Warriors questioned for letting Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr. go
The Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship, but their roster for next season will look different.
Their core, led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, remains intact. However, several role players are gone, including Gary Payton II (Portland) and Otto Porter Jr. (Toronto).
While the front office wanted both players back, the team's cap/luxury tax situation prevented president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Myers from offering them competitive contracts.
Andy Bailey from Bleacher Report compiled a list of the worst decisions of the NBA offseason. Among them was the Warriors' decision to not retain Payton II and Porter Jr..
“Retaining Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr., especially with upcoming extensions or new contracts for Jordan Poole, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins on the horizon, would've been a very expensive decision.
But losing two of the most important role players on a championship team is a bad alternative.”
Bailey’s take seems reasonable. To replace Payton II and Porter Jr., the Warriors signed Donte DiVincenzo, who averaged 10.3 points for the Kings last season, and JaMychal Green, who averaged 6.4 points with the Nuggets. Both are solid role players who can give the Warriors quality minutes off the bench next season.
How Payton II and Porter Jr. performed
Payton II was cut from the Warriors in early October, and at one point, he asked about joining the team's video coordination department. But he earned the last spot on the roster and averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks in just 17.6 minutes over 71 games (16 starts). He shot 61.6 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc. His three-point shooting was a revelation, as many considered him a poor three-point shooter.
Porter Jr. played well in the playoffs, leading the Warriors in offensive rating at 118.6 and net rating at 12.4. He was one of the best reserves in the regular season, averaging 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 22.2 minutes over 63 games (15 starts). He shot 46.4 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range.
More must-reads: