Gary Payton II has announced his decision to opt in to the final year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, as reported by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. The deadline for Payton to make a decision on his $9.1 million player option was Wednesday, and he now has the opportunity to potentially sign an extension with the Warriors this offseason. Despite dealing with a series of muscle injuries in the past season, including strains to his right calf and left hamstring, which limited him to 44 games where he averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds, Payton found stability with the Warriors at the end of the 2020-21 season and played a significant role in their championship run alongside Steph Curry.
After signing a lucrative three-year, $28 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, Payton’s stint was cut short due to a core muscle surgery before the 2022-23 season, leading to a trade back to the Warriors midway through the year. However, Payton’s absence due to injuries contributed to the Warriors’ defensive struggles and their failure to make the playoffs last season, finishing 15th in the league in defensive rating (114.5) and being eliminated by the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the Play-In Tournament. Given his injury history, it was expected that Payton would opt into the final year of his contract. This decision guarantees him his salary while allowing him to remain with an organization that values his contributions. There is speculation about a potential contract extension beyond next season between Payton and the Warriors.
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