Gary Payton Ii Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Gary Payton II Signs 10-Day Deal With Wizards

January 21st, 2019 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 21: The Wizards have officially signed Payton, the team announced today in a press release. His contract will run through next Wednesday, January 30.

JANUARY 20: The Wizards will fill their roster opening by signing guard Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract, tweets ESPN’s Marc J. Spears. The signing is expected to take place tomorrow, which will be the deadline for Washington to get back to the 14-man roster limit, two weeks after waiving Ron Baker.

This is the latest NBA opportunity for the 26-year-old guard, who was in training camp with the Trail Blazers before being waived prior to the start of the season. Payton appeared in a combined 23 games last season — 12 with the Bucks and 11 with the Lakers — averaging 3.0 points per night. He also played six games for Milwaukee during the 2016/17 season.

Payton returned to the G League last month, signing with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He posted a 19.2/8.2/6.6 line in 13 games.

Trail Blazers Cut Payton, Oliver, Onuaku

October 13th, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by clarkcrum

The Trail Blazers have waived Gary Payton II, Cameron Oliver and Chinanu Onuaku, according to an official release from the team. The news was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. All three players were on fully non-guaranteed contracts, so Portland won’t be on the hook for any money.

With the moves, the Trail Blazers have lowered their roster count to 15 players in anticipation of the upcoming regular season. Portland could have kept one or two of Payton, Oliver, and/or Onuaku as two-way players, but with no G League affiliate, the team decided not to go that route.

Payton, 25, is the son of NBA Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton. He has seen a little NBA action over the last two seasons with the Lakers and Bucks, but spent most of his time in the G League.

Oliver, 22, signed a training camp contract with the Rockets after going undrafted in 2017, but was waived before the regular season. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 39 total G League games last season.

Onuaku, 21, was selected in the second-round of the 2016 NBA Draft, but has only appeared in six NBA regular season games in his first two NBA seasons. Like Payton and Oliver, he has extensive G League experience, playing in 83 total games for the Rockets’ G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers the past two seasons.

Trail Blazers Sign Three Players To Camp Deals

September 4th, 2018 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 4: The Trail Blazers have officially announced their deals with Onuaku, Oliver, and Payton, confirming the signings in a press release.

SEPTEMBER 3: Three free agents are set to join the Trail Blazers on training camp deals, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), who reports that Chinanu Onuaku, Cameron Oliver, and Gary Payton II have all reached agreements with Portland.

Onuaku, a 2016 second-round pick, appeared in just six NBA regular season games in two seasons with the Rockets. The former Louisville center has spent most of his two professional seasons in the G League, playing in 83 total games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and averaging 12.3 PPG and 10.0 RPG to go along with 2.5 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.1 SPG, and a .617 FG%. The 21-year-old was traded from Houston to Dallas earlier this offseason, with the Mavericks subsequently waiving him.

Oliver, a former Nevada standout, signed a training camp contract with the Rockets after going undrafted in 2017, but was waived by Houston just before the regular season began. The 6’8″ forward spent his rookie season in the G League with Delaware and Wisconsin, averaging 10.8 PPG and 7.1 RPG in 39 total games.

Payton, meanwhile, is the son of NBA Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton. The 25-year-old point guard has seen a little NBA action over the last two seasons, appearing in 29 total contests for the Lakers and Bucks. Like Onuaku and Oliver, he also had a stint with the Rockets earlier in his career and has extensive G League experience.

The Trail Blazers already have 15 players on guaranteed contracts, meaning there might not be any opportunities for their camp invitees to earn regular season roster spots. Portland also doesn’t have its own G League squad, so Onuaku, Oliver, and Payton won’t become affiliate players for the Blazers.

Still, the Blazers haven’t filled either of their two-way contract slots, and Onuaku, Oliver, and Payton would all qualify for a two-way deal. It’s possible that one or two of them could have their camp contracts converted to two-way pacts if they look good in the preseason.

