As the Golden State Warriors stand poised to bring in multiple veteran free agents this offseason following the inevitable resolution to their stand-off with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, a plethora of names have been floated as potential pieces to add to their rotation.
Yet, with the loss of veteran center Kevon Looney in free agency, one player remains an absolutely vital piece to bring back: Gary Payton II.
With the Warriors looking to furnish their established veteran trio with the necessary pieces to make a run at a championship, Payton's winning skill-set and existing understanding of the team's system make him a necessary addition to the roster.
Gary Payton II needs to return this offseason
As the offseason opened, it was well-known that Golden State would be capped on the moves they could make by the financial limitations of their current roster construction. With roughly $140 million tied up in their trio of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green next season, the team, from the outset, was largely forced to seek out players they could sign to veteran minimum deals.
Initially, their focus centered on players such as De'Anthony Melton and Seth Curry: pieces who could bring unique defensive and sharpshooting skill-sets to the team's backcourt.
Yet, as the offseason wore on, Payton, who entered unrestricted free agency at the start of the offseason, remained unsigned. This led to speculation that the team had reached a handshake agreement with Payton to bring him back on a veteran minimum once the Kuminga situation had been resolved.
While this is certainly a plausible scenario, nothing has been confirmed as of yet, and the Warriors must do everything in their power to ensure Payton comes back.
Last season, through 62 games, Payton averaged 6.5 points, three rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 57.4% from the field. While these numbers do not pop off the screen, his penchant for playing winning basketball, hustling for rebounds and steals, made him invaluable to the team's rotation.
Now, as Golden State gears up for another season, they have very little room for error. Just one signing or acquisition not working out, such as the Dennis Schroder trade last season, could be disastrous for the team's chances at carving out a playoff spot in a loaded Western Conference.
While their loss of Looney was understandable given their need for a starting-caliber center, the team cannot afford to lose two veterans who are already immersed in their system this offseason. Therefore, while players such as Melton and Curry would be intriguing adds, Payton must remain a genuine priority for the front office once they are able to fully negotiate with free agents.