Basketball is a game of numbers. Usually, anyway. But if you try to understand what Gary Payton II does by just glancing at the back of a trading card or a standard box score, you’re basically trying to read a book through a keyhole. You’re missing almost everything.
People look at Gary Payton II stats and see 5 or 6 points a game and think, "Okay, a decent backup." Honestly? That’s the biggest mistake you can make. The guy is a 6'3" center trapped in a point guard's body who plays defense like he’s trying to pick your pocket in a crowded elevator. He’s weird. His game is weird. And the data reflects that in ways that traditional scouting just can't quite capture.
The 2024-25 Reality Check
Let’s look at what’s actually happening on the floor right now. In the 2024-25 season, Payton has been the ultimate "Swiss Army Knife" for the Golden State Warriors. Through his first 62 appearances, he’s averaged roughly 6.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.
Doesn't sound like much, does it?
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But he’s doing that in just 15 minutes of action. If you scale that out to his Per-36 minute stats, he’s basically a walking double-double with a side of three steals. He’s shooting north of 55% from the field, which is absurd for a guy his size. Most of that comes from being the smartest cutter in the league. He doesn't stand at the arc waiting for a pass; he waits for your head to turn, then he's gone, finishing a dunk before the help defense even realizes he moved.
Why Defensive Metrics Are the Real Story
If you want the "why" behind his value, you have to dig into the advanced defensive tracking. This is where the Gary Payton II stats actually start to make sense.
He’s consistently at the top of the league in "Deflections per 36 minutes." It’s not just about the steals he actually gets—it’s about the chaos he creates. Opposing point guards hate him. You can see it in their faces. They bring the ball up, see number 0, and immediately look for someone to hand the ball off to.
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- Defensive Box Plus-Minus (DBPM): He’s historically posted numbers that rival elite rim protectors.
- Steal Percentage: Often hovering around 3% or higher, meaning he terminates 3 out of every 100 opponent possessions himself.
- Versatility: He’s one of the few players who can legitimately switch from guarding a lightning-fast PG to a 6'9" forward without the defense collapsing.
The 2022 title run was the peak of this. He had a 75% True Shooting percentage in those playoffs. Seventy-five percent! That’s basically unheard of. He wasn't just "not hurting" the offense; he was the most efficient player on the floor because he refused to take a bad shot.
The Injury Factor
We have to be real here. You can't talk about his impact without talking about the "DNP - Injury" lines. His career has been a literal medical textbook. Since 2023, he’s dealt with calf strains, ankle tweaks, hamstring issues, and that lingering core injury that messed with his Portland stint.
In the 2024-25 season alone, he’s popped up on the injury report for everything from ankle issues to general "illness." It’s frustrating. It keeps him from finding a rhythm, and it’s likely why he’s playing 15 minutes a game instead of 25. His body plays at a 100mph intensity that his frame sometimes struggles to keep up with.
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He’s a "Big" in a Small Body
One of the funniest Gary Payton II stats is his offensive rebounding. He’s 6'3", but his offensive rebound percentage is often higher than many starting power forwards. Basically, he’s a "dunk spot" specialist. He lurks on the baseline, waits for a teammate to draw a double-team, and then cleans up the glass.
His shot chart is almost entirely green in the restricted area and then mostly blank everywhere else. He knows he’s not Steph Curry. He isn't going to pull up from 30 feet. But he’s going to make life miserable for your second unit and finish the night with a +12 in the plus-minus column while only taking four shots.
How to Evaluate "GP2" Impact Moving Forward
If you're tracking him for fantasy or just trying to win an argument with a friend about who the most underrated Warrior is, stop looking at the "Points" column. It's the wrong metric.
Instead, look at these three things:
- Deflections & Loose Balls Recovered: This is where his energy lives.
- Screen Assists: He sets "ghost screens" that open up the lane for others.
- On/Off Splits: Look at how many points per 100 possessions the team gives up when he sits. It usually spikes.
The reality is that Gary Payton II is a luxury item. He’s the defensive insurance policy that every contender wishes they had. His stats won't ever win him an MVP, but they might just win his team another ring. If he can stay on the court for 65+ games, his impact on the Warriors' defensive rating is usually the difference between a top-10 defense and a middle-of-the-pack one.