Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II could miss a significant chunk of the season following an injury he suffered during his team's loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. He'll be sidelined indefinitely because of a torn right calf, according to a report from The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Payton, who split last season between the Portland Trail Blazers and Warriors, was a part of the Dubs' 2022 championship team. His defense and slashing off the bench was crucial for Golden State. However, he's battled with health issues in recent years.
Payton played just seven games with the Trail Blazers in 2022-23 because of a core muscle injury before being traded back to Golden State. He struggled with health for the remainder of the regular season and ended up playing in 15 games for the Dubs ahead of the postseason.
The defensive-minded guard kicked off 2023-24 strong and has averaged 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per contest through 13 games. The Warriors will likely need other wings to step it up while he recovers. Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga are among the players who could see more minutes behind Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. Both players are on track to boost their scoring averages for a third consecutive season.
