Gary Payton II might not get his reunion with the Golden State Warriors after all.
The four-team trade between the Portland Trail Blazers, the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks that would have sent Payton back to San Francisco is reportedly “in jeopardy” after Payton’s pre-trade physical revealed a core muscle issue that could keep him sidelined for two to three months.
The Warriors have until Saturday to decide whether they want to go through with the trade, which sent James Wiseman to Detroit and five second-round picks to Portland. Kevin Knox II and Saddiq Bey would also be sent back to Detroit.
Payton missed the first 35 games of the season after undergoing core muscle surgery in September 2022. He made his season debut for the Blazers on Jan. 2 but has missed five games since then, appearing in just 17 games so far this season. He has averaged 4.1 points and 1.1 steals per game so far this season.
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The 30-year-old guard has two years left on his deal after this season.
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