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SAN FRANCISCO — The late addition of Gary Payton II this offseason has been a success for the Golden State Warriors. It's not often the player fighting for the 15th and final roster spot on the team ends up a key rotation player.
That's what has happened here.
Payton has earned every minute he has received, and there are three reasons he fits in with this Warriors team so well.
“I think because of the makeup of our roster,” Steve Kerr told ClutchPoints. “I think we're much more able to put him (Gary Payton II) in lineups, which makes sense. A year ago, it was tougher to do that. We just didn’t have the spacing. I did find pockets for him, and he had some really good games for us, but to me, Beli, Otto, and Andre (Iguodala), the additions of those guys have made the game much more playable for Gary in terms of putting him into combinations that fit.”
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Payton is averaging 6.3 points and 1.1 steals while shooting 70.6% from the field. As soon as he checks into a game, the Warriors guard immediately makes his presence felt. It can be by guarding the opposing team's best player 94 feet or catching a Draymond Green alley-oop.
Either way, Payton has been everything the Warriors have needed up to this point. His positive energy circulates through the team on and off the court. It has been impossible to ignore him, and he has been entertaining to watch. It gives them a different look whenever Stephen Curry is on the bench.
There isn't negative thing you can say about Payton right now. If this play continues throughout the season, it will help the Warriors tremendously as they battle for contender status.
