As the Golden State Warriors navigated their offseason, it was clear that bringing back veteran guard Gary Payton II was somewhat of a serious priority, as it was revealed early that he was among the players whom they had 'handshake' agreements to sign once the Jonathan Kuminga situation was resolved.
However, now that the season has begun, and the backcourt has begun to sort itself out, it has become abundantly clear that Payton is on the fringe of the rotation, and, although he has certainly earned the trust of head coach Steve Kerr over the years, it is highly likely that the return of De'Anthony Melton could severely limit his role.