Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II is being reminded to avoid one thing every he steps inside the court.
The sublime defensive work of Gary Payton II has been a revelation for the Warriors this season. The 29-year-old is now considered as one of the tightest defenders in the league, and it is Dubs coach Steve Kerr’s job to try and ensure that his defensive dynamo doesn’t get a little too aggressive.
“When [Warriors coach Steve Kerr] calls me, I go, and when he pulls me out, I come out,” Payton said via NBC Sports. “When I go in, I try to turn it on, make plays for my team, cause havoc and do what I do – and not foul. I’ve been hearing that a lot lately.”
To put this into contest, Payton II is the Warriors’ second best backcourt defender, having trailed only behind Stephen Curry in steals with 1.4 per outing.
But apart from his notable defense, Payton II is now beginning to make his presence felt on the offense as well, and coach Kerr has no plans of altering it anytime soon.
“He’s so dynamic defensively,” Kerr said of Payton II. “And when he’s scoring as well – he made a few 3s tonight [against the Suns] but also scored around the basket as he does – it’s hard to take him off the floor because of what he does for us.”
“He’s really earned all these minutes,” he reckoned. “He’s earned his spot in the rotation and there’s no reason why he won’t continue to play quite a bit.”
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