Good things usually happen for the Golden State Warriors when Gary Payton II is on the court. Head coach Steve Kerr as a firm believer of that.

The Warriors mentor was vocal that he's planning to keep Payton in the starting lineup with Draymond Green still out of action.

Via Anthony Slater:

“More than likely, Gary will start tomorrow,” said the Warriors coach ahead of their first game since the All-Star break against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Asked about the decision, Kerr responded in earnest that getting GP2 more minutes is a priority for Warriors, at least in the short term.

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“A little more defensive versatility and gets Gary on the floor more,” Kerr continued. I think getting him more minutes right now is important. I think you could see his impact the other night. So starting him allows us to give him an extra rotation at the beginning of the game which bumps him up closer to 20 minutes, give or take a few. That'll probably continue, but who knows? We'll see.”

Payton was a defensive force against the Denver Nuggets in the Warriors' final game before the break. He recorded a career-high six steals and one emphatic block against MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic.

After bouncing around in his first couple of seasons in the NBA, it seems Gary Payton II has found a home in Golden State.