Payton fell victim to the injury curse once again during the 2023-24 season, playing a total of 44 regular-season games for the Warriors, during which he averaged just 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 steals in 15.4 minutes. Having picked up his player option for the upcoming season, Payton will be looking to make health a priority. Assuming he can stay on the floor, he should provide Golden State with an elite defensive presence, which is invaluable in today's NBA. However, the Warriors have shored up their wing defense during the offseason, signing De'Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson. This could allow them to tinker with their rotation on a nightly basis, limiting Payton's value. Payton doesn't need to be drafted and should be viewed as nothing more than a steals streaming option, even in deeper formats.
