Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers held a press conference on Monday following the four-team trade that saw Gary Payton II sent back to Golden State from Portland. The deal was held up for a few days as the Warriors considered their options, but it ultimately went through even though they failed Payton’s physical due to a core muscle injury.
The veteran guard will be reevaluated in one month and the team hopes he’ll be back before a potential playoff push, Myers told reporters, including Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Regarding Payton’s injury, Myers added that “there are things I can’t say for legal reasons and HIPAA reasons,” tweets Mark Medina of NBA.com.
A formal league inquiry into the Trail Blazers‘ alleged failure to provide sufficient medical information is expected to be opened. Myers didn’t want to comment on the potential investigation.
“Good question, but I don’t want to answer that. I can’t go down that road of accusations,” Myers said (Twitter link via Medina).
As far as why the process took a few days, Myers said the team was evaluating its options and wanted clarity on whether the trade could potentially be amended, which wasn’t possible after the deadline passed. He hopes to get a “fair” result from the investigation.
“What do I want? Whatever the NBA says is fair,” Myers said, per Slater (Twitter video link).
Here’s more from Myers’ press conference:
- Slater pointed out to Myers that Payton missed the first 35 games of the season after a long recovery following surgery, and when he returned he wasn’t always playing every day. Was that a red flag? “We looked at the fact that he started the night before against our team…I didn’t factor in the thought that he’d be out as long as he will be,” Myers replied (Twitter video link).
- Myers said it was a difficult decision to deal way former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, who was sent to Detroit as part of the trade. He said it was a “tough, tough move to make,” adding that “he’s a great kid and did everything we asked him to do” (Twitter link via Medina).
- The Warriors were still high on Wiseman’s long-term potential, but Myers believes he needs playing time to develop his skills, and that wasn’t happening on Golden State. He said the trade was “not an indictment of James” and “it’s a hard rotation to crack,” tweets Medina. Part of the reason the Warriors decided to go through with the trade was because they “didn’t see a path” for Wiseman to be successful if they rescinded the trade and brought him back, per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews (Twitter link).
- Myers was asked if the Warriors would look to the buyout market to address frontcourt depth. “It doesn’t matter if he’s seven feet tall or eight feet tall. Any buyout conversation has to be done in collaboration with the coaching staff. Because why bring a player in if they’re not going to use him? But if there’s a player that the coaching staff and front office thinks can be helpful, then absolutely we’ll go target that guy,” Myers replied (Twitter video link courtesy of Slater).
- When Slater asked Myers about the possibility of converting Anthony Lamb or Ty Jerome, both of whom are on two-way contracts, to a standard deal, Myers said a decision hasn’t been made yet. “I think we’ve gotta look and see whether it’s that or another player or whatever it might be and compare them. And say to Steve, ‘Hey, these are your options. Which player do you think helps us the most?’ And make that determination,” Myers said, adding that system fit would factor in as well.
Well, except play hard I guess.
He actually played too hard that was the problem. He was overly aggressive on defense and prone to fouling where his movements were active but far less efficient than Loon. On offense he would be overly aggressive trying to prove himself and take inadvisable face ups from 18ft and stuff.
Its also important to remember that after getting hurt he spent a year in the classroom unable to play then was trying to implement all those lessons. I thought he showed improvement after getting some reps in the G.
My biggest worry about this really coming back to bite GSW fast is that he was overloaded by information after his injury return and that he really needed a smaller number of reps to get the game to slow down. Its really like he is 3/4 of the way through his rookie season with his games played, and he got so much instruction that its possible he was just in his own head over thinking everything temporarily…
Better to get something for him now than have to commit to a rookie scale extension without seeing consistent play. I do not see this moving biting them within that time frame.
Wiseman is a bust unfortunately. It’s painful to say the least but Warriors FO, coaches, and veterans are very down on him. We have to move on.
I mean the upside of the rookie extension is that since he hasnt played as well you could get him cheap and then if he pops… I think he may pop a lot more where he could at least be a useful backup with maybe 30 games, or we will know then that it will take him a long time to figure it out more if ever.
Since Payton maybe zilch this season I would have maybe just nixed the deal and had him play out the rest of the year in the G or when the main guys rest and just have him play reps to finish the year then check back in the summer.
What a class franchise
The Blazers?
Buyout market?? Left that out
It was contingent on his physical, you had an option to nix it or accept it? Why should anything else happen? You had a chance to back out.
