The Golden State Warriors suffered a massive blow in the off-season.
They couldn’t afford to keep Gary Payton II on the team, so he left for a more lucrative deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Payton’s absence became a major factor for them throughout the year, as they craved a defensive specialist that would put his body on the line on every single possession.
Bob Myers eventually realized that they needed him back, and the rest of the team never wanted him gone in the first place.
So, he managed to work things out and bring him back via trade, although it took a while before he was actually ready to set foot on the floor again.
Payton II finally made his second debut with the team during Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, getting a warm welcome back from the fans.
Notably, even though he was disappointed by not being able to beat the Timberwolves, he still gave the fans some flowers for showing him that much love.
All love between GP2 and Dub Nation 💙 pic.twitter.com/FZfjztk2K5
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 27, 2023
‘The Mitten’ played 15 minutes and scored 9 points on 3-for-4 shooting (1/2 from three), adding two rebounds and one assist.
Payton’s love story with the organization will be one for the ages.
He was a bit of an afterthought, but he fought his way up in the ranks and became one of the biggest contributors to their last championship run.
Hopefully, he’ll be able to avoid any further injury and stay on the floor for the remainder of the season, as they could definitely use his defensive expertise.
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