On Friday morning, Stephen Curry posted three pictures on his Instagram story. All three were about one person, Gary Payton II standing and hugging the franchise ace with the Larry O’Brien trophy. In the first picture, Curry wrote, “He’s back!!”?Pure joy engulfed the organization when they acquired GP2 from the Portland Trail Blazers on February 9. For Warriors fans, their “underrated hero” was back home, and the team’s defense received a much-needed boost. However, good times don’t seem to last forever, and the Golden State Warriors soon became victims of this phrase.
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Hours after Curry’s story went up, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweeted a breaking story. He wrote that the four-team trade deal that helped the Warriors acquire Payton was “in serious jeopardy.” ?GP2 reportedly failed the physical exam, after spending the day at the Warriors training facility. A report by?The Athletic revealed that the NBA star “could miss two-to-three months after a core muscle issue.” This report sent shockwaves across the league.
The Gary Payton II situation
After arriving in Portland, GP2 spent most of the season in rehab after abdominal surgery during the off-season. The timeline of his return remained uncertain for the longest time. However, toward December, the NBA star walked back onto the court.
Read More: ?F-M-L?: Warriors Fans Left in Disarray After Horrific Stephen Curry News
Supposedly, the Blazers’ staff gave GP2 toradol shots and pushed him to play. According to sources, this “had not been relayed to the Warriors during the negotiation process.”As speculations around this matter rose, Blazers coach Joe Cronin spoke to the media. He revealed that the team was “confident that he [GP2] was healthy when he was playing”. Cronin added the team did no wrong through this process.
The Warriors are yet to address this publicly. However, another source claimed that GP2 would undergo more testing, and the situation remains fluid. Furthermore, reports claimed that the Warriors front office remain upset with the situation. As of now, the fate of the four-team deal will likely be decided by Saturday morning. Following this, NBA fans rushed online to comment about this situation.
Fans stand up for Stephen Curry and co.
Fans wrote that this injury could threaten GP2’s career. They stated they were praying for a miracle and hoping for the best. Many expressed their frustrations toward the Blazers’ organization. Additionally, some stated that the Warriors should bring back James Wiseman.
Here are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter:
The danger is that this is a career ending injury for Payton, in which case the Warriors would be trading a number 2 pick for zilch. That’s enough to keep NBA executives awake all night.
— Russell Long (@russelllong) February 11, 2023
Can’t believe this https://t.co/DC7zsRYWnD
— GENESIS (@INDlVlDUALIST) February 11, 2023
Holy hell man I’m on my knees praying https://t.co/1GPcnK7BXr
— Ant (@Migwell1231) February 11, 2023
Just give us JM back I guess
— Warriors only talk (@HarveyL27725346) February 11, 2023
NASTY franchise. pic.twitter.com/Us5yFApMPH
— TG (@TommyGunnNBA) February 11, 2023
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fuck the grizzlies? nah FUCK THE BLAZERS https://t.co/oldh2R0zZC
— grace 🧚🏽♀️ (@splashdubs) February 11, 2023
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Watch This Story: Stephen Curry breaks silence for tough news for Warriors fans
All eyes for the next 24 hours will be on Bob Myers and the Warriors. Having said that, what do you think the Warriors should do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.