The Blazers Assert That They Had Faith in Gary Payton II’s Overall Health
General manager of the Portland Trail Blazers Joe Cronin stated on Friday that the team was certain Gary Payton II was healthy prior to agreeing to trade him to Golden State in a potentially risky four-team deal.
Payton failed Golden State’s physical on Friday, according to The Athletic. The Warriors have two options: they can either approve the trade or cancel it.
Although the Warriors, Hawks, and Pistons—two other teams involved in the deal—had not contacted Cronin, he acknowledged being aware of the report.
“No teams have gotten in touch with me about this. So for now I have to defer,” said In order to discuss Portland’s actions at the NBA trade deadline, Cronin was present at a press conference.
Payton’s time in Portland was brief. After being a member of Golden State’s NBA championship squad, he agreed to a $28 million, three-year deal last summer. But he missed the first 35 games of the season in Portland because of a core injury that required surgery.
Payton could miss two to three months of action due to the injury, according to The Athletic. He was reportedly playing through pain in Portland, according to the report’s unnamed sources.
“He had been cleared and we were confident that he was healthy when he was playing,” Cronin said. “We would not have brought him back if we thought he wasn’t healthy or if he was at risk.”
Portland coach Chauncey Billups agreed.
“No man would ever be forced to play by us. Whether it’s medical or whether a guy just doesn’t feel like he can play that night — say he’s got a headache or say he’s just got a lot of stress at home, or say he has a death in the family,” Billups said. “I’d never push someone to play because I’d be terrified of doing it and then something actually happening.”
In exchange for giving up Memphis’ 2026 second-round pick and its own 2028 second-round pick to the Blazers, Golden State received unprotected 2026 and ’28 second-round draft picks from Portland.
In the four-team trade, the Warriors sent center James Wiseman to Detroit. The Blazers received forward Kevin Knox II from the Pistons in exchange for forward Saddiq Bey and three conditional second-round picks from the Hawks.
In another move before the deadline, the Blazers also dealt forward Josh Hart to the New York Knicks in exchange for forward Cam Reddish, guard Ryan Arcidiacono and a 2023 first-round pick.
Reddish will get the start against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, according to Billups.
The Blazers also traded a 2027 second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for guard Matisse Thybulle, who they had previously acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2029 second-round pick.
