Golden State Warriors: The return of Gary Payton II means more than you think

On Sunday evening, in what could only be described as a sloppy affair, the Minnesota Timberwolves escaped Chase Center with a 99-96 victory over the Golden State Warriors, knotting up the season series between the two sides.

Golden State erased a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit to practically square the game away, but for what seems to be the hundredth time this season, the Warriors could not get out of their own way, coughing the ball up twice in the final 20 seconds and ultimately losing in a heart-breaker.

The highly anticipated return of Gary Payton II to the Golden State Warriors may have been overshadowed by a dramatic finish, but he did about as much as he could’ve with limited game time.

The Warriors’ “newest addition” racked up nine points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block in just 15 minutes of action. Golden State had re-acquired Payton II during February’s trade deadline in a three-team deal that sent James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons, Saddiq Bey to the Atlanta Hawks, and 5 second-round picks to the Portland Trail-Blazers.

The news raised many eyebrows around the league. Not only had the Warriors offloaded Wiseman, who was the second overall draft pick in 2020, but they dealt him for a player whom they could’ve re-signed in the off-season, had they been willing to meet his relatively low asking price. A bizarre trade for sure, but considering the context of their season — an aging nucleus, depleted bench, and porous defense — it was a trade that Golden State had to make.

He may not wow you with his box score statistics, but Gary Payton II is a player whose impact transcends the stat-sheet. That impact was on full display Sunday evening. Payton II has only suited up for 16 games this season due to a lingering abdominal injury, so Coach Kerr opted to play the 30-year-old in spot minutes. He still had his fingerprints all over the game, being a defensive irritant, as anticipated, pestering the likes of Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley on the perimeter, and even climbing the ladder for a nasty rejection on 7’0 Karl-Anthony Towns.

What sets Payton II apart from other elite defensive guards is his uncanny ability to play bigger than he is. At 6’2, Payton II can toggle between chasing shifty guards around the perimeter and banging with bigger bodies on the interior. His 6’7 wingspan enhances his ability to navigate screens and muck up passing lanes, and he is equipped with freakish athleticism that allows him to get up for contests at the rim.

For all that GP2 does defensively, it’s plausible that his offensive contributions don’t get enough shine. In a Warriors offense that is defined by its nuances and complexities, the fundamentals have a tendency to get lost in translation. Payton II is someone who excels in that department. He’s a reliable three-point shooter, a solid finisher at the rim, and an underrated screen-setter. He has good instincts and understands when and how to exploit subtle defensive miscues by cutting hard to the basket. Like Draymond Green, Payton II serves as the glue guy, the one who does the little things and makes the winning plays.

Inconsistency has been the biggest thorn in the Warriors’ side this season. Their younger pieces didn’t develop as they’d hoped, and the James Wiseman experiment ended in futility. Steph Curry suffered back-to-back injuries that kept him sidelined for 11 games a piece and Jordan Poole hasn’t been able to find his rhythm as a result. To make matters worse, Andrew Wiggins has been dealing with a personal matter that may keep him sidelined through the rest of the season.

GP2’s return restores some balance to a team that has been devoid of continuity all season long. He is the solution to many of the Warriors’ most glaring concerns, including their questionable depth, and underwhelming defense. In his time away from the team, it became clear just how essential he was to their success, and if the Warriors organization was second-guessing his value back in July, they sure aren’t now.