Apr 10, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during warmups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Warriors not ruling Gary Payton II out for conference finals

Originally posted on Hoops Rumors | By JD Shaw | Last updated 5/15/22

Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II suffered a fractured left elbow in the team’s second-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, but Payton could still return next round, head coach Steve Kerr said.

Payton sustained the injury on May 3 and was given a three-to-five-week return timetable.

“We’re not ruling him out of the whole conference finals,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “We’re not saying he’s going to play either.”

Gary Payton II won't play to open the conference finals, but has been able to keep conditioning up since it's elbow injury.
Steve Kerr: "We're not ruling him out of the whole conference finals. We're not saying he's going to play either." Called it a "longshot" but "possibility."
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 15, 2022

Payton has served as a key cog in the Warriors’ rotation this season. In 71 games, he averaged 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals, playing 17.6 minutes per contest.

Payton received his first career playoff start in the game he was injured. The Warriors assigned him to be Ja Morant‘s primary defender, but Payton suffered the injury less than three minutes into the contest.

The Warriors will open their next series against the Phoenix Suns or Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. If Phoenix advances, Golden State will start on the road, but if Dallas advances, the team will start its series at home.

This article first appeared on Hoops Rumors and was syndicated with permission.

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