Malik Newman Signs Two-Way Deal With Lakers

July 1st, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 1: The Lakers have officially signed Newman to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. Having not tendered qualifying offers to Caruso or Payton, the Lakers appear poised to have new players in both two-way slots for 2018/19.

JUNE 22: The Lakers will add Kansas guard Malik Newman on a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Newman, 21, spent just one season with the Jayhawks after transferring from Mississippi State. He put up 14.2 points per game this year and shot 42% from 3-point range. He helped the Jayhawks reach the Final Four with a 32-point performance against Duke in the regional finals.

Alex Caruso and Gary Payton II are the Lakers’ current two-way players, with their contracts set to expire at the end of June.

Lakers Sign Gary Payton II To Two-Way Deal

January 15th, 2018 at 11:07am CST by Austin Kent

JANUARY 15: The Lakers have officially signed Payton to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

JANUARY 14: The Lakers are planning to sign Gary Payton II to a two-way contract, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Payton began the 2017/18 campaign with the Bucks, but despite starting six games for the team, averaged just 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.

Payton will slide into the vacant two-way slot that the Lakers opened up on Friday with the release of Vander Blue.

Per Bill Oram of the Orange County Register, Payton is expected to join the team in Memphis ahead of the Lakers-Grizzlies tilt on Monday.

Payton has yet to make much of a mark at the NBA level but drew attention at Oregon State thanks to his Hall of Fame father. Gary Payton Sr., of course, suited up for the Lakers in the twilight of his career.

Payton was waived by Milwaukee on December 18 when the Bucks opted to bring Sean Kilpatrick aboard on a two-way contract.

Bucks Waive Gary Payton II, Sign Sean Kilpatrick

December 18th, 2017 at 10:54am CST by Arthur Hill

DECEMBER 18, 10:54am: The Bucks have made it official, announcing today in a press release that they’ve waived Payton and signed Kilpatrick to a two-way deal.

DECEMBER 16, 11:32pm: The player the Bucks are targeting is Sean Kilpatrick, who was waived by the Nets last week, Haynes tweets. Brooklyn released the fourth-year shooting guard to open a roster spot for the Jahlil Okafor trade. Kilpatrick was a part-time starter last season, averaging 13.1 points over 70 games, but his playing time was cut drastically this season and his scoring average dipped to 4.9 points in 16 contests.

10:58pm: The Bucks are planning to waive guard Gary Payton II, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN. Haynes adds that getting rid of Payton is “not a popular move” among teammates (Twitter link).

Payton inked a two-way contract with Milwaukee in October, which limits him to 45 days in the NBA. He will reach that total Monday and would have to be signed to an NBA contract to continue playing for the team. The Bucks have a full 15-man roster with 14 guaranteed contracts.

Haynes’ report is confirmed by Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, who tweets that the Bucks want to use Payton’s two-way slot to sign another player and believe they need to act fast to make sure they get him. That player’s NBA time will be pro-rated, which will amount to about 30 days.

Payton has appeared in 11 games this season and has made six starts. He is averaging 2.4 points in about nine minutes per night.

Payton first joined the Bucks in April of last season. He was cut in October, but agreed to the two-day deal after clearing waivers.

Bucks Sign Gary Payton II To Two-Way Contract

October 17th, 2017 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have filled one of their open two-way slots by signing free agent guard Gary Payton II to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. Milwaukee had entered the day as the only NBA team without a player on a two-way deal.

Payton, the son of Hall-of-Famer and former SuperSonics guard Gary Payton, went undrafted out of Oregon State in 2016, but caught on with the Rockets for training camp. After being cut by Houston last October, the 24-year-old spent most of the season with the club’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In 49 G League games, Payton averaged 14.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 2.0 SPG.

Having signed a multiyear deal with Milwaukee near the end of the 2016/17 campaign, Payton was a candidate to make the Bucks’ regular season roster, but was ultimately cut on Saturday. His contract didn’t include an Exhibit 10 clause, making it ineligible to be converted into a two-way deal, but the Bucks were eligible to re-sign him to a two-way contract once he cleared waivers.