Because if they had known the full story about GPII before the deadline had passed they would have had the option of doing Wiseman for Bey or another player other than GPII. Now the choice was a player who will only help at a later point and undoing a 4 team trade for everybody in an uncomfortable way. This way they figure they maybe get a second or two back from POR down the road, and hopefully GPII can help when the team gets to the most important part of the season.
You knew the story cause GP2 played for GSW last year… Myers came to Blazers in a panic trade at the end of the TD with those picks instead of keeping Bey got a recovering player in GP2 who just played 15gms so then and now complain after TD that thé player is n’ont in good shape … This is just putting pig lipstick on a ‘tough tough’ financial ‘great kid’ trade that just gave you back a GP2 you could have signed After last season… Myers blew the TD saved some $$ for Dray, got GP2 instead of Caruso and forgot to say good bye to Divicenzo btw
But it was originally a 3 team trade Wiseman to Detroit, Bey to Golden State then flipped to Atlanta for 5 seconds. It was about an hour or two later they included Portland with a couple of those seconds going to Portland if I read that right.
Thats just how it was reported. They may have already known the price for GPII if they could get it, and he was known to be able to play with this team.
Trading Wiseman and 2s for GPII is not getting enough backlash. I wonder do they consider themselves light years ahead. So instead of just resigning him which was easy because of Bird Rights they instead let him walk then gave up a limited asset.
They simply decided to admit wrong and cut loss.
“Myers added that ‘there are things I can’t say for legal reasons and HIPPA reasons.'”
Rory, that’s actually spelled HIPAA. It stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Thanks, typo. It’s fixed.
Dumb dubs trade for tax reason at first but hey GSW fans this is all Portland fault. Pathetic FO move after tampering for Caruso, got back GP2 that is recovering from an abs injury from last season in SF … maybe that was the main reason Myers didn’t resign him ??? Right back at you…
Why was it dumb? Wise wasn’t playing for the team anyways so it was an empty slot, they save $37M over the 2 years of his contract, etc.
Plus they get a chance to get a 2nd rnd pick back (which is pretty worthless atm considering the tax/cap limitations and how often 2nd rounders hit)
Warriors are not getting picks back, there were no shots, and it went from up to 3 months of rehab to 1 month, and then a re-evaluation.
Let a couple of weeks pass, or a month, and the truth of the matter will sorta reveal itself.
I truly believe this is an arrow slung directly at the defunct medical & training department in Portland, as opposed to a direct intention to defraud the Warriors.
It is very hard to say that doctors are negligent beyond a reasonable doubt. A commenter posted about the spelling error of HIPAA, and also its acronymical definition. The key word of Insurance is where this will play out. The public court will probably be left hanging for the most part.
This GP2 injury BS is just a way not to look at the real core of this deal which is money saving over a #2 pick trade. Myers had the option to nix the 4 teams deal so if it’s that bad why he didn’t..? Myers got nothing great for Wiseman and did a huge financial trade at first and turn it to a old warrior player at the very end of TD … Why not keeping Saadiq Bey chip contract and the picks?
the BS is Portland played Payton on purpose to make him have trade value knowing he wasn’t 100%. I am not making excuses for Bob Meyers because I do not think he is a great GM. There was nothing about the deal that is good for GSW. Only reason they went through with it for their good grace for the other 2 teams. If they didn’t those 2 teams probably never trade with GSW again blaming Bob for not getting a health check earlier.
A GP2 for Wiseman trade rumor was reported earlier on thursday but didn’t work out. Myers found a better way to dump Wiseman in D then came back at the very end of TD with more 2nd rounders to push for GP2 … No way Portland played GP while injured juste to get rid of him 5 mn before TD, also GP2 was super happy to go back to SF.
Wouldn’t be the first time a team did that. Warriors should have kept Wiseman and played him. This year is a loss cause they are not even close to be a top 6 team in the west. Kerr is just too stubborn to play the young kids.
GP2 missed 35 games, wasn’t playing everyday, and was on the injury report pretty much every game he played. There was 0% chance GS didnt know he wasn’t 100% as being on injury basically means not 100%. He played with GS last season with same injury before waiting until offseason to have surgery to resolve and sat out until 2 months longer than expected to recover.
Now that GS claims have bascially proven to be BS, they are asking NBA to look into Portland trading Nance last year without disclosing an injury even though Nance had been out for multiple weeks when traded and wasn’t expected back for at least a few more. Did Cronin sleep with Meyers wife or something?
