SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors have signed guard Gary Payton II to a contract, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Payton II, 28, appeared in 10 games for Golden State in 2020-21, posting averages of 2.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.0 minutes per game. The sixth-year guard owns career NBA averages of 3.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 11.4 minutes over 71 games (23 starts) with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and the Warriors.
Payton II appeared in 13 games (three starts) with Raptors 905 of the NBA G League last season, averaging 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.54 steals in 21.9 minutes and earning 2020-21 G League Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Warriors’ roster stands at 17 players.
The Golden State Warriors have also been awarded guard Jeff Dowtin off of waivers, the team announced today. Dowtin’s contract has been converted to a Two-Way deal.
Dowtin, 24, spent the 2021 preseason with the Orlando Magic, where he averaged 4.7 points, 1.3 assists and 8.7 minutes in three games. Unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft, the 6’3” guard spent the 2020-21 season with the Lakeland Magic, helping the club to the 2021 NBA G League championship while averaging 6.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 19.7 minutes over 15 games. A native of Upper Marlboro, Md., Dowtin averaged 11.0 points, 3.7 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 31.8 minutes in 128 games over four seasons at the University of Rhode Island, earning 2019-20 Atlantic 10 Third Team honors as a senior.
Dowtin participated in the 2021 California Classic Summer League with the Warriors, appearing in two games and averaging 17.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per game while hitting 13-of-20 from the field (.650).
Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have two players on Two-Way contracts at any given time throughout the season in addition to the 15-man regular season roster. Beginning in the 2020-21 season, a player under a Two-Way contract will be permitted to be on the NBA team’s active list for no more than 50 games during the regular season, with no limit on practices, workouts or other activities with the NBA team. Only players with three or fewer years of NBA service are able to sign Two-Way Contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons. The Warriors’ Two-Way players will have the ability to spend time with both Golden State and the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz.
