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Gary Payton II has proven his value for the Golden State Warriors. But had it not been for Steph Curry and Draymond Green, the 28-year-old may not have seen the inside of the Warriors locker room after his initial 10-day contract came to an end.
Although Gary Payton II bounced around teams in the NBA and the G-League for years, he never found a permanent home for himself. Having earned his first 10-day contract with Golden State back in the 2020-21 season, Payton wasn't sure of his future with the team after it came to an end.
In this regard, Draymond Green and Steph Curry played a huge part in ensuring the 28-year-old remained at Golden State. During the live edition of "The Draymond Green Show", which was recorded after the Warriors' win in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Green revealed that he and Steph Curry pushed general manager Bob Myers to bring Payton back.
"I remember his 10-day [contract] ended, and you know where that 10-day ended at? That 10-day ended here in Boston," Green said. "And he's dapping all of us up like 'Yo, it's been great. I appreciate y'all.' I'm like 'What are you talking about?' And he's like 'My 10-day is up.' I'm like, 'Dude, you'll be here. See you later.'"
"And then I called Bob, Steph called Bob," he added. "We're like 'You can't get rid of GP. Like, you got to bring him back. You see what he's doing? You got to bring him back.' And that was the start of all of this."
Having set things in motion, Gary Payton II suited up for the Warriors for the remainder of the season. He went on to don the Warriors jersey for the 2021-22 season as well.
Gary Payton II's journey with the Golden State Warriors
After being waived alongside several players at the start of the 2021-22 season, things looked bleak for the 28-year old. However, this proved to be only a minor roadblock as the Warriors front office eventually signed Payton to a one-year deal.
In this period, Payton proved his worth to the team. Emerging as a lockdown defender on the perimeter, Payton played a massive role in Golden State's success.
Unfortunately, the 28-year old faced yet another bump on the road in the playoffs. After suffering a fractured elbow in the Western Conference semifinals, Payton missed a significant period of time.
However, he returned in time for the Finals, where he played an important role in their defeat of Boston. With his athleticism and defensive chops infusing life into the Warriors' setup, Payton rightfully earned the respect of Draymond Green and Steph Curry.
Guess the Lakers players!
