Warriors swingman Gary Payton II will be active for Saturday’s game against Dallas, head coach Steve Kerr told reporters, including Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Payton will be on an unspecified minutes restriction, per Andrews.
Payton has been sidelined since Nov. 28, having missed the past 13 games with a right calf strain. He practiced on Wednesday, but missed Thursday’s loss to Miami. In 14 games this season (17.3 MPG), he has averaged 5.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .479/.320/.667 shooting.
A 6-foot-2 guard whose athleticism and defensive skills allow him to slide up to forward at times, Payton has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, including being limited to just 22 games in 2022-23. The 31-year-old was a key member of Golden State’s championship run in 2021-22.
It will be interesting to see how Kerr handles the rotation tomorrow. Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins are among the players who could see fewer minutes, assuming Payton plays.
Payton is earning $8.7M this season and holds a $9.1M player option for 2024-25. The Warriors have had an up-and-down season thus far and are currently 15-16, the No. 11 seed in the West.
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