Warriors Lose Another Rotation Player As Gary Payton II Is Ruled Out With Injury

The Golden State Warriors turned their season around when they made the trade for Jimmy Butler. But they’ll have an issue making any kind of deep playoff run if their injury woes continue as they have recently, and you can add Gary Payton II to the list of players suffering from ailments after the guard has sustained a torn ligament in his left thumb.

Warriors Announce Payton II Out Indefinitely With Fractured Thumb

While the Warriors have not yet set any kind of timetable for Payton’s return, the diagnosis means that he will likely be out for an extended period. The injury comes at a tough time for both the team and player, as Payton has seen an increase in his playing time during the month of March, averaging over 20 minutes per game in Golden State’s rotation.

He’s been one of their most efficient players on the team in that time, making his field goals at a 64.3% clip and a 3-point average of 46.4%.

With just 10 games left to play in the regular season, there is a real possibility that the Warriors will have to enter the playoffs with Payton on the shelf. It is just the latest in the team’s injury woes, as they have had important players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski miss extended periods of time this season already. Superstar Steph Curry has also missed the last two games while dealing with a pelvic contusion.

Gary Payton II has suffered a thumb injury, per sources. Warriors still trying to figure out extent/return timeline, but they anticipate Payton will miss some amount of time. A blow to their rotation. He’s been averaging 20+ minutes lately.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 27, 2025

It is just the latest dip in what has been a rollercoaster of a season for Golden State. After having enjoying one of the best starts of any team in the NBA early on, the Warriors dropped all the way into 11th place in the Western Conference as recently as late January. But the acquisition of Jimmy Butler turned the team’s fortunes around, and they surged up into the 6th spot and out of Play-In range in recent weeks.

As it currently stands, the Warriors occupy the 7th spot in the West, and are in danger of having to participate in a Play-In game in order to keep their postseason hopes alive. They have one of the tougher remaining schedules in the NBA as they try to solidify their standing, with games against the Grizzlies, Lakers, Nuggets, and Rockets still looming in the coming days.