As the Golden State Warriors continue to tinker with their roster, the team acquired a player who can provide more toughness in their backcourt. The Warriors signed guard Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract on Thursday. Coming out of the G League, Payton looks to make his impact known as he returns to the NBA, and apparently, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been eyeing him for years.
Kerr acknowledged Payton’s defensive acumen and how it can benefit the Warriors tremendously. Although there are no guaranteed minutes for the hard-nosed guard yet, Kerr said his high IQ and toughness are very much welcome (via The Athletic's Anthony Slater).
Steve Kerr on the newly signed Gary Payton II (10-day contract): "I know he's an excellent defender. Smart, tough. Someone our organization has had an eye on for the last couple years." No commitment to rotation minutes.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 9, 2021
The former Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and son of NBA legend Gary Payton has been back and forth in the NBA and the G League. He has suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and the Milwaukee Bucks. In his five seasons in the G League, Payton was a champion with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2019. He is also the reigning G League Defensive Player of the Year. He has an average of 15.7 points in his G League career.
As the Warriors look to continue their push for a postseason spot, they look to climb out of the 10th seed in the Western Conference. They are coming off of a huge win over the Milwaukee Bucks last Tuesday. With 21 games remaining in their schedule, Steve Kerr's goal is to keep the momentum rolling on their side, and Gary Payton II could provide some much-needed energy.
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