Gary Payton II is a defender first and foremost. Standing just 6'2 with hands that hang down to his knees and rare overall athleticism, the Golden State Warriors veteran has the length, strength and quickness to check at least four positions at a borderline elite level, and might do even better work away from the ball as a help defender.

On a per-minute basis, there aren't many more impactful defenders in the NBA than Payton. He reminded the basketball world of that reality on Friday night in his first game back from a left foot injury, first entering against the San Antonio Spurs midway through the second quarter only to send Victor Wembanyama's layup into the Chase Center crowd barely more than 20 seconds later.

Reminder: Wembanyama stands more than a foot taller than Payton.

But Payton's peak utility to the Dubs wouldn't loom nearly as large if he was merely a defensive specialist. Golden State already plays two non-shooters in Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Defenses are still making Jonathan Kuminga prove it before respecting him beyond the arc, too.

Payton is an even more limited shooter than Kuminga, his three-point attempts almost exclusively coming from the corners with defenders nowhere near him. Unlike so many non-bigs across the league who struggle to find their offensive footing when they aren't guarded, though, Payton knows exactly how to minimize his weaknesses and maximize his strengths with the Warriors, a dynamic Steve Kerr expanded on following his team's 118-112 victory over San Antonio.

“Very similar to what we’ve watched with Gary two years ago, because last year he was barely with us,” Kerr said postgame of Payton's impact against the Spurs. “One of the benefits of playing him is he knows how to play with Steph. It’s not just his defense, which is excellent, but when he’s on the floor with Steph that’s where some of the off-ball stuff just happens because Gary recognizes it as well as anybody. You’ll see him dribble at Steph and get him a hand-back, you’ll see him running free and he’ll go screen for him, he’ll set a screen and dive and Steph will hit him in the pocket like he did for the one when he got the layup. There’s definitely a lot of value in playing Gary with Steph and we’re trying to do that more.”

Gary Payton II's unique value to Warriors

Gary Payton II, Warriors

Payton's numbers in his first game since November 16th don't exactly stand out. He finished with four points, three rebounds, one steal and one block while shooting 2-of-3 in 18 minutes off the bench, serving as Golden State's last reserve to enter in the first half.

No doubt with his momentum-changing second-quarter stint in mind, Kerr made Payton the Dubs' second reserve off the bench after intermission. He immediately picked up where he left off in the first half, imbuing the Warriors with energy and activity their starting five and veteran-heavy groups have lacked all too often this season.

The kinetic motion Payton inherently provides isn't limited to defense or the open floor. He's an elite processor offensively, always thinking one step ahead while freeing teammates with random screens, quick ball movement and hard-charging dives to the rim. Payton may not be on Draymond Green's innate level as a ball-screen partner for Curry, but he's damn close—and gives Golden State a finishing element on the roll Green hasn't since the dynasty tipped off almost a decade ago.

Watch how many decisions Payton makes on this fourth quarter possession, keeping the floor perfectly spaced with constant movement before getting into an impromptu dribble hand-off with Curry, ending the play with a swooping layup around Wembanyama as a dive man.

That's Payton's offensive genius in a nutshell, and why Golden State will strive to play him with Curry in bench-heavy units more often as the season progresses. He's already closed a couple games in 2023-24, too. If Payton's foot injury proves a blip on the path toward him reaching the individual ceiling he did when the Dubs won a title in 2021-22, don't be surprised when he emerges as a semi-frequent member of Kerr's crunch-time lineup.

Either way, Payton making his singular difference is a major swing factor for Golden State. The more his presence is felt on both sides of the ball, not just defensively, the better the Warriors will fare in a crowded Western Conference playoff race.