NBA Expansion Threatens Warriors' Gary Payton II

0:00From Golden State Warriors coverage, this is your March 6 update. NBA expansion talks are turning serious, with Commissioner Adam Silver openly discussing new franchises. Cities like Seattle and Las Vegas are top candidates, and if it happens, the league would hold an expansion draft where current teams lose players to. Stock the newcomers. For the Golden State Warriors, that can mean parting with veteran guard Gary Payton the second, a key defender alongside Stephen Curry. Payton has become one of their best perimeter stoppers over recent seasons. His connection runs deep, thanks to his father, Hall of Famer Gary Payton Sr., who led the Seattle Supersonics through the 1990s, including a trip to the 1996 Finals. Seattle feels like home to the family, even after the team left in 2008. Payton recently missed two games with an ankle injury, but the good news is he's now day to day and could return soon. That's huge for the Warriors, who are battling in the tight Western conference playoff picture. This season, he's averaging 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, while shooting over 50%.

1:07As expansion buzz grows, his future might shift, but right now, Golden State just wants him back on the court. This story is made possible by our sponsor. Your bedtime ritual just got better. Built in sound, built in comfort, S-L-L-I, soliPilo.com