As the Golden State Warriors navigated their offseason, it was clear that bringing back veteran guard Gary Payton II was somewhat of a serious priority, as it was revealed early that he was among the players whom they had 'handshake' agreements to sign once the Jonathan Kuminga situation was resolved.
However, now that the season has begun, and the backcourt has begun to sort itself out, it has become abundantly clear that Payton is on the fringe of the rotation, and, although he has certainly earned the trust of head coach Steve Kerr over the years, it is highly likely that the return of De'Anthony Melton could severely limit his role.
While the timeline on Melton's return from the ACL injury he suffered last season is unclear, there will certainly need to be shakeup to the backcourt when he does eventually come back, and Payton could be the odd man out.
De'Anthony Melton's return could force Gary Payton II almost entirely out of the rotation
Apart from 15 games Payton played with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022-23, he stands as one of the longest-tenured Warriors apart from their veteran core of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and, during that time, he has endeared himself both to the coaching staff and the fanbase through his propensity to make high-energy plays.
However, apart from his veteran experience and infectious energy, Payton has never really brought much to the table in terms of production. Last season, he averaged just 6.5 points, three rebounds and 1.3 assists on a diet of 15 minutes per game.
Golden State's backcourt situation suddenly has become rather crowded with the signing of Melton, the rumored re-signing of Seth Curry and the relatively surprising rotational emergence of rookie guard Will Richard.
While Seth Curry likely will take on an end-of-bench support role for the Warriors when he does re-join the team, Richard, who has played significant minutes in each of the team's games so far, looks poised to take on a serious role this season.
Moreover, Melton, as an apt point-of-attack defender and a capable perimeter shooter, has the potential to compete with Brandin Podziemski for the starting role when he returns, and he will likely take on a significant rotational role as long as he can stay healthy.
This leaves a probable backcourt hierarchy of Curry, Podziemski, Melton, Hield, and Richard, with Payton sitting squarely at the bottom.
Therefore, do not be surprised if Melton's return pushes Payton's minutes well below the 10-11 range has seen so far this season, however painful it may be to see a veteran of Payton's caliber fall out of the rotation.
