Wild GP2 stat demonstrates his immense value to Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
After barely even making the roster to begin the season, Gary Payton II has been as valuable to the Warriors as any of his teammates this season.
That’s not to say Payton is playing better than Steph Curry or Draymond Green, but these numbers from StatMuse demonstrate the immense value the 28-year-old has brought to the rotation so far this season.
Payton, who never has been a consistent part of an NBA rotation for a full season, has been electric in his 11.7 minutes per game for the Warriors. Golden State is scoring 32.2 points per 100 possessions more when Payton II is on the floor versus when he is on the bench.
His 4.5 defensive box plus-minus is by far the best on the Warriors, and would be the league’s second-best mark behind Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. Payton’s reputation as an elite on-ball defender with a high basketball IQ has been on display, but it’s his high-flying finishes that have captivated NBA Twitter of late.
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Payton might see his role diminish when Klay Thompson makes his eventual return, which reportedly could come sometime before the end of the year. However, if Payton keeps playing at this level, Warriors coach Steve Kerr will need to find more minutes for him, not less.