Gary Payton II will return tonight for the Portland Trail Blazers. The guard has missed all of 2022 due to recovery from an abdominal surgery he underwent over the summer.
Head coach Chauncey Billups confirmed that Payton will make his season debut against Detroit with tip off slated for 7 p.m., and the guard will be on an undisclosed minute restriction.
"I think we're all just happy he's available to play for the first time," Billups said. "It's been a tough little rehab for him. So for him to get back, I know he's probably feeling really good about it. We all, coaches, players, everybody in the organization is happy to have him."
Payton came on to the NBA scene last season with the champion Golden State Warriors. He was a defensive stalwart after spending most of his career hopping between the G league and NBA rosters.
His play during the 2022 postseason elevated Payton's status and Portland rewarded him with a 3-year contract reportedly worth $26 million with a player option for the third year.
Payton is sure to be a Blazer fan favorite as he also spent two years of his college career at Oregon state, just like his NBA hall of fame father Gary Payton. He'll also be an important piece to help turn the Blazers' defense around that has struggled since their 10-4 start.
"That's where he hangs his hat, on the defensive side of the ball, even though he does a lot of positive things for you offensively as well," Billups said. "He's just a unique player because he can guard small, he can guard big, he's just disruptive out there."
Jusuf Nurkic, Keon Johnson and Greg Brown III are also available after being listed as questionable with a non-COVID illness.
I'm Pamplin Media Group's managing sports editor, overseeing our sports sections across our entire network. On top of that, I help the Portland Tribune by covering the Portland Trail Blazers and local high school sports. From Colorado, I enjoy the lack of snow in Portland and enjoy a night out perusing the next big food truck.
