Gary Payton II had a solid season for the Golden Warriors during the 2025-26 campaign, his fifth full season in Golden State. It was his sixth season with the franchise in total, interrupted by a brief stint with the Portland Trail Blazers (15 games). This year, Payton II finished second on the team in games played, having made 73 appearances. In those appearances the former Oregon State guard played to his strengths with physical defense on the perimeter.
Despite a knee injury to Stephen Curry, Payton II didn’t see much of an increase in minutes from a season prior. In 15.6 minutes per game, Payton II averaged a career-high 7.5 points to go along with 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.9 steals. Payton II’s efficiency from the field was a positive (58.3%), but his 3-point percentage was abysmal (29.1%). Now a 10-year veteran at age 33, Payton II’s longevity in the league will hinge on the development of his outside shooting, given the volume in which it’s shot at in today’s NBA. Looking ahead to next year, Payton II is one of Golden State’s 10 free agents this summer.
Overall grade: C+
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Golden State Warriors 2025-26 player grades: Gary Payton II
Reporting by Mack Baltes, Warriors Wire / Warriors Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