English please. “tampering for Caruso”? What does that mean? Do you understand that Payton under went a physical before he signed with Portland? If this is an injury from last season, Portland knew about it. You can’t blame the Warriors. If it was from last season, Portland has been doing a terrible job at getting him healthy.
I believe you are correct about the true focus of the Warriors complaint & claim. Everything corporate, or commercial is about proof of claim. Warriors really might have undeniable evidence, but it is so rare in corporate medical cases involving Insurance. Blazers have insurance, and therefore it could alleviate the Warriors financially, but the picks would stay put I believe. Unless Portland agreed to something. NBA could also make a separate claim between the 2 franchises, but before that the medical liability insurance claim will have to be settled and used for the NBA’s basis of claim.
Portland was ok that GP2 got the surgery just after signing a 2 year contract … Lillard got the same injury and he’s playing great after a 1 year recovery si i don’t think Portland has been doing a terrible job at getting him healthy… GP2 has played 15gms and was ok and not complaining about anything,
Slater pointed out to Myers that Payton missed the first 35 games of the season after a long recovery following surgery, and when he returned he wasn’t always playing every day. Was that a red flag? “We looked at the fact that he started the night before against our team…I didn’t factor in the thought that he’d be out as long as he will be,” Myers replied
GSW and especially Kerr who in a mic’d up game was dreaming out loud on TV for Caruso and finished with GP2 … it’s not officially tampering but sounds terribly weird.
My mind says as a possible scenario, that if portland has an MRI, or better Imaging dated within 2 weeks or mere days of trading him, and san francisco has imaging with different revelations? Who is to blame? The doctor, trainers, imaging machine? Franchise? This gets complex fast because of the word insurance
insurance is not the problem but GSW need Payton NOW with Curry out and Wiggins bad ankle. The league is not going to help out GSW because there is a lot of hate on how they spend over the cap. Many owners like Cuban hate GSW.
Payton is just a 10mn D player… Warriors first need to win is making 3 so i think they need Curry back first
Payton is needed when Green rest. Just like the last game when Green and Looney are on the floor you only have 3 options of offensive players. Wiggins with a hurt ankle can’t drive so he is null now. You double team Thompson and Poole. Kerr just doesn’t get it sometimes without hitting 3s they have no offense.
I think insurance is the reason the trade being rescinded could have possibly come with consequences for the Warriors if their claim was in fact false, or not complete enough to draw a conclusion. 3 or 4 teams would be out for blood. So, all due respect, but I think picks, GP II, a possible injury, and liability are at the center of this, and how it is handled. I feel ya’ on the Warriors being singled out for $ & success, but read up how injured Darius Miles was back in 2007, and how bad portland was, and why Memphis did what they did to cost Portland Millions. Intentionally. One of the dirtiest franchise Vs franchise GM moves in the history of the NBA. Over a medical opinion. Took years to settle while Portland suffered
Despite the lip service, GSW must have really wanted to be done with Wiseman. They take an injured player and give up a bunch of 2nds.
Wasn’t there 2nds, it was the Hawks and Pistons.
He’s a major bust and Warriors are headed for a major offseason. They have to do something big regarding luxury tax.
Wiseman will be back. Dumb trade. Especially cause you could have gotten more. Still like him and see a big future for Wiseman.
Detroit has incredible young talent. They are the future.
You may be right, but seeing him play is rare the past few years. If he is fluid, not clumsy, and can learn to put his hands straight up, and resist the urge to foul, why can’t he play the defense necessary to make it? That was Tacko’s problem. Not being to slow, but being clumsy, and lacking fluidity in his game
The real deal is just what Myers got back from a #2 …almost nothing and now is blaming portland doctors for meaningless 2nd rounders to justificate his terrible Detroit negociation. True warrior !
Wiseman has all the physical talent but he lacks basketball IQ, hunger, determination. and experience. He didnt have any urgency to fight for playing time whatsoever. And he’a injury proned. :(
Gotta have the will to fight or you won’t make it in competitive anything
My heart just breaks for the poor, poor Warriors franchise.
Said none of the other owners in the NBA.
Buyout market? They’re already late to the party. All the guys are signing with other teams. This just doesn’t look like it’s the GSW’s year
I don’t see the Warriors getting any compensation, which is unfortunate, but I do see the NBA taking away draft picks from Portland for failure to disclose full injury information about GP2.