Gary Payton II, a 6’2″ reserve guard known for his defensive skills, is nearing an offensive record held by Wilt Chamberlain.
Chamberlain, a dominant 7’1″ centre, set an NBA record averaging 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season.
Payton’s Impressive Streak
Payton has made his last 16 field-goal attempts. The streak began in the third quarter of a game against Detroit on March 20, where he made his last three shots.
He then went 8-of-8 against the Mavericks on Monday and 5-of-5 against the Nets on Wednesday, after sitting out the Warriors’ loss to the Hawks on March 21.
Chamberlain holds the Warriors record at 19 consecutive makes without a miss.
A Career-Best Season
Payton is having his best season since the Warriors’ championship run in the 2021-22 season.
He is averaging a career-high-matching 7.1 points per game. His field-goal percentage has risen to 56.9.
He’s missed just eight games this season and could set a career high in games played if he plays seven of the last nine games.
Payton’s Future with the Warriors
Payton is playing this season on a veteran minimum contract. He might not get an offer for more than that in free agency.
If he wants to return to the Warriors, they should be able to re-sign him with another veteran minimum deal.
Golden State has just six players guaranteed to be under contract next season. Two of those six, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, are expected to miss at least half of the 2026-27 season.
The Warriors might look very different next year. Having a bench player who knows the system would help.
The Warriors should embrace the challenge of finding young players this offseason, preferably with positional size and three-point shooting ability that Payton doesn’t have.
Payton’s return to the Warriors is a 50-50 proposition.