One of the Golden State Warriors' most beloved talents left the team recently to pursue other opportunities in the NBA free agency process.
The Portland Trail Blazers have just finalized a contract with Gary Payton II that is worth a total of $28 million over three years.
Payton was an essential member of the Warriors during their most recent season and their run to the NBA Finals, where they were victorious.
Therefore, it came as a big shock when he was released so soon after such a successful season of play.
Just a few weeks ago, the Warriors gave the impression that they were intending to head into the upcoming season with the same team that they used in the previous one. Therefore, what has changed?
Anthony Slater went deep into the situation and discovered that the Warriors were unwilling to fulfill the large price tag in addition to the taxes that were associated with it.
As was to be expected, the issue revolved around money.
The Things That The Warriors Will Miss
Payton has established a reputation for himself as an extremely flexible defender who is also capable of landing some significant blows.
Golden State will undoubtedly miss his abilities in those aspects, but they have other guys on the team who, with any luck, can step up and fill the vacuum left by his absence.
It is obvious that they have a good number of players capable of making baskets, and it is possible that their defense will improve the next season as James Wiseman returns from his one-year absence.
When viewed in this light, the absence of Payton is less of a blow to the team's overall success.
A city that is, to put it bluntly, in need of assistance in almost every manner, Portland is likely to provide him with further opportunities for employment.
Payton spent most of his time on Golden State's bench and started only 16 games there, but it's likely that he'll see a significant increase in playing time with the Trail Blazers.
During the upcoming season, Payton fans should get ready to see a lot more of their favorite player.
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