2025-26 Season
GARY PAYTON II
2025-26 Season
GARY PAYTON II
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 19 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 245 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
A chaotic pendulum of defensive brilliance and offensive invisibility defined Gary Payton II's early-season rotation minutes. When his motor runs hot, he remains a game-wrecking specialist without needing to shoot. Look at 11/11 vs OKC, where he scored a meager 2 points but drove a stellar +3.3 impact because his menacing on-ball pressure and elite screen navigation completely disrupted the opposing backcourt. Yet, when his physical finishing wavers, his value plummets. Despite scoring a relatively high 6 points on 11/14 vs SAS, he posted a -1.1 impact because blown layups and a glaring inability to finish through contact cost his team dearly. His offensive limitations can also completely tank his floor time on quiet nights. He completely vanished from the scoring equation on 10/24 vs POR, failing to register a single point and generating a dismal -6.4 impact. Ultimately, he is a razor-thin margin player who demands perfect defensive execution to justify his lack of spacing.
This stretch of rotational chaos was defined by extreme peaks of defensive havoc and deep valleys of offensive invisibility. Payton remains a dangerous weapon off the bench, but his value wildly fluctuates based on his manic intensity. Look at his 01/13 vs POR outing, where he scored just 8 points but still posted a stellar +9.6 impact score. Relentless point-of-attack pressure and elite hustle metrics completely wrecked Portland's offensive flow that night. Conversely, empty defensive effort can tank his rating even when the shots fall. During the 12/29 vs BKN matchup, he shot an efficient 4-for-5 from the field for 10 points, but uncharacteristic defensive lapses dragged him down to a -0.9 impact score. The margins are razor-thin. A complete lack of hustle plays utterly destroyed his rating on 01/02 vs OKC, resulting in a brutal -7.4 impact mark.
This stretch was defined by a massive mid-season turnaround, as Payton morphed from an invisible offensive liability into a hyper-efficient, two-way wrecking ball off the bench. Early on, he looked completely lost; during a dismal showing on 01/26 vs MIN, he posted a brutal -7.3 impact score because he failed to find cutting lanes and abandoned his usual finishing efficiency. He eventually rediscovered his chaotic identity, learning to dominate games even when his shot stopped falling. A prime example came on 03/07 vs OKC, where a meager seven-point outing still yielded a +5.0 impact score because he delivered an absolute masterclass on the glass with 12 rebounds. However, his value occasionally cratered when he forgot his role. On 03/09 vs UTA, he scored a respectable 13 points but still dragged the second unit down to a -1.1 impact score, as an ill-advised over-reliance on outside jumpers completely neutralized his essential rim-pressure dynamics. When he sticks to baseline cuts and defensive harassment, he is terrifying.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. II's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~6 points per game.
Reliable shooter — hits 45%+ from the field in 74% of games. You can count on efficient nights more often than not.
Good defender on his best nights, but it comes and goes. Some games II locks in defensively, others he gets picked apart.
Getting better as the season goes on. First-half impact: -5.0, second-half: +1.8. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
Tends to go on runs. Longest hot streak: 15 games. Longest cold streak: 15 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 75 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
75 games played
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