Gary Payton II's highly anticipated return to the court was short-lived.
The Warriors guard will be out for “several weeks” with a left hamstring strain, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Wednesday, citing sources.
See more
Gary Payton II, the Warriors' G/F, will miss several weeks with a left hamstring strain, according to sources @TheAthletic @Stadion. It's a tough blow for Golden State and Payton, who only returned over the weekend after being sidelined for a month with a calf injury. pic.twitter.com/KsRpbtgfvA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 3, 2024
Payton II sustained the injury Tuesday night during the Warriors' 121-115 win over the Orlando Magic at Chase Center while defending Magic point guard Cole Anthony, then appeared to trip on his leg and fall awkwardly, before grabbing his left Achilles tendon.
He grimaced, ripped off his headband in frustration and threw it before being helped into the Warriors' locker room.
It was only his second game back after missing 13 games with a right calf injury.
Before he was injured and left the game early, Payton was a plus-10 with two points and four rebounds. Warriors point guard Chris Paul commiserated with his teammate as he spoke to reporters after the game, saying, how impactful his contributions are to the team.
“It’s hard,” Paul said. “He is such a big part of our team. People may not realize it, but his energy is constant, every day, every practice, every game. Getting back to our team was huge for us. I hope that what it is is not something that will take a long time. For him it will be about getting as healthy as possible.
“He is a competitor, I know how much he wants to play and how hard he has worked to get back out there. We’ll see what happens, but it’s unfortunate for a man like GP who works as hard as he does.”
The Warriors will likely provide an official update on Payton II's status this week.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