Payton will suit up for the Bucks’ new G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, once the season begins. Milwaukee, meanwhile, still has one more two-way spot to fill.

Bucks Cut Brandon Rush, Joel Anthony, Gary Payton II

October 14th, 2017 at 8:10am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks have parted ways with a handful of players with NBA experience, announcing late last night (via Twitter) that they’ve requested waivers on swingman Brandon Rush, big man Joel Anthony, and second-year guard Gary Payton II.

Of the three players, Rush has the most recent NBA experience, and perhaps had the strongest case to earn a spot on the Bucks’ regular season roster. Last season, Rush appeared in 47 games (33 starts) for the Timberwolves, averaging a modest 4.2 PPG but making 38.6% of his threes. He’s a career 40.2% three-point shooter.

Rather than carrying Rush though, it appears the Bucks may open the season with Gerald Green holding their final roster spot. Currently, Milwaukee has 15 players under contract, with Green and his non-guaranteed deal joining 14 players on guaranteed salaries.

Rush, Anthony, and Payton will clear waivers on Monday, assuming they’re not claimed.

Central Notes: Bucks, Williams, Drummond, Pistons

August 15th, 2017 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks have a couple of options beyond making a trade to drop back below the luxury-tax line, as Gery Woelfel of WoelfelPressBox.com points out. Citing sources, Woelfel calculates the current Milwaukee payroll at $120.6MM, which would put it approximately $1.4MM over the tax threshold. The Bucks could shed some payroll by either releasing point guard Gary Payton Jr., who has a non-guaranteed $1.3MM deal, and/or waiving Spencer Hawes’ $6.5MM contract. By using the stretch provision, the Bucks could reduce Hawes’ 2017/18 cap hit by more than $4MM.

In other items involving the Central Division:

Unrestricted free agent forward Derrick Williams could wind up back with the Cavaliers, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports. Williams has drawn little interest in the open market but the Cavs could sign him to a one-year, $2.4MM contract once they decide whether to trade Kyrie Irving, Amico adds. Williams averaged 6.2 PPG and 2.3 RPG on 51% shooting in 17.1 MPG over 25 regular-season games with Cleveland but was used sparingly in the playoffs.
Andre Drummond has already noticed a significant difference in his breathing and stamina since undergoing sinus surgery this summer to correct a deviated septum, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Playing at a high altitude in the NBA Africa Game in South Africa, the Pistons center said he was breathing much easier on and off the court, as he told Beard. “Just being able to breathe, I can’t even explain how great it feels to sleep easier and breathe easier when I play,” Drummond said. “I’m not worried about gasping for air when I go hard.” Drummond had been breathing mainly through one nostril during his NBA career prior to the surgery.
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy will have difficult decisions on his power forward rotation, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes. Tobias Harris could wind up splitting his time between both forward spots and the rest of the power forward minutes will be soaked up by a combination of Jon Leuer, Anthony Tolliver and second-year man Henry Ellenson. Leuer, who signed a four-year contract last summer, could wind up as the starter despite slumping badly after the All-Star break, Langlois continues. Tolliver signed up for his second stint with the franchise this summer and brings the elements of toughness and 3-point shooting, while Ellenson put his shot-making ability on display in summer-league action, Langlois adds.

Bucks Sign Gary Payton II

April 2nd, 2017 at 11:28am CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 2, 11:28am: Payton is getting a two-year deal with a partial guarantee for next season, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. The deal is now official, per the Bucks.

APRIL 1, 4:20pm: The Bucks plan to sign guard Gary Payton II to a 10-day contract Sunday, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The team opened a roster spot earlier today by waiving Terrence Jones.

Payton signed with the Rockets last summer, but was waived before the season began. He has been playing for Houston’s D-League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, averaging 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists through 48 games.

If Payton signs tomorrow, the contract will take him almost to the end of the regular season. Milwaukee’s final game is April 12th.

The family has a connection with the Bucks already, as Payton’s Hall of Fame father spent part of the 2002-03 season there.