Payton II Chooses Player Option to Stay with Warriors, Having Played Just One Game This Season



On June 20th, it was reported that Gary Payton II, the Golden State Warriors’ guard, has exercised his $9.1 million player option for the 2024-25 season.

Back in April, Payton hinted at his desire to return to the Golden State Warriors but expressed a wish to re-sign under a new contract, potentially securing a longer tenure with the team. Payton remarked, “It’s been a bumpy season. The last two seasons have been like that. This summer, I’ll work on getting stronger, better, and more durable physically.”

By opting into his player option, Payton gives himself the flexibility to negotiate an extension with the Warriors during this offseason rather than entering free agency with stricter time constraints.

Payton has proven to be a crucial rotation piece for the Warriors during his stints with the team, though his playing time has been inconsistent. His best season with Golden State came in 2021-22 when he averaged 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, playing a vital role in their championship run. Last season, Payton was limited to 44 games due to multiple injuries. He missed 13 consecutive games from November to December with a right calf strain and then sat out another 16 straight games from January to February because of a left hamstring strain.

Since being traded back to the Warriors from the Portland Trail Blazers, he has played in just 66 of 124 possible contests. In those appearances, Payton averaged 5.5 points per game with a shooting percentage of 56.3.