Heading back to Golden State Payton was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Warriors on Thursday for five second-round picks and Kevin Knox, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. Impact After winning a title with the Warriors last season, Payton signed a two-year, $17.02 million deal with the Trail Blazers over the summer, which included a $9.13 million player option for 2024-25. Given how much the Warriors have struggled, the organization felt it necessary to bring back the defensive-minded guard. Over the past two seasons, Payton has averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.0 assists in 17.5 minutes. With Stephen Curry (knee) out through the All-Star break and possibly longer, Payton could see a boosted role in the short term.
FEBRUARY 9, 2023 • ROTOWIRE