
2. Gary Payton II
The Warriors let Payton II walk after winning the title in 2022, only to bring him back in a midseason trade. The 6’3 guard is an elite defender that can space the floor, but there are significant drawbacks. He has never played more than 17.6 minutes per game for an entire season, and the 30-year-old has appeared in more than 30 games just once since entering the NBA in 2016.
Payton II is set to make $8.7 million next season and has a $9.1 million player option for the 2024-25 campaign. With him on the roster, the Dubs are set to pay over $230 million in luxury tax penalties alone. Getting rid of even his salary decreases their tax bill significantly, along with dropping them closer to that second tax apron.
Payton II’s role and injury history should determine his fate with the Warriors. If he cannot play more than 20 minutes per game and struggles to stay active, Golden State cannot afford to have him on their roster. Yes, he could be an impactful playoff contributor, but only in a small role.
Finding a trade that ships Gary Payton II elsewhere should not be challenging as teams are intrigued by his defense. That should let the Golden State Warriors save some money and opens up space for a veteran minimum free agent to fill The Mitten’s role.