Gary Payton II Rumors

NBA free agent Gary Payton II is launching a professional skateboard league, joining a growing movement of athlete-led leagues aimed at providing year-round relevance to Olympic and action sports. The Skate Board Association, a coed, six-team street skateboard league, plans to hold its inaugural 10-game season next summer in Big Bear Lake, California. Payton II, who last played for the Golden State Warriors, told ESPN he founded the league with partners Royce Campbell and Sheldon Lewis, because of his childhood love for skateboarding.

ESPN

"Growing up, I always wanted to be a skateboarder. The skate park was right next to the basketball court," he said. "I'd skate there with my friends and they'd skate the park and I'd hoop." When his partners proposed the league, "I was like, 'Why hasn't there been a professional league like the NFL, NBA or NHL for skateboarding?'" Payton II said. "'Let's change the sports game and the skateboard game.'"

ESPN

Payton II said he wants to see the SBA expand into an NBA-style league with multiple venues around the country, training facilities and an annual draft combine. "Skaters put more of their body on the line than athletes in most sports other than football," he said. "Why don't they get the same treatment as NBA players when they're taking more risks than we are?"

ESPN

Marc J Spears: Warriors free agent guard Gary Payton II is a co-owner and investor in The Skate Board Association. The SBA will announce the launch of the world’s first co-ed, equal-pay professional skateboarding league on Monday in Big Bear.

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In Brogdon's case, Golden State's long-running stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has contributed to the uncomfortable wait. We won't know if the Warriors emerge with more serious interest in Brogdon until the state of their roster and luxury tax bill becomes clear in the wake of a resolution to Kuminga's fate and the subsequent signings that have been long anticipated to bring Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and second-round pick Will Richard into the Bay Area fold.

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Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II and former Warrior Juan Toscano-Anderson, both Oakland natives, helped organize a massive back-to-school giveaway at Fremont High School. Through their respective nonprofits, the GPII Foundation and Journey to Achieve, the players gave away 2,000 backpacks, along with school supplies, free haircuts and more.

KTVU

"This will always be my home, and so I don't want to be just a taker. I've taken so much from Oakland and I just want to continue to give back," said Toscano-Anderson. "That's the whole point of this, just to give them everything they need, materials they need for their families and, most importantly, for them, so they can succeed," said Payton.

KTVU

I’ve heard rumbles about the return of Gary Payton II, who remains unsigned, obviously is beloved throughout the organization, and always is a fit to defend the opponent’s most dangerous scorer.

San Francisco Standard

The key will be putting all that increased flexibility to good use and avoiding that second tax apron again. Freeing up the MLE helps for this summer, but among the remaining free agents, it’s hard to see many needle-movers left. Multiple sources confirmed the Suns’ next step after buying out Beal will be targeting a guard who can play on or off the ball, defend multiple positions and align with the toughness, energy level and basketball IQ Phoenix wants. Those sources also confirmed that a reunion with Chris Paul is highly unlikely, while De’Anthony Melton — someone who fits that description to a tee — is likely to return to the Golden State Warriors. Malcolm Brogdon is another combo guard who’s been linked to multiple teams, but beyond that, the crop of free agency guards includes Gary Payton II, Russell Westbrook, Markelle Fultz, Dalano Banton, Cam Payne and Ben Simmons.

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Gary Payton II, a fan favorite beloved by his teammates, might have played his last game with the Warriors. Payton will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday, and his return to Golden State is in serious jeopardy, multiple NBA sources told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday and Saturday. “It’s looking doubtful,” one source said Friday. “Golden State still likes him, and there’s still a chance he’s back,” another source said of the Warriors. “But they have a lot of moving parts as they work through the Jonathan Kuminga situation, so Gary could land elsewhere next season.”

NBC Sports Bay Area

Ohm Youngmisuk: Gary Payton II says he loves playing here and for Steve Kerr. “Hopefully I can run off a couple more years (with a new deal)… they know how I feel and take it (free agency) one day at a time.”

Twitter

Ohm Youngmisuk: Gary Payton II said after the Jimmy Butler trade that the team talked about sacrificing and doing everything they can to win and do it for “Steph and Dray, with how many years they have left.”

Twitter

CJ Fogler: Q: GP II says they are like big and little brother: Buddy: "Gary's the clumsy [brother] always doing the dumbest stuff ever." Jimmy: You literally wore the wrong shorts! The audacity" Buddy: "Somehow he lost his joy (air quotes)" Jimmy "Do you even know what those are?" Buddy: "Two fingers"

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Anthony Slater: Gary Payton II will play in Game 1 tonight in Minnesota, per Kerr. Had an illness and an elbow issue, but he is available as a defensive option on Anthony Edwards.

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