NBA: Gary Payton II fails physical, Warriors return in doubt
FILE–Gary Payton II during his stint with the Golden State Warriors. Justin Ford/Getty Images/AFP
Guard Gary Payton II failed his physical exam with the Warriors, leaving the four-team trade that would send him to Golden State in limbo, multiple media outlets reported on Friday.
According to The Athletic, Payton could be sidelined two to three months because of a core muscle injury that he had been playing through with the Portland Trail Blazers.
NBC Sports Bay Area cited an unnamed source saying a three-month timetable for Payton’s return is an overestimation but adding that there is no exact timeframe for his recovery.
Payton underwent abdominal surgery last summer, when he left the reigning NBA champion Warriors to sign a free agent deal with the Trail Blazers.
The Warriors reportedly were mulling whether to still accept the trade, agreed to on Thursday, that also involved the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks. The deadline to decide is Saturday, but the framework of the deal can’t be adjusted as the NBA trade deadline passed on Thursday.
First, the Hawks got forward Saddiq Bey from the Pistons, with Atlanta sending multiple second-round draft picks to Portland and Golden State. The Warriors traded former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to Detroit for Bey and forward Kevin Knox.
Finally, Golden State dealt Knox and multiple second-round picks to Portland to acquire Payton.
Payton, 30, made his season debut on Jan. 2. He appeared in 15 games with the Trail Blazers, averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 17 minutes per contest.
