Inside The Warriors

Golden State Warriors Player Makes Massive Contract Decision

The Golden State Warriors have their first official offseason development
Joey Linn|
Apr 5, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) hits the game winning shot past Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) and Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) hits the game winning shot past Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) and Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports | Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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Golden State Warriors

The NBA Finals have concluded, meaning the offseason is officially underway. For the Golden State Warriors, there are some big decisions that need to be made this summer, some of which are out of their control. The first of these has been made, as it was announced by Kendra Andrews of ESPN that versatile guard Gary Payton II had exercised his player option for next season and will return to the Warriors.

This always seemed to be the likeliest outcome, because while Payton has been productive when healthy, he has been unable to stay on the court. Playing just 44 games last season, Payton was in and out of the lineup all year. This came after he played just seven games following his trade back to Golden State in 2023, as he was never able to fully recover from the injury issues he had to start the year while in Portland.

A very unique player, Payton is a great defender with a lot of athleticism. Somewhat limited offensively, Payton is not a great shooter, but has shown the ability to knock down open shots at times. Due to his athleticism, Payton can often thrive in different spots offensively, which is valuable when the Warriors play small. 

As they await the outcome of Klay Thompson's free agency, Golden State will be glad to have Payton back, but certainly hope he can stay on the court much more frequently than he has the last two seasons.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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