Gary Payton II, Melton Reportedly Commit to Warriors Contracts Amid Horford Buzz

Gary Payton II and Ae’Anthony Melton have committed to signing deals with the Golden State Warriors, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania:

Also of note, second-round pick Will Richard is signing a four-year deal with the Warriors:

This news comes on the same day that Al Horford agreed to join the Warriors after his time with the Boston Celtics.

The deal continues Payton’s second stint with Golden State after he spent the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons with the team and was re-acquired in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers at the 2023 trade deadline.

A source previously told Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area that it was “looking doubtful” that Payton would return to the Warriors, but he ultimately ended up staying put.

Payton provided some much-needed depth to the Warriors’ lineup, which is led by veteran stars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. In 2024-25, he appeared in 62 games with 11 starts and averaged 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He was one of the most efficient players on the team, shooting 57.4 percent from the field.

Unfortunately, Payton was hindered late in the year by a torn ligament in his left thumb that he suffered in a loss to the Miami Heat on March 25. He returned to the lineup in April and was active for Golden State’s playoff run, but he contributed minimally as the team eventually lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference semifinals.

A nine-year veteran, Payton has carved out a solid career after going undrafted in 2016. He’s also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards in addition to the Warriors and Blazers. He was a member of Golden State’s 2022 NBA championship team, shooting 65.9 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from three-point range over 12 postseason games that year.

This past season, the Warriors placed seventh in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record before being eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals. Payton averaged 4.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists across 16.4 minutes of action in the playoffs.

Retaining Payton gives the Warriors a reliable veteran off the bench as they try to compete for an NBA championship next season.

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