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Dalton Johnson: LONG list of Warriors not traveling to Portland for tomorrow’s game @nbcswarriors.bsky.social Steph Curry Draymond Green Yaxel Lendeborg Al Horford Brandin Podziemski De'Anthony Melton Gui Santos Georges Niang Gary Payton II
I saw you were saying recently that this team gives you 2022 vibes when you won the NBA title. Why is that the case? Gary Payton II: “It feels like we got a good mix of guys – young guys and vets. We got a lot of young guys that are coming off NCAA championships. Those guys know what to do in those big moments and those big games down the stretch to win. For them to come in off of that and come to this winning organization with a bunch of vets that have won championships, I think this group understands what it takes to win. We have Steph, Dray, Al, KP. We got a good vet-core unit.”
What will it take to put that all together? Gary Payton II: “We have to stay healthy and have fun. We have to play a good brand of basketball. If we hit on those three things down the stretch, we will put ourselves in a great position. If we make it to the postseason, I don’t think anybody is going to want to see us.”
There’s doubts heading into the season because of the concerns about the team’s ability to stay healthy. How do you look at that concern? Gary Payton II: “You can’t really do anything about it. You just have to do the best that you can to prevent it. But if we stay healthy, have fun and play a good brand of basketball, we’ll put ourselves in the best spot and shape to make a push.”
Expectations for the Warriors entering the 2026-27 NBA season are as low as they’ve been in years. That’s the way Gary Payton II likes it, too. “It’s funny,” Payton said Sunday to NBC Sports Bay Area on the ninth floor of Chase Center. “It kind of gives, in a sense, a ‘22 feeling. We’re not expected to do anything, but we still got a pretty good veteran core, and we got some talented young guys. The goal this year, the motto for me, is stay healthy and have fun.”
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![We got 30 [Stephen Curry], we got [Draymond Green]. …](https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/gcdn/content-pipeline-sports-images/sports2/nba/players/338365.png?format=png8&auto=webp&quality=85,75&width=140)
“Down the line, young guys are gonna win some games for us and give our vet guys some time to rest and chill,” Payton said. “And when it’s time, when it matters, I think you know we’re always going to show up. We got 30 [Stephen Curry], we got [Draymond Green]. When we get Jimmy [Butler] and we get Moses [Moody] back, you never know. We just got to play the right ball until the right time and see what happens.”
Shams Charania: Free agent Gary Payton II has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN. Payton returns to the Warriors for his seventh year in the Bay Area -- and his 11th NBA season.
– What was Steph’s demeanor like as he was trying to get back on the court again? Gary Payton II: “It was normal ‘Wardell’ demeanor. Once his body was right, everything else would follow. He was just getting his rhythm.”
– You’re one of the very few that can call Steph by that name. How did you get that pass? Gary Payton II: “It’s just a bond, I guess you could say. It was kind of shaky in the beginning. But I guess he allowed me to continue to call him that. He never told me not to, so I can do it.”
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– Draymond said that you can play off of Steph better than he can. What do you think of that? Gary Payton II: “I don’t know about that. They had a decade and some change with each other. I just try to get as much info and intel as I can from both of them to make it easier for the both of them. So I definitely took some things from Draymond with Steph. And I definitely took some things from Steph for Draymond. So to just play off of those guys, they make it very easy on the court on both ends. So as much as I can feed and grab intel from them, it makes my life easier.”
As the rest of the basketball world wonders what comes next for Kerr and the Warriors, he remains unbothered. His passion is evident on that quiet afternoon in Detroit. At the end of a conversation with The Athletic, he’s asked what still motivates him to get out of bed after all that he’s already accomplished in the game. Before he can answer, veteran guard Gary Payton II, one of Kerr’s favorites, walks over with a smile and gives his coach a tap on the knee. Kerr smiles back and offers a knowing nod. “This,” Kerr said. “Coming in and seeing the guys and having a film session, trying to help them win. And having dinner with the coaches, and the camaraderie that exists when you are in the foxhole together. You’ve lost five in a row, and it sucks — it’s all relative. It sucks, but it’s so awesome to be with a group of great guys and try to win a basketball game. I love all of it. And you have to embrace the challenge and the fact that every year’s just gonna be different.”
Anthony Slater: Gary Payton II on the impact of Steph Curry's return: "I get layups. Wide open layups." Warriors have a 118.0 offensive rating with Curry on the floor this season, 110.2 with him off the floor.
Anthony Slater: Kristaps Porzingis will sit tomorrow night vs the Spurs. Hasn’t been cleared for both sides of back-to-backs yet. De’Anthony Melton out with a thumb strain. Gui Santos and Gary Payton II questionable. Warriors face Cavaliers on Thursday.
