Washington Wizards head coach Scott Brooks has apparently liked what he has seen from guard Gary Payton II. Not only that, but the up-and-coming guard and son of the legendary Gary Payton has now made the team in our nation's capital after initially just receiving a trial run.
As a result, Brooks recently took some time to elaborate and explain exactly why the team has ultimately elected to keep Payton II around for a little while longer.
Brooks on Gary Payton II making the team: "His toughness and his defensive ability to guard, we need that. We can score the ball. It seems our offense moves."
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 6, 2020
Although both Payton II and his NBA legend father can both play defense with the best of them, the younger of the two understands today's game is just a bit different — and a little less aggressive, which obviously makes things much harder on the defensive end of the floor.
“It would be wonderful. It would be so good,” Payton II said with a big smile in regards to his father being able to defend with two hands, via NBC Sports Washington. “The game has really changed from my dad's days. I wish they would let us fight and bump and hit like they did back in the day. It would be a lot more fun. It would be great. I think I would probably lead the league in steals.”
Because of the Wizards' slew of injured player and the team's struggles this season, Payton II should receive a ton of playing time down the stretch of the 2019-20 campaign, which will surely bode well for his NBA future. Even in his short time in Washington, Payton II has managed to stand out just enough.
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