Golden State Warriors: Which players are trending up/down into 2022?

By Tony Pesta | Dec 27, 2021

Dec 20, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) with forward Otto Porter Jr. (32) after scoring a basket and foul against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

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Golden State Warriors (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

Gary Payton is trending UP

Has anyone in the NBA increased their stock higher than Gary Payton II? A few months ago, his professional career was hanging on by a thread. Now, he is a key piece to the best team in the NBA.

We always knew Payton was a sturdy perimeter defender. A quick-twitch athlete who can explode into passing lanes and pick up opposing ball handlers the full length of the court is valuable to any NBA team.

Yet, Payton has built on his reputation for defense by expanding his game to the 3-point line. GP2 is shooting 41.2 percent from deep, which is the 24th best percentage of any player to attempt 55 or more 3-pointers this season.

Payton is electric. He makes hustle plays routinely and any time he soars for a breathtaking dunk you can jut feel the momentum shifting in Golden State’s favor. He has forced his way into this lineup and there is no reason he won’t remain in the rotation moving forward.

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