4 former Lakers who could explode on new teams in 2022-23
By Jason Reed
2. Gary Payton II
The Los Angeles Lakers have legitimately been one of the best teams in the league when it comes to finding and developing players that were either drafted late or were not drafted at all. There are so many examples of legitimate rotation guys that the Lakers found.
The one that got away was Gary Payton II.
Payton appeared in just 11 games during the 2017-18 season for the Los Angeles Lakers and he really did not etch out his place in the league until this last season with the Golden State Warriors. Payton has not been much of a rotation player in his career and the point guard averaged 17.6 minutes per game this past season.
His role was similar in the postseason as he averaged 16.9 minutes per game as he was a crucial defensive piece to bring off of the bench. Payton is legitimately one of the most talented defensive guards in the league and gives whatever team he is on an elite defensive presence on the perimeter.
That team next season is going to be the Portland Trail Blazers, who signed Payton to a three-year, $26.1 million contract. That is probably a bit too rich for Payton, especially considering what Alex Caruso got, but there is still a lot to like.
Payton should get a larger role in Portland’s rotation as a defensive guard to bring off the bench and in that bigger role he will thrive.