Filling the 14th spot on the roster for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season with Gary Payton II would give the Cleveland Cavaliers as scary of a roster as the Eastern Conference has to offer. Luckily for them, offseason circumstances have created the opening they would need for a big-time steal.
The Jonathan Kuminga saga has held up the Golden State Warriors throughout the entire summer. Any additional moves, like potentially bringing back Payton to the Bay Area, have been put on hold as a result.
Anthony Slater wrote in a recent ESPN piece, "Nothing substantial has changed on the Kuminga front in the last two weeks, sources said."
With the Warriors continuing to drag their feet, the Cavaliers can certainly put out a call to gauge interest on whether Payton would be willing to take the veteran minimum and officially leave Golden State once more. There would be plenty to like about what the two-way guard can offer.
Gary Payton II offers golden opportunity to land a difference-maker before Cavaliers training camp
Warriors insider Tim Kawakami stated towards the end of July to not rule out a return to Golden State for Payton. There was still mutual interest there, according to the report.
Kawakami wrote, "I’ve heard rumbles about the return of Gary Payton II, who remains unsigned, obviously is beloved throughout the organization, and always is a fit to defend the opponent’s most dangerous scorer."
However, fast forward almost an entire month and there has been no traction on that new contract. Payton is far too talented of a player to not be on an NBA roster for the 2025-26 season.
The nine-year veteran averaged 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals in 15.0 minutes per game off the Warriors bench in 2024-25. The usual brand of tough perimeter defense that can be relied upon from Payton was still on full display.
Some Cavaliers fans may have concerns about his offense. Payton would be eons better if there was a reliable 3-point shot to go with his impressive point-of-attack defense. However, the slashing ability of the 32-year-old still offers upside on that end as well.
The Cavaliers could benefit from having another insurance policy at the guard position, given the injury concerns with both Darius Garland and Lonzo Ball. While Payton may not bring the same type of on-ball value that someone like Malcolm Brogdon could, there is still a lot to love about his skill set.
Cleveland will need to make the decision on their 14th player eventually. The longer Payton sits available in free agency, the more likely the veteran guard would be willing to answer the call.