Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II has expressed interest in joining a potential NBA expansion team, particularly if it means playing for a team in Seattle.
Payton II Keen on Seattle Return
Payton II was quick to seize the opportunity to join one of the potential Las Vegas and Seattle teams. He would prefer to play for the Seattle Supersonics. There is a reason as to why the Warriors are getting a tough-minded two-way player who is a menace on defence in Payton II.
According to Brandon Robinson of Scoop B, Payton II said he would “probably request a trade immediately! Even though I love where I’m at, it’s about being able to throw on that Sonics jersey before my career is over. I really hope they end up getting that done so I can go hoop for the hometown one time.”
Roots in Seattle
Payton II grew up in Seattle. He got to meet great players when his dad played with the Supersonics. He saw how close his father alongside Detlef Schrempf and Shawn Kemp were to bringing a title to the Emerald City back in 1996.
His lens of the NBA was far more up close because he got to see Michael Jordan ravage the league, the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty, and many more spectacles that an aspiring professional hooper could only dream of.
“A lot of Seattle days. I remember running around at practice, hanging out with George Karl, the coaching staff, and the players. Kevin Garnett used to come over for dinner every time he was in town. Allen Iverson and Vince Carter too. Just being a kid and being shocked by the superstars I had access to talk to. I have nothing but good memories of Seattle, from that 1996 Finals run with Michael Jordan all the way up until Dad got traded to Milwaukee for Ray Allen,” he added.
NBA Expansion on the Horizon
Adam Silver and the association are counting less than two years before NBA expansion happens. There will be an expansion draft in order to fill the roster spots for the Las Vegas and Seattle teams. NBA expansion talks will run through up until the first season that it hits in 2028-29.
If there is one player that the fans in Seattle can root for, it is someone who has seen their great moments from the 1990s and would still be capable to contend when the team officially comes back.