high rate would be an incredible accomplishment for anyone; the fact that he did it as a 6-foot-3, 190-pounder defies logic.
Finally, there’s this gem — on a team that had three All-Stars in Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins this season, in addition to Klay Thompson, Payton led the pack in win shares per 48 minutes.
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Gary Payton II’s Hall of Fame Dad Sounds off on Guard’s Warriors Future