When the offseason started, the possibilities seemed relatively wide for the Golden State Warriors. But as they re-signed De'Anthony Melton, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis and waited out the LeBron James sweepstakes, their options got slimmer and slimmer.
It wasn't a surprise, therefore, when they opted to fill their lingering backcourt need by bringing Gary Payton II back for another season on a veteran minimum deal. At the very least, he's a reliable, energetic contributor that has earned the trust of Steve Kerr over his two separate stints with the organization.
Payton's offensive upside is dwindling. Although he averaged 7.5 points and shot 58.3% from the field last season, his efficiency from beyond the arc dropped to just 29.1%. But, for better or worse, he's who Golden State trusts to take on minutes in the backcourt behind Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and De'Anthony Melton.
With the addition of Payton, moreover, the Warriors' final roster need likely rests in the frontcourt. That makes a guaranteed contract gamble on Summer League standout LJ Cryer an unlikely option in the short-term.
LJ Cryer deserves his NBA opportunity, but the Payton signing likely keeps him in a two-way role for now
After the Draymond Green extension, Golden State had three remaining roster spots and very little space between them and the second apron. The players they added were always going to be cheap contributors, and Payton makes perfect sense in that context.
But a swing on Cryer would have made sense as well.
Across eight appearances between the California Classic and the 2K26 NBA Summer League, Cryer averaged 14 points, 2.2 rebounds, and four assists while knocking down 41.3% of his attempts from 3-point range. He showed confidence as a shot-creator and as an off-ball mover, and he even flashed some tenacity as an on-ball defender (although his height will limit his true upside in that capacity).
As of now, he's on a two-way contract with Golden State for 2026-27, and he should still have a role to play in the backcourt. The Warriors elevated Pat Spencer from a two-way to a standard roster spot in the middle of the past two campaigns. If they ultimately leave their 15th roster spot open again, there's a real chance Cryer gets that opportunity this season.
But the addition of Payton makes that path steeper for the youngster. Perhaps Malevy Leons proves to be a real rotational contributor this season, and Golden State tends towards their needs in the frontcourt rather than Cryer's floor-spacing abilities. Or perhaps Payton has an offensive resurgence that limits Cryer's rotational opportunities before he even truly gets going.
At the very least, the Warriors' most glaring remaining need has now been filled by the Payton signing, and that likely leaves Cryer on the outside looking in of the standard roster to start 2026-27.
Add us as a preferred source on Google